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OF THE

FOUR COMPLEXIONS.

CHAP. I.

Of the Caufe of Spiritual Trouble, Sadness, and Fear. Alfo, What fuch Perturbations, Anxiety, and Fear are, and whence they arife.

1. ALL Sorrow, Anguish and Fear con

cerning Spiritual Things, whereby a Man is dejected and terrified in himself, proceedeth from the Soul. For the Outward Spirit, which hath its Original from the Conftellations and Elements, is not thus difturbed and perplexed; because it liveth in its own Mother, from which it had its Birth.

2. But the poor Soul is, through the heavy Fall of Adam, entered into a frange Inn or Lodging, namely, into the Spirit of this World, which is not its proper Home. Whereby

that

that originally Fair Creature is obfcured and defaced, and also held Captive therein as in a dark Prison or Dungeon.

3. Now this Strange Inn, the Spirit of this World, hath Four Chambers, wherein the Noble Jewel, the Soul, is confined. Of which

Four there is but One principally manifested in every individual Man, and predominant in his Life. Juft as it is with the Four Elements, which every Man alfo hath in himfelf, and is indeed Himfelf a Compound thereof; All of him except his Soul, which is not of That Elementary Subftance, though imprifoned and held captive in it.

4. Thefe Four Chambers, or Complexions, as they are commonly termed, of the Soul are

1. The CHOLERI C.
2. The SANGUIN E.
3. The PHLEGMATIC.
4. The MELANCHOLY.

I. Of the CHOLERIC.

5. The Choleric Complexion is of the Fire's Property. It produceth violent Anger, flout Courage, afpiring Pride, ftrong Self-confidence, and Difregard of All Men.

6. This

6. This Form or Complexion, as to the outward World, appeareth in a Fiery Light. It longeth and laboureth after the Power of the Sun, and would always be Lord and Master.

II. Of the SANGUINE.

7. The Sanguine, which hath its Nature according to the Element of Air, is fubtile, friendly, chearful, but not of a firm and refolute Mind. It is fickle, eafily moved from one Thing to another, and readily receiveth into its Effence the Property, and Bent or Inclination, of the Stars. It is naturally chafte, modeft, and pure, and capable of reaching, and becoming Master of, Great Myfteries, in and through its fearching Skill and Knowledge.

III. Of the PHLEGMATIC.

8. The Phlegmatic Complexion, taketh after the Nature of its correfpondent Element in the Outward World, the Water. It is apt to be heavy, grofs, foft and yielding. It giveth a weak and effeminate Mind: An Apprehenfion rather dull, but retentive of what it hath once attain'd. Knowledge must be brought into it by much Teaching and Inculcation from without. For it does not find it in its own Root. It generally lets all Trouble slide off

and

and pass by, and cumbereth not itself with many Cares. It hath a Glimpse of the Light; and as to its Temper, is neither fad, nor merry, but rather even and indifferent.

IV. Of the MELANCHOLY.

9. The Melancholy Complexion partaketh of the Property of the Earth, and is as the Earth is, cold, hard, dark and hungry after the Light. Moreover, it ftandeth in continual Fear of the Anger of God.

10. For the Earth and Stones are on the Outside of the Eternal Effentiality, They are Substances compacted through the kindled Defire in the Fiat, both according to the Anger's Property, and alfo according to the LoveProperty. There is both Good and Evil in the Compaction thereof.

11. But the Good and Evil ftand in perpetual Contrariety to each other. For which reafon the Good would always fly from the Evil, as is to be seen in Metals; wherein the Tiniture is good, but the Total Mafs or Earthly Body is evil and wrathful. There would the Tincture of the Metal always fly from the Earthly Part and uncentre itself from it; efpecially when the evil Constellation or Starry

Influence

Influence ftirreth it. This is the Caufe, and Ground of the Growth of Metals. For the Tincture driveth their Defire forth from itself, and it defireth to fly away from it, but getteth in and by its Defire fuch a Corporeity or Substance as the Spirit or Defire itself is. And hence proceedeth the Metallic Body.

12. The Melancholy Nature is dark and dry. It yields little Subftantiality or Corporeity in itself; but corrodes and confumes itfelf inwardly in its own Being, and abides always in the House of Sorrow and Sadness. Even when the Sun fhines into it, yet it is fad in itself. It receiveth indeed fome Light and Refreshment from the Sun's Luftre and Influence, but in the dark it is ever in Fear and Terror of God's Judgment.

13. Now if any One of these Complexions hath the Predominance in a Man, so that it is his proper Complexion, then doth his Noble Jewel the Soul ftand in that Houfe; and must, during the Time of its Life in the Body, if it doth not fully attain the Light of God in itself, help itself with the Light of the Sun; feeing in Adam the Divine Light-Eye became fhut up to it in the Earthly Source or Property, into which it entered.

14. The

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