way to any fancies or imaginations before thou hast duly
considered of them, nothing better than to withdraw thyself
(to use Socrates his words) from all sensuality, and submit
thyself unto the gods, and to have care of all men in general:
if thou shalt find that all other things in comparison of this,
are but vile, and of little moment; then give not way to any
other thing, which being once though but affected and inclined unto,
it will no more be in thy power without all distraction
as thou oughtest to prefer and to pursue after that good,
which is thine own and thy proper good. For it is not lawful,
that anything that is of another and inferior kind and nature,
be it what it will, as either popular applause, or honour,
or riches, or pleasures; should be suffered to confront
and contest as it were, with that which is rational,
and operatively good. For all these things, if once though
but for a while, they begin to please, they presently prevail,
and pervert a man's mind, or turn a man from the right way.
Do thou therefore I say absolutely and freely make choice of that
which is best, and stick unto it. Now, that they say is best,
which is most profitable. If they mean profitable to man
as he is a rational man, stand thou to it, and maintain it;
but if they mean profitable, as he is a creature, only reject it;
and from this thy tenet and conclusion keep off carefully all
plausible shows and colours of external appearance, that thou
mayest be able to discern things rightly. VIII. Never esteem
of anything as profitable, which shall ever constrain
thee either to break thy faith, or to lose thy modesty;
to hate any man, to suspect, to curse, to dissemble, to lust
after anything, that requireth the secret of walls or veils.
But he that preferreth before all things his rational part and spirit,