The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved

Whoever thou art that despisest thy own Reason, and permittest every silly lust to abuse thee, by scorning that, thou art a false Traitor, to thy own soul. There are but a very few men that are in their wits, the far greatest part of mankind, in the greatest matters, in the highest concernments of a man, are besides themselves; for a mans own self, must be a reasonable creature, and therefore not to govern ones own mind, and affections by Reason, is to be mad and distracted; if he that looks not to his family is worse then an infidel, what then is he that looks not to his mind? what confused Chaos are most mens minds,— rudis indigestaque moles? ¹a man makes a fool of himself as oft as he prefers his passion before his reason; the Philosopher gives us the sum of this Rule excellently,² [Greek or Hebrew]. Accustom thy self to act every where like a reasonable creature.

Whoever thou art that despisest thy own Reason, and permittest every silly lust to abuse thee, by scorning that, thou art a false Traytor, to thy own soul. There are but a very few men that are in their wits, the far greatest part of mankind, in the greatest matters, in the highest concernments of a man, are besides themselves; for a mans own self, must be a reasonable creature, and therefore not to govern ones own mind, and affections by Reason, is to be mad and distracted; if he that looks not to his family is worse then an infidel, what then is he that looks not to his mind? what confused Chaos are most mens minds,— rudis indigestaque moles? ¹a man makes a fool of himself as oft as he prefers his passion before his reason; the Philosopher gives us the sum of this Rule excellently,² 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Accustom thy self to act every where like a reasonable creature.

1. 1Ovid.
2. 2Ca•m Pythag.