xcellent objects of his mind and affections presented
before him, and so excellent rewards for his care and pains proposed
to him; who is engaged in affairs of so worthy nature, and so
immense consequence: for him to be zealous about quibbles, for him
to be ravished with puny conceits and expressions, 'tis a wondrous
oversight, and an enormous indecency.

He indeed that prefers any faculty to reason, disclaims the
privilege of being a man, and understands not the worth of his own
nature; he that prizes any quality beyond virtue and goodness,
renounces the title of a Christian, and knows not how to value the
dignity of his profession. It is these two (reason and virtue) in
conjunction which produce all that is considerably good and great in
the world. Fancy can do little; doth never anything well, except as
directed and wielded by them. Do pretty conceits or humorous talk
carry on any business, or perform any work? No; they are
ineffectual and fruitless: often they disturb, but they never
despatch anything with good success. It is simple reason (as dull
and dry as it seemeth) which expediteth all the grand affairs, which
accomplisheth all the mighty works that we see done in the world.
In truth, therefore, as one diamond is worth numberless bits of
glass; so one solid reason is worth innumerable fancies: one grain
of true science and sound wisdom in real worth and use doth outweigh
loads (if any loads can be) of freakish wit. To rate things
otherwise doth argue great weakness of judgment, and fondness of
mind. So to conceit of this way signifieth a weak mind; and much to
delight therein rendereth it so--nothing more debaseth the spirit of
a man, or more rendereth it light and trifling.

Hence if we must be venting pleasant conceits, we should do it as if
we did it not, carelessly and unconcernedly; not standing upon it,
or valuing ourselves for it: we should do it with measure and
moderation; not giving up ourselves thereto, so as to mind it or
delight in it more than in any other thing: we should not be so
intent upon it as to become remiss in affairs more proper or needful
for us; so as to nauseate serious business, or disrelish the more
worthy entertainments of our minds. This is the great danger of it,
which we daily see men to incur; they are so bewitched with a humour
of being witty themselves, or of hearkening to the fancies of
others, that it is this only which t