Epictetus his Morals, with Simplicius his comment made English from the Greek, by George Stanhope ...

CHAP. LXXIV.

Whatever Directions are given you, look up∣on them as so many Laws, that have a binding Power, and such as you cannot without Impiety depart from: Persevere therefore in the Observance of them all, and be not diverted from your Duty by any idle Reflections the silly World may make upon you; for their Censures are not in your Power, and consequently should be no part of your Concern.

COMMENT.

ONE Swallow, we commonly say, makes no Summer; and no more do a few single Acts of Vertue make a Habit, or observing the Directions of Chrysippus, in one or two Instan∣ces, constitute a good Man. But our Obedience must be firm and constant; we must consider our Duty, as that which is our Happiness and truest Advantage, and suffer no Consideration, how tempting soever, to draw us off from it. We must look upon our selves as under indis∣pensible Obligations, such as cannot be broke loose from, without the highest Impiety. And reason good there is to do so; for if we e∣steem it dishonourable and impious to fail of our Promise, or fly off from an Agreement in every trifling matter, because, though the thing is of no value, yet the Violation of our Word is of horrible consequence (as tending to the taking away that mutual Faith and good Assu∣rance,

by which all Society and Co••merce is maintained among Men;) How so∣lemn and sacred ought those Engagements to be esteemed, by which we have tied our selves up to Wisdom and Vertue, and Innocency of Life? Now these are violated, when a Man assents to the Truth of what he is taught, and the Reaso∣nableness of what he is commanded▪ and ex∣presses this Assent by living acco••••••••••ly for a time, but afterwards relapses and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 De∣serter.

Upon this account he advises us by all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to persevere in Goodness, and particularly not to be discomposed with any Reflections the ••••le World shall cast upon us: For, as he in••ima••ed before (Chap. XXIX.) it is highly probable they will take upon them to censure our Conduct pretty freely; they will tax us with Singularity and Preciseness, and call our Change, Pride, or Affectation. Now such Discouragements as these, we must be provided against, and not let them cool our Zeal, or thake our Vertue; and that, because other Men's Tongues are not at our disposal, and therefore what they say should give us no disturbance.

This Passage may probably enough allude to that allegorical Saying of Pythagoras and his Fol∣lowers: That when a Man comes into the Temple, he should never look behind him. B•• which they designed to insinuate, That Religious Purposes should be fixed and steddy; and that when we come to God, we should come with se••led Reso∣lutions, not with doubtful and wavering 〈◊〉〈◊〉, such as would fain divide themselves between God and the World.