§ 6. The Custody of the Senses.

Thou must guard with the utmost diligence thy tongue, and the five senses of thy body, that is to say, sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling. See, therefore, that thou use them not otherwise than is permitted. For if thou lovest much talking, and art given to indulging thy senses without restraint, thou wilt be unable to make any progress in virtue, and wilt lose the grace of God; for it flows away through the senses, as it were through crevices.