These vivid mental pictures are incredibly useful. They cut through appearances to show what things really are. Use this practice your whole life, in every situation. When something seems important and impressive, work to see past the surface. Strip away all the fancy words and serious presentations that make it look so grand. Outward show is a clever magician. You are most likely to be fooled by it when you think you are dealing with something truly important.
How excellent useful are these lively fancies and representations of things, thus penetrating and passing through the objects, to make their true nature known and apparent! This must thou use all thy life long, and upon all occasions: and then especially, when matters are apprehended as of great worth and respect, thy art and care must be to uncover them, and to behold their vileness, and to take away from them all those serious circumstances and expressions, under which they made so grave a show. For outward pomp and appearance is a great juggler; and then especially art thou most in danger to be beguiled by it, when (to a man's thinking) thou most seemest to be employed about matters of moment.