My soul, therefore, sighs after thee, my eyes look up to thee, who dwellest in the heavens: far be from me to resolve to turn my eyes downwards to the earth, and to choose rather to toil for worthless dirt, than for thy love and honour, and the reward of the heavenly life. The pursuit of vain glory is no enjoyment to one who has the promise of that which is eternal. All things were by thy apostle esteemed as dung, that he might gain thee. And justly so; for when they are gone, what remains to us of them but what we blush for? Oh, how shall we wish hereafter, that we had laboured for thee more earnestly and not in vain! Behold, I offer thee my heart, O Lord, with an everlasting covenant, and dedicate to thee all my works. Be thy name blessed and sanctified in me for ever.
Christ. Seek, then, my son, thy own, and beware of seeking any other good. Every creature has its good, but seek thou thy own. None is good but God above; what, then, dost thou want more that thou hast the Supreme Good? There are also inferior goods, proper, some to one creature some to another. What other good have cattle, but to fill their belly, be free from want, sleep, live, have health, and propagate their kind? Seekest thou such a good as this, thou co-heir of the Son of God? Dost thou, then, rejoice in being companion to the beasts? No, rather elevate thy hope to him who is the Good of all goods.
Man. It is good for me to adhere to thee, my God, and to place in thee my hope, for thou art the Supreme Good. Freely will I sacrifice to thee, and give praise to thy name, O Lord, because it is good. For beside thee, what have I in heaven, or what have I desired upon earth?
Christ. Meantime I do not altogether forbid thee to make use of the inferior goods, which are my other creatures, for I have not made them for nought; but know that they are all to be used, loved, or pursued, only so far as they may be aids or means to the attainment of thy own end. Happy is he who from every created thing elicits a motive of love for the Creator, and who makes of the creatures a ladder to heaven, which otherwise become a snare to the feet of the unwise.
Man. All the things, O Lord, which thou hast created for my sake, I esteem very beautiful and good; but how much more beautiful, excellent, and lovely art thou, their creator! If one drop and particle of good is
