VII. If thou shah find anything in this mortal life
better than righteousness, than truth, temperance, fortitude,
and in general better than a mind contented both with
those things which according to right and reason she doth,
and in those, which without her will and knowledge

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happen unto thee by the providence ; if I say, thou canst
find out anything better than this, apply thyself unto it
with thy whole heart, and that which is best wheresoever
thou dost find it, enjoy freely. But if nothing thou shalt
find worthy to be preferred to that spirit which is within
thee ; if nothing better than to subject unto thee thine own
lusts and desires, and not to give way to any fancies or
imaginations before thou hast duly considered of them,
nothing better than to withdraw thyself (to use Socrates his
words) from all sensuality, and submit thyself unto the gods,
and to have care of all men in general : if thou shalt find
that all other things in comparison of this, are but vile, and
of little moment ; then give not way to any other thing,
which being once though but affected and inclined unto, it
will no more be in thy power without all distraction as thou
oughtest to prefer and to pursue after that good, which is
thine own and thy proper good. For it is not lawful, that
anything that is of another and inferior kind and nature, be
it what it will, as either popular applause, or honour, or riches,
or pleasures ; should be suffered to confront and contest as
it were, with that which is rational, and operatively good.
