tation, and all the fine things of this
world?--What he thinks of more and more is,--How can I become better
and more righteous? How can I make my neighbours better likewise?
How the world? As for the good things of this life, if they will
make me a better man, let them come. If not, why should I care so
much about them? What I want is, to be righteous like God,
beneficent and good-doing like God.

That is the man of whom it is written, that he shall be satisfied
with the plenteousness of God's house, God's kingdom; for with God
is the fountain of life.

Again, as long as a man has no hunger and thirst after truth, he is
easily enough interested, though he is not satisfied. He reads,
perhaps, and amuses his fancy, but he does no more. He reads again,
really to instruct his mind, and learns about this and that: but he
does not learn the causes of things; the reasons of the chances and
changes of this world; and so he is not satisfied; he takes up
doctrines, true ones, perhaps, at secondhand out of books and out of
sermons:, without having had any personal experience of them; and
so, when sickness or sorrow, doubt or dread, come, they do not
satisfy him. Then he longs--he ought at least to long--for truth.
He thirsts for truth. O that I could know the truth about myself;
about my fellow-creatures; about this world. What am I really?
What are they? Where am I? What can I know? What ought I to do?
I do not want secondhand names and notions. I want to be sure.

That is the divine thirst after truth, which will surely be
satisfied. He will drink of the pleasure of true knowledge, as out
of an overflowing river; and the more he knows, the more he will be
glad to know, and the more he will find he can know, if only he
loves truth for truth's own sake; for, as it is written, in God's
light shall that man see light.

With God is the well of life; and in his light we shall see light.
The first is the answer to man's hunger after righteousness, the
second answers to his thirst after truth.

With God is the well of life. There is the answer. Thou wishest to
be a good man; to live a good life; to live as a good son, good
husband, good father, good in all the relations of humanity; as it
is written, 'And Noah was a just man, and perfect in his
generations; and Noah walked with God.' Then do thou walk with God.
For in him is the life thou wishest for. He alone can quicken thee,
and give thee spirit and power t