Miscellanies 4.23.148

Those who have obeyed God because of the promise are caught by the promise, taken by the bait of pleasure; nor would turning away from sensible things produce, as a consequence, attachment to intelligible things. On the contrary, attachment to intelligible things brings about, according to nature, a turning away from sensible things for the one who knows, who has chosen the good in the way of knowledge by the selection of the beautiful, admiring creation and sanctifying the Creator, and sanctifying likeness to the divine. “But I will free myself from desire,” he will say, “because of my kinship with you, Lord. For the arrangement created is good, and all things are well governed; nothing happens without cause; I must be in what is yours, Almighty; and even if I am here, I am with you. I wish to be without fear, so that I may be able to draw near to you, and to be content with little, practicing your just selection of good things from their likes.”