the meditations-第31章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


of　all　that　are　reasonable；　but　one　reasonable　soul；　divided　betwixt　them　all。　As　of　all　earthly　things　there　is　but　one　earth；　and　but　one　light　that　we　see　by；　and　but　one　air　that　we　breathe　in；　as　many　as　either　breathe　or　see。　　Now　whatsoever　partakes　of　some　common　thing；　naturally　affects　and　inclines　unto　that　whereof　it　is　part；　being　of　one　kind　and　nature　with　it。　Whatsoever　is　earthly；　presseth　downwards　to　the　common　earth。　Whatsoever　is　liquid；　would　flow　together。　　And　whatsoever　is　airy；　would　be　together　likewise。　　So　that　without　some　obstacle；　and　some　kind　of　violence；　they　cannot　well　be　kept　asunder。　Whatsoever　is　fiery；　doth　not　only　by　reason　of　the　elementary　fire　tend　upwards；　but　here　also　is　so　ready　to　join；　and　to　burn　together；　that　whatsoever　doth　want　sufficient　moisture　to　make　resistance；　is　easily　set　on　fire。　Whatsoever　therefore　is　partaker　of　that　reasonable　common　nature；　naturally　doth　as　much　and　more　long　after　his　own　kind。　For　by　how　much　in　its　own　nature　it　excels　all　other　things；　by　so　much　more　is　it　desirous　to　be　joined　and　united　unto　that；　which　is　of　its　own　nature。　　As　for　unreasonable　creatures　then；　they　had　not　long　been；　but　presently　begun　among　them　swarms；　and　flocks；　and　broods　of　young　ones；　and　a　kind　of　mutual　love　and　affection。　　For　though　but　unreasonable；　yet　a　kind　of　soul　these　had；　and　therefore　was　that　natural　desire　of　union　more　strong　and　intense　in　them；　as　in　creatures　of　a　more　excellent　nature；　than　either　in　plants；　or　stones；　or　trees。　　But　among　reasonable　creatures；　begun　commonwealths；　friendships；　families；　public　meetings；　and　even　in　their　wars；　conventions；　and　truces。　Now　among　them　that　were　yet　of　a　more　excellent　nature；　as　the　stars　and　planets；　though　by　their　nature　far　distant　one　from　another；　yet　even　among　them　began　some　mutual　correspondency　and　unity。　　So　proper　is　it　to　excellency　in　a　high　degree　to　affect　unity；　as　that　even　in　things　so　far　distant；　it　could　operate　unto　a　mutual　sympathy。　But　now　behold；　what　is　now　come　to　pass。　　Those　creatures　that　are　reasonable；　are　now　the　only　creatures　that　have　forgotten　their　natural　affection　and　inclination　of　one　towards　another。　Among　them　alone　of　all　other　things　that　are　of　one　kind；　there　is　not　to　be　found　a　general　disposition　to　flow　together。　But　though　they　fly　from　nature；　yet　are　they　stopt　in　their　course；　and　apprehended。　　Do　they　what　they　can；　nature　doth　prevail。　And　so　shalt　thou　confess；　if　thou　dost　observe　it。　　For　sooner　mayst　thou　find　a　thing　earthly；　where　no　earthly　thing　is；　than　find　a　man　that　naturally　can　live　by　himself　alone。

VIII。　　Man；　God；　the　world；　every　one　in　their　kind；　bear　some　fruits。　All　things　have　their　proper　time　to　bear。　　Though　by　custom；　the　word　itself　is　in　a　manner　become　proper　unto　the　vine；　and　the　like；　yet　is　it　so　nevertheless；　as　we　have　said。　As　for　reason；　that　beareth　both　common　fruit　for　the　use　of　others；　and　peculiar；　which　itself　doth　enjoy。　Reason　is　of　a　dif…fusive　nature；　what　itself　is　in　itself；　it　begets　in　others；　and　so　doth　multiply。

IX。　　Either　teach　them　better　if　it　be　in　thy　power；　or　if　it　be　not；　remember　that　for　this　use；　to　bear　with　them　patiently；　was　mildness　and　goodness　granted　unto　thee。　The　Gods　themselves　are　good　unto　such；　yea　and　in　some　things；　（as　in　matter　of　health；　of　wealth；　of　honour；）　are　content　often　to　further　their　endeavours：　　so　good　and　gracious　are　they。　And　mightest　thou　not　be　so　too？　or；　tell　me；　what　doth　hinder　thee？

X。　Labour　not　as　one　to　whom　it　is　appointed　to　be　wretched；　nor　as　one　that　either　would　be　pitied；　or　admired；　but　let　this　be　thine　only　care　and　desire；　so　always　and　in　all　things　to　prosecute　or　to　forbear；　as　the　law　of　charity；　or　mutual　society　doth　require。　　XI。　　This　day　I　did　come　out　of　all　my　trouble。　　Nay　I　have　cast　out　all　my　trouble；　it　should　rather　be　for　that　which　troubled　thee；　whatsoever　it　was；　was　not　without　anywhere　that　thou　shouldest　come　out　of　it；　but　within　in　thine　own　opinions；　from　whence　it　must　be　cast　out；　before　thou　canst　truly　and　constantly　be　at　ease。

XII。　　All　those　things；　for　matter　of　experience　are　usual　and　ordinary；　for　their　continuance　but　for　a　day；　and　for　their　matter；　most　base　and　filthy。　　As　they　were　in　the　days　of　those　whom　we　have　buried；　so　are　they　now　also；　and　no　otherwise。

XIII。　　The　things　themselves　that　affect　us；　they　stand　without　doors；　neither　knowing　anything　themselves　nor　able　to　utter　anything　unto　others　concerning　themselves。　　What　then　is　it；　that　passeth　verdict　on　them？　The　understanding　XIV。　　As　virtue　and　wickedness　consist　not　in　passion；　but　in　action；　so　neither　doth　the　true　good　or　evil　of　a　reasonable　charitable　man　consist　in　passion；　but　in　operation　and　action。

XV。　　To　the　stone　that　is　cast　up；　when　it　comes　down　it　is　no　hurt　unto　it；　as　neither　benefit；　when　it　doth　ascend。

XVI。　　Sift　their　minds　and　understandings；　and　behold　what　men　they　be；　whom　thou　dost　stand　in　fear　of　what　they　shall　judge　of　thee；　what　they　themselves　judge　of　themselves。

XVII。　　All　things　that　are　in　the　world；　are　always　in　the　estate　of　alteration。　　Thou　also　art　in　a　perpetual　change；　yea　and　under　corruption　too；　in　some　part：　　and　so　is　the　whole　world。

XVIII。　　it　is　not　thine；　but　another　man's　sin。　　Why　should　it　trouble　thee？　　Let　him　look　to　it；　whose　sin　it　is。

XIX。　　Of　an　operation　and　of　a　purpose　there　is　an　ending；　or　of　an　action　and　of　a　purpose　we　say　commonly；　that　it　is　at　an　end：　from　opinion　also　there　is　an　absolute　cessation；　which　is　as　it　were　the　death　of　it。　　In　all　this　there　is　no　hurt。　Apply　this　now　to　a　man's　age；　as　first；　a　child；　then　a　youth；　then　a　young　man；　then　an　old　man；　every　change　from　one　age　to　another　is　a　kind　of　death　And　all　this　while　here　no　matter　of　grief　yet。　Pass　now　unto　that　life　first；　that　which　thou　livedst　under　thy　grandfather；　then　under　thy　mother；　then　under　thy　father。　And　thus　when　through　the　whole　course　of　thy　life　hitherto　thou　hast　found　and　observed　many　alterations；　many　changes；　many　kinds　of　endings　and　cessations；　put　this　question　to　thyself　What　matter　of　grief　or　sorrow　dost　thou　find　in　any　of　these？　Or　what　doest　thou　suffer　through　any　of　these？　　If　in　none　of　these；　then　neither　in　the　ending　and　consummation　of　thy　whole　life；　which　is　also　but　a　cessation　and　change。

XX。　　As　occasion　shall　require；　either　to　thine　own　understanding；　or　to　that　of　the　universe；　or　to　his；　whom　thou　hast　now　to　do　with；　let　thy　refuge　be　with　all　speed。　To　thine　own；　that　it　resolve　upon　nothing　against　justice。　To　that　of　the　universe；　that　thou　mayest　remember；　part　of　whom　thou　art。　　Of　his；　that　thou　mayest　consider。　whether　in　the　estate　of　ignorance；　or　of　knowledge。　And　then　also　must　thou　call　to　mind；　that　he　is　thy　kinsman。

XXI。　　As　thou　thyself；　whoever　thou　art；　were　made　for　the　perfection　and　consummation；　being　a　member　of　it；　of　a　common　society；　so　must　every　action　of　thine　tend　to　the　perfection　and　consummation　of　a　life　that　is　truly　sociable。　　What　action　soever　of　thine　therefore　that　either　immediately　or　afar　off；　hath　not　reference　to　the　common　good；　that　is　an　exorbitant　and　disorderly　action；　yea　it　is　seditious；　as　one　among　the　people　who　from　such　and　such　a　consent　and　unity；　should　factiously　divide　and　separate　himself。

XXII。　　Children's　anger；　mere　babels；　wretched　souls　bearing　up　dead　bodies；　that　they　may　not　have　their　fall　so　soon：　even　as　it　is　in　that　common　dirge　song。　　XXIII。　　Go　to　the　quality　of　the　cause　from　which　the　effect　doth　proceed。　　Behold　it　by　itself　bare　and　naked；　separated　from　all　that　is　material。　Then　consider　the　utmost　bounds　of　time　that　that　cause；　thus　and　thus　qualified；　can　subsist　and　abide。

XXIV。　　Infinite　are　the　troubles　and　miseries；　that　thou　hast　already　been　put　to；　by　reason　of　this　only；　because　that　for　all　happiness　it　did　not　suffice　thee；　or；　that　thou　didst　not　account　it　sufficient　happiness；　that　thy　understanding　did　operate　according　to　its　natural　constitution。

XXV。　　When　any　shall　either　impeach　thee　with　false　accusations；　or　hatefully　reproach　thee；　or　shall　use　any　such　c