the meditations-第42章

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ast　any　being？

XII。　　At　the　conceit　and　apprehension　that　such　and　such　a　one　hath　sinned；　thus　reason　with　thyself；　What　do　I　know　whether　this　be　a　sin　indeed；　as　it　seems　to　be？　　But　if　it　be；　what　do　I　know　but　that　he　himself　hath　already　condemned　himself　for　it？　And　that　is　all　one　as　if　a　man　should　scratch　and　tear　his　own　face；　an　object　of　compassion　rather　than　of　anger。　　Again；　that　he　that　would　not　have　a　vicious　man　to　sin；　is　like　unto　him　that　would　not　have　moisture　in　the　fig；　nor　children　to　welp　nor　a　horse　to　neigh；　nor　anything　else　that　in　the　course　of　nature　is　necessary。　For　what　shall　he　do　that　hath　such　an　habit？　　If　thou　therefore　beest　powerful　and　eloquent；　remedy　it　if　thou　canst。　　XIII。　　If　it　be　not　fitting；　do　it　not。　　If　it　be　not　true；　speak　it　not。　Ever　maintain　thine　own　purpose　and　resolution　free　from　all　compulsion　and　necessity。　　XIV。　　Of　everything　that　presents　itself　unto　thee；　to　consider　what　the　true　nature　of　it　is；　and　to　unfold　it；　as　it　were；　by　dividing　it　into　that　which　is　formal　：　that　which　is　material：　the　true　use　or　end　of　it；　and　the　just　time　that　it　is　appointed　to　last。

XV。　　It　is　high　time　for　thee；　to　understand　that　there　is　somewhat　in　thee；　better　and　more　divine　than　either　thy　passions；　or　thy　sensual　appetites　and　affections。　　What　is　now　the　object　of　my　mind；　is　it　fear；　or　suspicion；　or　lust；　or　any　such　thing？　To　do　nothing　rashly　without　some　certain　end；　let　that　be　thy　first　care。　　The　next；　to　have　no　other　end　than　the　common　good。　For；　alas！　yet　a　little　while；　and　thou　art　no　more：　no　more　will　any；　either　of　those　things　that　now　thou　seest；　or　of　those　men　that　now　are　living；　be　any　more。　　For　all　things　are　by　nature　appointed　soon　to　be　changed；　turned；　and　corrupted；　that　other　things　might　succced　in　their　room。

XVI。　　Remember　that　all　is　but　opinion；　and　all　opinion　depends　of　the　mind。　　Take　thine　opinion　away；　and　then　as　a　ship　that　hath　stricken　in　within　the　arms　and　mouth　of　the　harbour；　a　present　calm；　all　things　safe　and　steady：　　a　bay；　not　capable　of　any　storms　and　tempests：　as　the　poet　hath　it。

XVII。　　No　operation　whatsoever　it　he；　ceasing　for　a　while；　can　be　truly　said　to　suffer　any　evil；　because　it　is　at　an　end。　Neither　can　he　that　is　the　author　of　that　operation；　for　this　very　respect；　because　his　operation　is　at　an　end；　be　said　to　suffer　any　evil。　　Likewise　then；　neither　can　the　whole　body　of　all　our　actions　（which　is　our　life）　if　in　time　it　cease；　be　said　to　suffer　any　evil　for　this　very　reason；　because　it　is　at　an　end；　nor　he　truly　be　said　to　have　been　ill　affected；　that　did　put　a　period　to　this　series　of　actions。　　Now　this　time　or　certain　period；　depends　of　the　determination　of　nature：　sometimes　of　particular　nature；　as　when　a　man　dieth　old；　but　of　nature　in　general；　however；　the　parts　whereof　thus　changing　one　after　another；　the　whole　world　still　continues　fresh　and　new。　Now　that　is　ever　best　and　most　seasonable；　which　is　for　the　good　of　the　whole。　　Thus　it　appears　that　death　of　itself　can　neither　be　hurtful　to　any　in　particular；　because　it　is　not　a　shameful　thing　（for　neither　is　it　a　thing　that　depends　of　our　own　will；　nor　of　itself　contrary　to　the　common　good）　and　generally；　as　it　is　both　expedient　and　seasonable　to　the　whole；　that　in　that　respect　it　must　needs　be　good。　　It　is　that　also；　which　is　brought　unto　us　by　the　order　and　appointment　of　the　Divine　Providence；　so　that　he　whose　will　and　mind　in　these　things　runs　along　with　the　Divine　ordinance；　and　by　this　concurrence　of　his　will　and　mind　with　the　Divine　Providence；　is　led　and　driven　along；　as　it　were　by　God　Himself；　may　truly　be　termed　and　esteemed　the　*OEo~p7poc*；　or　divinely　led　and　inspired。

XVIII。　　These　three　things　thou　must　have　always　in　a　readiness：　first　concerning　thine　own　actions；　whether　thou　doest　nothing　either　idly；　or　otherwise；　than　justice　and　equity　do　require：　and　concerning　those　things　that　happen　unto　thee　externally；　that　either　they　happen　unto　thee　by　chance；　or　by　providence；　of　which　two　to　accuse　either；　is　equally　against　reason。　Secondly；　what　like　unto　our　bodies　are　whilest　yet　rude　and　imperfect；　until　they　be　animated：　　and　from　their　animation；　until　their　expiration：　　of　what　things　they　are　compounded；　and　into　what　things　they　shall　be　dissolved。　　Thirdly；　how　vain　all　things　will　appear　unto　thee　when；　from　on　high　as　it　were；　looking　down　thou　shalt　contemplate　all　things　upon　earth；　and　the　wonderful　mutability；　that　they　are　subject　unto：　considering　withal；　the　infinite　both　greatness　and　variety　of　things　aerial　and　things　celestial　that　are　round　about　it。　And　that　as　often　as　thou　shalt　behold　them；　thou　shalt　still　see　the　same：　　as　the　same　things；　so　the　same　shortness　of　continuance　of　all　those　things。　　And；　behold；　these　be　the　things　that　we　are　so　proud　and　puffed　up　for。

XIX。　　Cast　away　from　thee　opinion；　and　thou　art　safe。　And　what　is　it　that　hinders　thee　from　casting　of　it　away？　When　thou　art　grieved　at　anything；　hast　thou　forgotten　that　all　things　happen　according　to　the　nature　of　the　universe；　and　that　him　only　it　concerns；　who　is　in　fault；　and　moreover；　that　what　is　now　done；　is　that　which　from　ever　hath　been　done　in　the　world；　and　will　ever　be　done；　and　is　now　done　everywhere：　how　nearly　all　men　are　allied　one　to　another　by　a　kindred　not　of　blood；　nor　of　seed；　but　of　the　same　mind。　　Thou　hast　also　forgotten　that　every　man's　mind　partakes　of　the　Deity；　and　issueth　from　thence；　and　that　no　man　can　properly　call　anything　his　own；　no　not　his　son；　nor　his　body；　nor　his　life；　for　that　they　all　proceod　from　that　One　who　is　the　giver　of　all　things：　that　all　things　are　but　opinion；　that　no　man　lives　properly；　but　that　very　instant　of　time　which　is　now　present。　And　therefore　that　no　man　whensoever　he　dieth　can　properly　be　said　to　lose　any　more；　than　an　instant　of　time。

XX。　　Let　thy　thoughts　ever　run　upon　them；　who　once　for　some　one　thing　or　other；　were　moved　with　extraordinary　indignation；　who　were　once　in　the　highest　pitch　of　either　honour；　or　calamity；　or　mutual　hatred　and　enmity；　or　of　any　other　fortune　or　condition　whatsoever。　　Then　consider　what's　now　become　of　all　those　things。　　All　is　turned　to　smoke；　all　to　ashes；　and　a　mere　fable；　and　perchance　not　so　much　as　a　fable。　As　also　whatsoever　is　of　this　nature；　as　Fabius　Catulinus　in　the　field；　Lucius　Lupus；　and　Stertinius；　at　Baiae　Tiberius　at　Caprem：　and　Velius　Rufus；　and　all　such　examples　of　vehement　prosecution　in　worldly　matters；　let　these　also　run　in　thy　mind　at　the　same　time；　and　how　vile　every　object　of　such　earnest　and　vehement　prosecution　is；　and　how　much　more　agreeable　to　true　philosophy　it　is；　for　a　man　to　carry　himself　in　every　matter　that　offers　itself；　justly；　and　moderately；　as　one　that　followeth　the　Gods　with　all　simplicity。　　For；　for　a　man　to　be　proud　and　high　conceited；　that　he　is　not　proud　and　high　conceited；　is　of　all　kind　of　pride　and　presumption；　the　most　intolerable。

XXI。　　To　them　that　ask　thee；　Where　hast　thou　seen　the　Gods；　or　how　knowest　thou　certainly　that　there　be　Gods；　that　thou　art　so　devout　in　their　worship？　　I　answer　first　of　all；　that　even　to　the　very　eye；　they　are　in　some　manner　visible　and　apparent。　　Secondly；　neither　have　I　ever　seen　mine　own　soul；　and　yet　I　respect　and　honour　it。　　So　then　for　the　Gods；　by　the　daily　experience　that　I　have　of　their　power　and　providence　towards　myself　and　others；　I　know　certainly　that　they　are；　and　therefore　worship　them。

XXII。　　Herein　doth　consist　happiness　of　life；　for　a　man　to　know　thoroughly　the　true　nature　of　everything；　what　is　the　matter；　and　what　is　the　form　of　it：　　with　all　his　heart　and　soul；　ever　to　do　that　which　is　just；　and　to　speak　the　truth。　What　then　remaineth　but　to　enjoy　thy　life　in　a　course　and　coherence　of　good　actions；　one　upon　another　immediately　succeeding；　and　never　interrupted；　though　for　never　so　little　a　while？

XXIII。　　There　is　but　one　light　of　the　sun；　though　it　be　intercepted　by　walls　and　mountains；　and　other　thousand　objects。　There　is　but　one　common　substance　of　the　whole　world；　though　it　be　concluded　and　restrained　into　several　different　bodies；　in　number　infinite。　　There　is　but　one　common　soul；　though　divided　into　innumerable　parti