the meditations-第28节

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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　carriage　towards　thee；　get　thee　presently　to　their　minds　and　understandings；　and　look　in　them；　and　behold　what　manner　of　men　they　be。　Thou　shalt　see；　that　there　is　no　such　occasion　why　it　should　trouble　thee；　what　such　as　they　are　think　of　thee。　Yet　must　thou　love　them　still；　for　by　nature　they　are　thy　friends。　And　the　Gods　themselves；　in　those　things　that　they　seek　from　them　as　matters　of　great　moment；　are　well　content；　all　manner　of　ways；　as　by　dreams　and　oracles；　to　help　them　as　well　as　others。

XXVI。　　Up　and　down；　from　one　age　to　another；　go　the　ordinary　things　of　the　world；　being　still　the　same。　　And　either　of　everything　in　particular　before　it　come　to　pass；　the　mind　of　the　universe　doth　consider　with　itself　and　deliberate：　　and　if　so；　then　submit　for　shame　unto　the　determination　of　such　an　excellent　understanding：　or　once　for　all　it　did　resolve　upon　all　things　in　general；　and　since　that　whatsoever　happens；　happens　by　a　necessary　consequence；　and　all　things　indivisibly　in　a　manner　and　inseparably　hold　one　of　another。　　In　sum；　either　there　is　a　God；　and　then　all　is　well；　or　if　all　things　go　by　chance　and　fortune；　yet　mayest　thou　use　thine　own　providence　in　those　things　that　concern　thee　properly；　and　then　art　thou　well。

XXVII。　　Within　a　while　the　earth　shall　cover　us　all；　and　then　she　herself　shall　have　her　change。　　And　then　the　course　will　be；　from　one　period　of　eternity　unto　another；　and　so　a　perpetual　eternity。　Now　can　any　man　that　shall　consider　with　himself　in　his　mind　the　several　rollings　or　successions　of　so　many　changes　and　alterations；　and　the　swiftness　of　all　these　rulings；　can　he　otherwise　but　contemn　in　his　heart　and　despise　all　worldly　things？　The　cause　of　the　universe　is　as　it　were　a　strong　torrent；　it　carrieth　all　away。

XXVIII。　　And　these　your　professed　politicians；　the　only　true　practical　philosophers　of　the　world；　（as　they　think　of　themselves）　so　full　of　affected　gravity；　or　such　professed　lovers　of　virtue　and　honesty；　what　wretches　be　they　in　very　deed；　how　vile　and　contemptible　in　themselves？　　O　man！　what　ado　doest　thou　keep？　Do　what　thy　nature　doth　now　require。　　Resolve　upon　it；　if　thou　mayest：　and　take　no　thought；　whether　anybody　shall　know　it　or　no。　Yea；　but　sayest　thou；　I　must　not　expect　a　Plato's　commonwealth。　If　they　profit　though　never　so　little；　I　must　be　content；　and　think　much　even　of　that　little　progress。　　Doth　then　any　of　them　forsake　their　former　false　opinions　that　I　should　think　they　profit？　For　without　a　change　of　opinions；　alas！　what　is　all　that　ostentation；　but　mere　wretchedness　of　slavish。　　minds；　that　groan　privately；　and　yet　would　make　a　show　of　obedience　to　reason；　and　truth？　　Go　too　now　and　tell　me　of　Alexander　and　Philippus；　and　Demetrius　Phalereus。　Whether　they　understood　what　the　common　nature　requireth；　and　could　rule　themselves　or　no；　they　know　best　themselves。　　But　if　they　kept　a　life；　and　swaggered；　I　（God　be　thanked）　am　not　bound　to　imitate　them。　The　effect　of　true　philosophy　is；　unaffected　simplicity　and　modesty。　Persuade　me　not　to　ostentation　and　vainglory。

XXIX。　　From　some　high　place　as　it　were　to　look　down；　and　to　behold　here　flocks；　and　there　sacrifices；　without　number；　and　all　kind　of　navigation；　some　in　a　rough　and　stormy　sea；　and　some　in　a　calm：　the　general　differences；　or　different　estates　of　things；　some；　that　are　now　first　upon　being；　the　several　and　mutual　relations　of　those　things　that　are　together；　and　some　other　things　that　are　at　their　last。　Their　lives　also；　who　were　long　ago；　and　theirs　who　shall　be　hereafter；　and　the　present　estate　and　life　of　those　many　nations　of　barbarians　that　are　now　in　the　world；　thou　must　likewise　consider　in　thy　mind。　And　how　many　there　be；　who　never　so　much　as　heard　of　thy　name；　how　many　that　will　soon　forget　it；　how　many　who　but　even　now　did　commend　thee；　within　a　very　little　while　perchance　will　speak　ill　of　tbee。　So　that　neither　fame；　nor　honour；　nor　anything　else　that　this　world　doth　afford；　is　worth　the　while。　　The　sum　then　of　all；　whatsoever　doth　happen　unto　thee；　whereof　God　is　the　cause；　to　accept　it　conte