the meditations-第37节

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；　that　these　men　when　once　they　are　dead；　should　never　be　restored　to　life；　but　be　extinct　for　ever。　But　this　thou　mayest　be　sure　of；　that　this　（if　it　be　so　indeed）　would　never　have　been　so　ordered　by　the　Gods；　had　it　been　fit　otherwise。　　For　certainly　it　was　possible；　had　it　been　more　just　so　and　had　it　been　according　to　nature；　the　nature　of　the　universe　would　easily　have　borne　it。　But　now　because　it　is　not　so；　（if　so　be　that　it　be　not　so　indeed）　be　therefore　confident　that　it　was　not　fit　it　should　be　so。　for　thou　seest　thyself；　that　now　seeking　after　this　matter；　how　freely　thou　doest　argue　and　contest　with　God。　But　were　not　the　Gods　both　just　and　good　in　the　highest　degree；　thou　durst　not　thus　reason　with　them。　　Now　if　just　and　good；　it　could　not　be　that　in　the　creation　of　the　world；　they　should　either　unjustly　or　unreasonably　oversee　anything。　　V。　Use　thyself　even　unto　those　things　that　thou　doest　at　first　despair　of。　For　the　left　hand　we　see；　which　for　the　most　part　hieth　idle　because　not　used；　yet　doth　it　hold　the　bridle　with　more　strength　than　the　right；　because　it　hath　been　used　unto　it。

VI。　　Let　these　be　the　objects　of　thy　ordinary　meditation：　to　consider；　what　manner　of　men　both　for　soul　and　body　we　ought　to　be；　whensoever　death　shall　surprise　us：　the　shortness　of　this　our　mortal　life：　　the　immense　vastness　of　the　time　that　hath　been　before；　and　will　he　after　us：　the　frailty　of　every　worldly　material　object：　all　these　things　to　consider；　and　behold　clearly　in　themselves；　all　disguisement　of　external　outside　being　removed　and　taken　away。　Again；　to　consider　the　efficient　causes　of　all　things：　the　proper　ends　and　references　of　all　actions：　　what　pain　is　in　itself；　what　pleasure；　what　death：　　what　fame　or　honour；　how　every　man　is　the　true　and　proper　ground　of　his　own　rest　and　tranquillity；　and　that　no　man　can　truly　be　hindered　by　any　other：　that　all　is　but　conceit　and　opinion。　　As　for　the　use　of　thy　dogmata；　thou　must　carry　thyself　in　the　practice　of　them；　rather　like　unto　a　pancratiastes；　or　one　that　at　the　same　time　both　fights　and　wrestles　with　hands　and　feet；　than　a　gladiator。　For　this；　if　he　lose　his　sword　that　he　fights　with；　he　is　gone：　whereas　the　other　hath　still　his　hand　free；　which　he　may　easily　turn　and　manage　at　his　will。

VII。　　All　worldly　things　thou　must　behold　and　consider；　dividing　them　into　matter；　form；　and　reference；　or　their　proper　end。

VIII。　　How　happy　is　man　in　this　his　power　that　hath　been　granted　unto　him：　　that　he　needs　not　do　anything　but　what　God　shall　approve；　and　that　he　may　embrace　contentedly；　whatsoever　God　doth　send　unto　him？　　IX。　　Whatsoever　doth　happen　in　the　ordinary　course　and　consequence　of　natural　events；　neither　the　Gods；　（for　it　is　not　possible；　that　they　either　wittingly　or　unwittingly　should　do　anything　amiss）　nor　men；　（for　it　is　through　ignorance；　and　therefore　against　their　wills　that　they　do　anything　amiss）　must　he　accused。　　None　then　must　be　accused。

X。　How　ridiculous　and　strange　is　he；　that　wonders　at　anything　that　happens　in　this　life　in　the　ordinary　course　of　nature！

XI。　　Either　fate；　（and　that　either　an　absolute　necessity；　and　unavoidable　decree；　or　a　placable　and　flexible　Providence）　or　all　is　a　mere　casual　confusion；　void　of　all　order　and　government。　If　an　absolute　and　unavoidable　necessity；　why　doest　thou　resist？　If　a　placable　and　exorable　Providence；　make　thyself　worthy　of　the　divine　help　and　assistance。　　If　all　be　a　mere　confusion　without　any　moderator；　or　governor；　then　hast　thou　reason　to　congratulate　thyself；　that　in　such　a　general　flood　of　confusion　thou　thyself　hast　obtained　a　reasonable　faculty；　whereby　thou　mayest　govern　thine　own　life　and　actions。　But　if　thou　beest　carried　away　with　the　flood；　it　must　be　thy　body　perchance；　or　thy　life；　or　some　other　thing　that　belongs　unto　them　that　is　carried　away：　　thy　mind　and　understanding　cannot。　Or　should　it　be　so；　that　the　light　of　a　candle　indeed　is　still　bright　and　lightsome　until　it　be　put　out　：　and　should　truth；　and　righteousness；　and　temperance　cease　to　shine　in　thee　whiTest　thou　thyself　bast　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