the meditations-第30章

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xtended。　　Now　what　a　sunbeam　is；　thou　mayest　know　if　thou　observe　the　light　of　the　sun；　when　through　some　narrow　hole　it　pierceth　into　some　room　that　is　dark。　For　it　is　always　in　a　direct　line。　　And　as　by　any　solid　body；　that　it　meets　with　in　the　way　that　is　not　penetrable　by　air；　it　is　divided　and　abrupted；　and　yet　neither　slides　off；　or　falls　down；　but　stayeth　there　nevertheless：　　such　must　the　diffusion　in　the　mind　be；　not　an　effusion；　but　an　extension。　　What　obstacles　and　impediments　soever　she　meeteth　within　her　way；　she　must　not　violently；　and　by　way　of　an　impetuous　onset　light　upon　them；　neither　must　she　fall　down；　but　she　must　stand；　and　give　light　unto　that　which　doth　admit　of　it。　For　as　for　that　which　doth　not；　it　is　its　own　fault　and　loss；　if　it　bereave　itself　of　her　light。

LV。　　He　that　feareth　death；　either　feareth　that　he　shall　have　no　sense　at　all；　or　that　his　senses　will　not　be　the　same。　Whereas；　he　should　rather　comfort　himself；　that　either　no　sense　at　all；　and　so　no　sense　of　evil；　or　if　any　sense；　then　another　life；　and　so　no　death　properly。　　LVI。　　All　men　are　made　one　for　another：　either　then　teach　them　better；　or　bear　with　them。

LVII。　　The　motion　of　the　mind　is　not　as　the　motion　of　a　dart。　For　the　mind　when　it　is　wary　and　cautelous；　and　by　way　of　diligent　circumspection　turneth　herself　many　ways；　may　then　as　well　be　said　to　go　straight　on　to　the　object；　as　when　it　useth　no　such　circumspection。　　LVIII。　　To　pierce　and　penetrate　into　the　estate　of　every　one's　understanding　that　thou　hast　to　do　with：　as　also　to　make　the　estate　of　thine　own　open；　and　penetrable　to　any　other。


THE　NINTH　BOOK

I。　He　that　is　unjust；　is　also　impious。　　For　the　nature　of　the　universe；　having　made　all　reasonable　creatures　one　for　another；　to　the　end　that　they　should　do　one　another　good；　more　or　less　according　to　the　several　persons　and　occasions　but　in　nowise　hurt　one　another：　　it　is　manifest　that　he　that　doth　transgress　against　this　her　will；　is　guilty　of　impiety　towards　the　most　ancient　and　venerable　of　all　the　deities。　For　the　nature　of　the　universe；　is　the　nature　the　common　parent　of　all；　and　therefore　piously　to　be　observed　of　all　things　that　are；　and　that　which　now　is；　to　whatsoever　first　was；　and　gave　it　its　being；　hath　relation　of　blood　and　kindred。　She　is　also　called　truth　and　is　the　first　cause　of　all　truths。　He　therefore　that　willingly　and　wittingly　doth　lie；　is　impious　in　that　he　doth　receive；　and　so　commit　injustice：　but　he　that　against　his　will；　in　that　he　disagreeth　from　the　nature　of　the　universe；　and　in　that　striving　with　the　nature　of　the　world　he　doth　in　his　particular；　violate　the　general　order　of　the　world。　For　he　doth　no　better　than　strive　and　war　against　it；　who　contrary　to　his　own　nature　applieth　himself　to　that　which　is　contrary　to　truth。　　For　nature　had　before　furnished　him　with　instincts　and　opportunities　sufficient　for　the　attainment　of　it　；　which　he　having　hitherto　neglected；　is　not　now　able　to　discern　that　which　is　false　from　that　which　is　true。　He　also　that　pursues　after　pleasures；　as　that　which　is　truly　good　and　flies　from　pains；　as　that　which　is　truly　evil：　is　impious。　　For　such　a　one　must　of　necessity　oftentimes　accuse　that　common　nature；　as　distributing　many　things　both　unto　the　evil；　and　unto　the　good；　not　according　to　the　deserts　of　either：　as　unto　the　bad　oftentimes　pleasures；　and　the　causes　of　pleasures；　so　unto　the　good；　pains；　and　the　occasions　of　pains。　　Again；　he　that　feareth　pains　and　crosses　in　this　world；　feareth　some　of　those　things　which　some　time　or　other　must　needs　happen　in　the　world。　And　that　we　have　already　showed　to　be　impious。　　And　he　that　pursueth　after　pleasures；　will　not　spare；　to　compass　his　desires；　to　do　that　which　is　unjust；　and　that　is　manifestly　impious。　Now　those　things　which　unto　nature　are　equally　indifferent　（for　she　had　not　created　both；　both　pain　and　pleasure；　if　both　had　not　been　unto　her　equally　indifferent）：　they　that　will　live　according　to　nature；　must　in　those　things　（as　being　of　the　same　mind　and　disposition　that　she　is）　be　as　equally　indifferent。　　Whosoever　therefore　in　either　matter　of　pleasure　and　pain；　death　and　life；　honour　and　dishonour；　（which　things　nature　in　the　administration　of　the　world；　indifferently　doth　make　use　of）；　is　not　as　indifferent；　it　is　apparent　that　he　is　impious。　　When　I　say　that　common　nature　doth　indifferently　make　use　of　them；　my　meaning　is；　that　they　happen　indifferently　in　the　ordinary　course　of　things；　which　by　a　necessary　consequence；　whether　as　principal　or　accessory；　come　to　pass　in　the　world；　according　to　that　first　and　ancient　deliberation　of　Providence；　by　which　she　from　some　certain　beginning；　did　resolve　upon　the　creation　of　such　a　world；　conceiving　then　in　her　womb　as　it　were　some　certain　rational　generative　seeds　and　faculties　of　things　future；　whether　subjects；　changes；　successions；　both　such　and　such；　and　just　so　many。

II。　　It　were　indeed　more　happy　and　comfortable；　for　a　man　to　depart　out　of　this　world；　having　lived　all　his　life　long　clear　from　all　falsehood；　dissimulation；　voluptuousness；　and　pride。　But　if　this　cannot　be；　yet　it　is　some　comfort　for　a　man　joyfully　to　depart　as　weary；　and　out　of　love　with　those；　rather　than　to　desire　to　live；　and　to　continue　long　in　those　wicked　courses。　Hath　not　yet　experience　taught　thee　to　fly　from　the　plague？　For　a　far　greater　plague　is　the　corruption　of　the　mind；　than　any　certain　change　and　distemper　of　the　common　air　can　be。　This　is　a　plague　of　creatures；　as　they　are　living　creatures；　but　that　of　men　as　they　are　men　or　reasonable。　　III。　　Thou　must　not　in　matter　of　death　carry　thyself　scornfully；　but　as　one　that　is　well　pleased　with　it；　as　being　one　of　those　things　that　nature　hath　appointed。　　For　what　thou　dost　conceive　of　these；　of　a　boy　to　become　a　young　man；　to　wax　old；　to　grow；　to　ripen；　to　get　teeth；　or　a　beard；　or　grey　hairs　to　beget；　to　bear；　or　to　be　delivered；　or　what　other　action　soever　it　be；　that　is　natural　unto　man　according　to　the　several　seasons　of　his　life；　such　a　thing　is　it　also　to　he　dissolved。　It　is　therefore　the　part　of　a　wise　man；　in　matter　of　death；　not　in　any　wise　to　carry　himself　either　violently；　or　proudly　but　patiently　to　wait　for　it；　as　one　of　nature's　operations：　that　with　the　same　mind　as　now　thou　dost　expect　when　that　which　yet　is　but　an　embryo　in　thy　wife's　belly　shall　come　forth；　thou　mayst　expect　also　when　thy　soul　shall　fall　off　from　that　outward　coat　or　skin：　wherein　as　a　child　in　the　belly　it　lieth　involved　and　shut　up。　But　thou　desirest　a　more　popular；　and　though　not　so　direct　and　philosophical；　yet　a　very　powerful　and　penetrative　recipe　against　the　fear　of　death；　nothing　can　make　they　more　willing　to　part　with　thy　life；　than　if　thou　shalt　consider；　both　what　the　subjects　themselves　are　that　thou　shalt　part　with；　and　what　manner　of　disposition　thou　shalt　no　more　have　to　do　with。　True　it　is；　that。　　offended　with　them　thou　must　not　be　by　no　means；　but　take　care　of　them；　and　meekly　bear　with　them　However；　this　thou　mayst　remember；　that　whensoever　it　happens　that　thou　depart；　it　shall　not　be　from　men　that　held　the　same　opinions　that　thou　dost。　　For　that　indeed；　（if　it　were　so）　is　the　only　thing　that　might　make　thee　averse　from　death；　and　willing　to　continue　here；　if　it　were　thy　hap　to　live　with　men　that　had　obtained　the　same　belief　that　thou　hast。　But　now；　what　a　toil　it　is　for　thee　to　live　with　men　of　different　opinions；　thou　seest：　　so　that　thou　hast　rather　occasion　to　say；　Hasten；　I　thee　pray；　O　Death；　lest　I　also　in　time　forget　myself。　　IV。　　He　that　sinneth；　sinneth　unto　himself。　He　that　is　unjust；　hurts　himself；　in　that　he　makes　himself　worse　than　he　was　before。　　Not　he　only　that　committeth；　but　he　also　that　omitteth　something；　is　oftentimes　unjust。　V。　If　my　present　apprehension　of　the　object　be　right；　and　my　present　action　charitable；　and　this；　towards　whatsoever　doth　proceed　from　God；　be　my　present　disposition；　to　be　well　pleased　with　it；　it　sufficeth。　　VI。　　To　wipe　away　fancy；　to　use　deliberation；　to　quench　concupiscence；　to　keep　the　mind　free　to　herself。　　VII。　　Of　all　unreasonable　creatures；　there　is　but　one　unreasonable　soul；　and　of　all　that　are　reasonable；　but　one　reasonable　soul；　divided　betwixt　them　all。　As　of　all　earthly　thi