MEDITATION NOTES

 

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                             HOW TO UNDERSTAND

                                  THE MEDITATION 

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                 CONSIDER HOW QUICKLY ALL THINGS ARE DISSOLVED AND RESOLVED. THE BODIES AND SUBSTANCES THEMSELVES, INTO THE MATTER AND SUBSTANCE OF THE WORLD, AND THEIR MEMORIES INTO THE GENERAL AGE AND TIME OF THE WORLD. CONSIDER THE NATURE OF ALL WORDLY SENSIBLE THINGS, OF THOSE ESPECIALLY, WHICH EITHER ENSNARE BY PLEASURE, OR FOR THEIR IRKSOMENESS ARE DREADFUL, OR FOR THEIR OUTWARD LUSTRE AND SHOW ARE IN GREAT ESTEEM AND REQUEST, HOW VILE AND COMTEMPTIBLE, HOW BASE AND CORRUPTIBLE, HOW DESTITUTE OF ALL TRUE LIFE AND BEING THEY ARE.

 

                  IT IS THE PART OF A MAN ENDOWED WITH A GOOD UNDERSTANDING FACULTY, TO CONSIDER WHAT THEY THEMSELVES ARE IN VERY DEED, FROM WHOSE BARE CONCEITS AND  VOICES, HONOUR AND CREDIT TO PROCEED. AS ALSO WHAT IT IS TO DIE, AND HOW IF A MAN SHALL CONSIDER THIS BY ITSELF ALONE, TO DIE, AND SEPARATE FROM IT IN HIS MIND ALL THOSE THING WHICH WITH IT USUALLY REPRESENT THEMSELVES UNTO US, HE CAN CONCEIVE OF IT NO OTHERWISE, THAN  AS OF A WORK OF NATURE, AND HE THAT FEARS ANY WORK OF NATURE, IS A VERY CHILD. NOW DEATH, IT IS NOT ONLY A WORK O NATURE, BUT ALSO CONDUCING TO NATURE.

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                     CONSIDER WITH THYSELF HOW MAN, AND BY WHAT PART OF US, IS JOINED UNTO GOD, AND HOW THAT PART OF MAN IS AFFECTED, WHEN IT IS SAID TO BE DIFFUSED. THERE IS NOTHING MORE WRETCHED THAN THAT SOUL, WHICH IN A KIND OF CIRCUIT COMPASSETH ALL THINGS, SEARCHING (AS HE SAITH) EVEN THE VERY DEPTHS OF THE EARTH, AND BY ALL SIGNS AND CONJECTURES PRYING INTO THE VERY THOUGHTS OF OTHER MEN'S SOULS, AND YET OF THIS, IS NOT SENSIBLE, THAT IT IS SUFFICIENT FOR A MAN TO APPLY HIMSELF WHOLLY, AND TO CONFINE ALL HIS THOUGHTS AND CARES TO THE TENDANCE OF THAT SPIRIT WHICH IS WITHIN HIM, AND TRULY AND REALLY TO SERVE HIM. HIS SERVICE DOTH CONSISTS IS THIS, THAT A MAN KEEP HIMSELF PURE FROM ALL VIOLENT PASSION AND EVIL AFFECTION, FROM ALL RASHNESS AND VANITY, AND FROM ALL MANNER OF DISCONTENT, EITHER IN REGARD OF THE GODS OR MEN. FOR INDEED WHATSOEVER PROCEEDS FROM THE GODS, DESERVES RESPECT FOR THEIR WORTH AND EXCELLENCY, AND WHATSOEVER PROCEEDS FROM MEN, AS THEY ARE OUR KINSMEN, SHOULD BY US BE ENTERTAINED, WITH LOVE, ALWAYS, SOMETIMES, AS PROCEEDING FROM THEIR IGNORANCE, OF THAT WHICH 

                WHAT OBJECT SO EVER,  OUR REASONABLE AND SOCIABLE FACULTY DOTH MEET WITH, THAT AFFORDS NOTHING EITHER FOR THE SATISFACTION OF REASON, OR FOR THE PRACTICE OF CHARITY, SHE WORTHILY DOTH THINK UNWORTHY OF HERSELF.

                               

 

     

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                      WHEN THOU HAST DONE WELL, AND ANOTHER IS BENEFITED BY THY ACTION, MUST THOU LIKE A VERY FOOL LOOK FOR A THIRD THING BESIDES, AS THAT IT MAY APPEAR UNTO OTHERS ALSO THAT THOU HAST DONE WELL, OR THAT THOU MAYEST IN TIME, RECEIVE ONE GOOD TURN FOR ANOTHER? NO MAN USETH TO BE WEARY OF THAT WHICH IS BENEFICIAL UNTO HIM. BUT EVERY ACTION ACCORDING TO NATURE, IS BENEFICIAL, BE NOT WEARY THEN OF DOING THAT WHICH IS BENEFICIAL UNTO THEE, WHILST IT IS SO UNTO OTHERS.

                       THE NATURE OF THE UNIVERSE DID ONCE CERTAINLY BEFORE IT WAS CREATED, WHATSOEVER IT HATH DONE SINCE, DELIBERATE AND SO RESOLVE UPON THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. NOW SINCE THAT TIME, WHATSOEVER IT IS, THAT IS AND HAPPENS IN THE WORLD, IS EITHER BUT A CONSEQUENT OF THAT ONE AND FIRST DELIBERATION, OR IF SO BE THAT THIS RULING RATIONAL PART OF THE WORLD, TAKES ANY THOUGHT AND CARE OF THINGS PARTICULAR, THEY ARE SURELY HIS REASONABLE AND PRINCIPLE CREATURES, THAT ARE THE PROPER OBJECT OF HIS PARTICULAR CARE AND PROVIDENCE. THIS OFTEN THOUGHT UPON, WILL MUCH CONDUCE TO THY TRANQUILITY.

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                           THIS ALSO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, MAY SERVE TO KEEP THEE FROM VAINGLORY, IF THOU SHALT CONSIDER, THAT THOU ART NOW ALTOGETHER INCAPABLE OF THE COMMENDATION OF ONE, WHO ALL HIS LIFE LONG, OR FROM HIS YOUTH AT LEAST, HATH LIVED A PHILOSOPHERS LIFE. FOR BOTH UNTO OTHERS, AND TO THYSELF ESPECIALLY, IT IS WELL KNOWN, THAT THOU HAST DONE MANY THINGS CONTRARY TO THAT PERFECTION OF LIFE. THOU HAST THEREFORE BEEN CONFOUNDED IN THY COURSE, AND HENCEFORTH IT WILL BE HARD FOR THEE TO RECOVER THE TITLE AND CREDIT OF A PHILOSOPHER. AND TO IT ALSO IS THY CALLING AND PROFESSION REPUGNANT. IF THEREFORE THOU DOST TRULY UNDERSTAND. WHAT IT IS THAT IS OF MOMENT INDEED, AS FOR THY FAME AND CREDIT, TAKE NO THOUGHT OR CARE FOR THAT. LET IT SUFFICE THEE IF ALL THE REST OF THY LIFE, BE IT MORE OR LESS, THOU SHALT LIVE AS THY NATURE REQUIRETH, OR ACCORDING TO THE TRUE AND NATURAL END OF THY MAKING. TAKE PAINS THEREFORE TO KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT THY NATURE REQUIRETH, AND LET NOTHING ELSE DISTRACT THEE.

                     UPON EVERY ACTION THAT THOU ART ABOUT, PUT THIS QUESTION TO THYSELF (MYSELF), HOW WILL THIS WHEN IT IS DONE AGREE WITH ME? SHALL I HAVE NO OCCASION TO REPENT OF IT? YET A VERY LITTLE WHILE AND I AM DEAD AND GONE, AND ALL THINGS ARE AT END. WHAT THEN DO I CARE FOR MORE THAN THIS, THAT MY PRESENT ACTION WHATSOEVER IT BE, MAY BE THE PROPER ACTION OF ONE THAT IS REASONABLE, WHOSE END IS, THE COMMON GOOD, WHO IN ALL THINGS IS RULED AND GOVERNED BY THE SAZME LAW OF RIGHT AND REASON, BY WHICH GOD HIMSELF IS.

                            THOU HAS NO TIME NOR OPPORTUNITY TO READ. WHAT THEN? HAST THOU NOT TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO EXERCISE THYSELF, NOT TO WRONG THYSELF, TO STRIVE AGAINST ALL CARNAL PLEASURES AND PAINS, AND TO GET THE UPPER HAND OF THEM, TO CONTEMN HONOUR AND VAINGLORY,  AND NOT ONLY, NOT TO BE ANGRY WITH THEM, WHOM TOWARDS THEE THOU DOEST FIND UNSENSIBLE AND UNTHANKFUL, BUT ALSO TO HAVE A CARE OF THEM STILL, AND OF THEIR WELFARE?