Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/348

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168
Marcus Antoninus's

them to those things they have a Mind to.

XXVIII. This uncertain World is always Rolling, and turning things Topsy-turvy. Now the Soul of the Universe [1] either pursues the Course of Time ; Descends to Particulars, and exerts it self upon every Effect, or else Matter, and Motion were put into such order at first, that Things should do of themselves, and work up the Model by necessary Consequence ; Take it either way, and the Administration will lye in the same Hands; And that's sufficient to make you quiet. But if neither of these Hypotheses's will satisfie, you must set Epicurus's Atomes at the Helm, and make them justle out a World in the Dark. In a Word; If God Governs, all's well : But if Things are left to themselves, and set adrift , don't you Ramble, and Float after them. To conclude. We shall quickly be all Underground : And e'er long the Earth it self must be chang'd into something else ; And that something into another Form, and so on in infinitum. Now he that considers these Everlasting Alterations, this constant Tossing, and Tumbling, and how fast Revolutions succeed each other; He that considers this I say, will have but a mean Opinion of what the World can afford.

XXIX. Nature
  1. God.