Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/404

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224
Marcus Antoninus's

provided you speak Truth boldly, and above board , and make Law , and the Dignity of Things, your Rule to Act by. When you are not to be check'd in your Progress, by the Misbehaviour, the Ignorance , and impertinent Reports of other People, nor yet by the Sence and Sufferings of your own Carcase. Tho' by the way, 'tis a question whether it suffers or not. [1] To go on; If, since your Life is almost up, you lay aside all other Matters, and only Cultivate your Mind, and pay a Regard to the Governing , and Diviner part of your self : If you are not at all afraid of losing your Life, but of Missing the Ends on't, and not Living as you should do ; Then you'l act suitably to your Extraction , and deserve to have the Deity for your Maker : Then you'l be no longer a stranger in your own Country , nor be surpriz'd at common Accidents ; you'l ne're be anxious about the Future , nor stand to the Courtesy of Events.

II. The Almighty sees through the Soul of every Man as clearly, as if it was not wrapt up in Matter, or had any thing of the Shrow'd and Coarsness of Body about it. And God being a Spirit , Acts only as such, and concerns himself for no other Beings but those of his own Nature. Now if you would learn to do thus, a

great
  1. See Book 7. Sect. 16, 68.