e condemned, that sins with pleasure, than he
that sins with grief. For indeed this latter may seem first to have been
wronged, and so in some manner through grief thereof to have been forced
to be angry, whereas he who through lust doth commit anything, did of
himself merely resolve upon that action.

VIII. Whatsoever thou dost affect, whatsoever thou dost project, so do,
and so project all, as one who, for aught thou knowest, may at this very
present depart out of this life. And as for death, if there be any gods,
it is no grievous thing to leave the society of men. The gods will do
thee no hurt, thou mayest be sure. But if it be so that there be no
gods, or that they take no care of the world, why should I desire to
live in a world void of gods, and of all divine providence? But gods
there be certainly, and they take care for the world; and as for those
things which be truly evil, as vice and wickedness, such things they
have put in a man's own power, that he might avoid them if he would: and
had there been anything besides that had been truly bad and evil, they
would have had a care of that also, that a man might have avoided it.
But why should that be thought to hurt and prejudice a man's life in
this world, which cannot any ways make man himself the better, or the
worse in his own person? Neither must we think that the nature of the
universe did either through ignorance pass these things, or if not as
ignorant of them, yet as unable either to prevent, or better to order
and dispose them. It cannot be that she through want either of power or
skill, should have committed such a thing, so as to suffer all things
both good and bad, equally and promiscuously, to happen unto all both
good and bad. As for life therefore, and death, honour and dishonour,
labour and pleasure, riches and poverty, all these things happen
unto men indeed, both good and bad, equally; but as things which of
themselves are neither good nor bad; because of themselves, neither
shameful nor praiseworthy.

IX. 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 worldly 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 contemptible