hings once so fixed and concluded, as thou
wouldst think him a happy citizen, whose constant study and practice
were for the good and benefit of his fellow citizens, and the carriage
of the city such towards him, that he were well pleased with it; so must
it needs be with thee, that thou shalt live a happy life.

VII. All parts of the world, (all things I mean that are contained
within the whole world), must of necessity at some time or other come to
corruption. Alteration I should say, to speak truly and properly; but
that I may be the better understood, I am content at this time to use
that more common word. Now say I, if so be that this be both hurtful
unto them, and yet unavoidable, would not, thinkest thou, the whole
itself be in a sweet case, all the parts of it being subject to
alteration, yea and by their making itself fitted for corruption, as
consisting of things different and contrary? And did nature then either
of herself thus project and purpose the affliction and misery of her
parts, and therefore of purpose so made them, not only that haply they
might, but of necessity that they should fall into evil; or did not she
know what she did, when she made them? For either of these two to say,
is equally absurd. But to let pass nature in general, and to reason of
things particular according to their own particular natures; how absurd
and ridiculous is it, first to say that all parts of the whole are, by
their proper natural constitution, subject to alteration; and then when
any such thing doth happen, as when one doth fall sick and dieth, to
take on and wonder as though some strange thing had happened? Though
this besides might move not so grievously to take on when any such thing
doth happen, that whatsoever is dissolved, it is dissolved into those
things, whereof it was compounded. For every dissolution is either
a mere dispersion, of the elements into those elements again whereof
everything did consist, or a change, of that which is more solid into
earth; and of that which is pure and subtile or spiritual, into air.
So that by this means nothing is lost, but all resumed again into those
rational generative seeds of the universe; and this universe, either
after a certain period of time to lie consumed by fire, or by continual
changes to be renewed, and so for ever to endure. Now that solid and
spiritual that we speak of, thou must not conceive it to be that very
same, which at first was, when thou wert born. For