Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

86 THE FORMATION OF CHRISTENDOMfor his action as a reasonable being. Besides, hrecognises for himself no higher task than that offollowing the law of the whole, of honouring by strictmorality the God within his breast, of fulfilling hisplace each moment as man and as lloman, of advancingtowards the end of his life, whether it comesooner or later, with the tranquil serenity which contentsitself simply with the thought of what is inaccordance with nature. But how can a man feelhimself to be a portion of the world, and subordinatehimself to the law of the world, without at the sametime treating himself as a member of humanity,without finding his worthiest task in working forhumanity ? And how can he do this without givingto his country, in the more restricted sense, all theattention which his position requires of him. Nordoes Antoninus exclude from his affection even theunworthy members of human society. He remindsus that it befits man to love even those who stumble,to help the thankless and the unkindly. He bids usremember that all men are our relations; that theself-same divine spirit lives in all; that a man maynot expect to find no wickedness in the world ; thatthe erring only fail against their will, and only becausethey do not recognise their real good ; that hewho does wrong only harms himself, whilst our ownbeing can suffer no harm through the action of another.He therefore requires that we do not suffer anythingto lead us astray in doing good, that we either instructmen or endure them, and instead of being angry orastonished at their faults only compassionate and pardonthem.From a number of passages we gather the belief ofM. Aurelius that the human personality ceases at death.