Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · English Edition
Centuries of Meditations
Annotated Edition · With an Introduction, Notes and an Outline.
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English Edition · Branch 150 of 454
The Second Century · Meditation II.36
Centuries of Meditations
p. 15036
Yet further, another reason why this office was delegated to none of them, was this: He that died for us must by his own merits save us. Being therefore our Saviour was to merit for us, by His own actions, it was necessary that He should be such an one, who, by His own power, could sustain infinite punishments, and offer them up to God on our behalf with infinite Love as a voluntary obedience. Which only Christ was able to do out of the treasury of His own fullness. For the divine essence in Him could overcome infinite punishments, and infinitely love the Inflicter of them: without any repining, despondency, or hatred, returned for the same. Where it is curious to observe, how fully our Saviour satisfied for us. We hated God when He loved us: our Saviour not only loved God, while God loved Him but loved Him also with infinite love, even while He expressed hatred against Him.
Socrates
Reading Centuries of Meditations · The Second Century · Meditation II.36
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Thomas Traherne’s Centuries explore felicity, childhood vision, love, and the soul’s capacity to enjoy the world. This annotated English edition presents all 410 meditations across five Centuries, with an introduction, explanatory notes, an outline, and textual apparatus.
Historical Text
The Centuries survive in Traherne’s manuscript and were first published by Bertram Dobell in London in 1908. The supplied edition follows the corrected Dobell text, with manuscript readings documented in its Note on the Text and Textual Notes. The four complete Centuries contain one hundred meditations each; the unfinished Fifth contains ten.
About This Edition
Diotimos Editions prepared the introduction, explanatory notes, glossary, reading guide, outline, and textual apparatus for this English original. Century and meditation numbers preserve the work’s structure, while verse line breaks, italics, and struck-through manuscript cancellations remain visible. Notes accompany their passages in the reader and Book Mode.
Rights
Thomas Traherne’s historical text and Bertram Dobell’s 1908 printing are in the public domain. The introduction, notes, and apparatus are © 2026 Diotimos Editions. Historical printing and transcription links identify the edition’s copy-text; manuscript corrections and unresolved readings are documented in the supplied editorial apparatus.