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THE SECOND BOOKE 263
together. And how that ancient skoffer made profitable
use of it. At least (saith he) it is no small comfort
unto man to see that God cannot doe all things; for he
cannot kill himselfe if he would, which is the greatest
benefit we have in our condition ; he cannot make
mortall men immortall nor raise the dead to life againe,
nor make him that hath lived never to have lived, and
him who hath had honours not to have had them,
having no other right over what is past, but of forgetfulnesse.
And that this society betweene God and Man
may also be combined with some pleasant examples,
he cannot make twice ten not to be twenty. See what
he saith, and which a Christian ought to abhor, that
ever such and so profane words should passe his mouth :
Whereas, on the contrary part, it seemeth that fond
men endevour to finde out this foolish-boldnesse of
speech, that so they may turne and winde God almighty
according to their measure.
eras vel atra
Nube polum pater occupato,
Vel sole pui o, non tamen irritum
Quodcumque retro est efficict, neque
Diffinget infectumque reddet
Quodfugiens semel hoi a vexit. 1
To-morrow let our father fill the skie,
With darke cloud, or with cleare Sunne, he thereby
Shall not make voyd what once is overpast:
Nor shall he undoe, or in new mold cast,
What time hath once caught, that flyes hence so fast.
When we say that the infinite of ages, as well past
as to come, is but one instant with God ; that his wisdome,
goodnesse and power, are one selfe-same thing
with his essence; our tongue speaks it, but our understanding
can no whit apprehend it. Yet will our selfe
overweening sift his divinitie through our sieve: whence
are engendred all the vanities and errours wherewith
the world is so full-fraught, reducing and weighing
with his uncertaine balance a thing so farre from his
¹ HOR. Car. 1. iii. Od. xxix. 43.,