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THE SECOND BOOKE 299
prudent.' The diversitie of tongues and languages
wherewith he disturbed that worke and overthrew that
proudly-raisd Pile; what else is it but this infinit
altercation and perpetual discordance of opinions and
reasons which accompanieth and entangleth the frivolous
frame of mans learning, or vaine building of
human science? Which he doth most profitably.
Who might containe us, had we but one graine of
knowledge ? This Saint hath done me much pleasure:
Ipsa Ventatis orcultatio, aut humilitatis exercitatio est,
aut elationis attritio:¹ ' The very concealing of the
profit is either an exercise of humilitie or a beating
downe of arrogancie.' Unto what point of presumption
and insolencie do we not carry our blindnesse
and foolishnesse ? But to returne to my purpose :
Verily there was great reason that we should be
beholding to God alone, and to the benefit of his
grace, for the truth of so noble a beliefe, since from
his liberalise alone we receive the fruit of immortalitie,
which consisteth in enjoying of eternall blessednesse.
Let us ingenuously coufesse that only God and Faith
hath told it us: for it is no lesson of Nature, nor
comming from our reason. And he that shall both
within and without narrowly sift and curiously sound
his being and his forces without this divine privilege,
he that shall view and consider man without Battering
him, shall nor finde nor see either efficacie or facultie
in him that tasteth of any other thing but death and
earth. The more we give, the more we owe: and the
more we yeeld unto God, the more Christian-like doe
we. That which the Stoike Philosopher said he held
by the casuall consent of the peoples voice, had it not
beene better he had held it of Goa ? Cum de animorum
seternitate disserimus, non leue momentum apud nos habet
consensus hominum, aut timentium inferos aut colentium.
Vtorhuo publica persuasione: 2 ' When we discourse of
the immortalitie of soules, in my conceit the consent
of those men is of no small authorise, who either feare
or adore the infernall powers. This publike persuasion
1 AUGUSTIN, de Civ. Dei, xi 22. ² SEN. Epist. 117.