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THE SECOND BOOKE 367
to say that that is which is not yet in being, or that
already hath ceased from being. And concerning
these words, Present, Instant, Even now, by which
it seemes that especially we uphold and principally
ground the intelligence of time; reason discovering
the same doth forthwith destroy it: for presently it
severeth it asunder and divideth it into future and
past times as willing to see it necessarily parted in
two. As much hapneth unto nature which is measured
according unto time, which measureth her: for no
more is there any thing in her that remaineth or is
subsistent: rather all things in her are either borne
or ready to be borne or dying. By means whereof it
were a sinne to say of God, who is the only that is,
that he was or shall be: for these words are declinations,
passages, or vicissitudes of that which cannot
last nor continue in being. Wherefore we must
conclude, that only God is, not according to any
measure of time, but according to an immoveable and
immutable eternity, not measured by time nor subject
to any declination, before whom nothing is, nor nothing
shall be after, nor more new nor more recent, but one
really being: which by one onely Now or Present,
filleth the Ever, and there is nothing that truly is but
he alone: without saying he has bin or he shall be,
without beginning and sans ending. To this so religious
conclusion of a heathen man I will only add this word,
taken from a testimony of the same condition, for an
end of this long and tedious discourse, which might
well furnish me with endlesse matter. 'Oh, what a
vile and abject thing is man (saith he) unlesse he
raise himselfe above humanity!' Observe here a
notable speech and a profitable desire; but likewise
absurd. For to make the handfull greater than the
hand, and the embraced greater than the arme, and
to hope to straddle more than our legs length, is impossible
and monstrous: nor that man should mount
over and above himselfe or humanity; for he cannot
see but with his owne eyes, nor take hold but with his
owne armes. He shall raise himself up, if it please