XXV. 14.] ‘THE SECOND BOOK. 261 
and at large, there have been divers kinds introduced 
and devised; some of them rather curious and unsafe 
than sober and warranted. Notwithstanding, thus much 
must be confessed, that the scriptures, being given by 
inspiration and not by human reason, do differ from all 
other books in the author: which by consequence doth 
draw on some difference to be used by the expositor. 
For the inditer of them did know four things which no 
man attains to know; which are, the mysteries of the 
kingdom of glory, the perfection of the laws of nature, 
the secrets of the heart of man, and the future succession 
of all ages. For as to the first it is said, He that presseth 
into the light, shall be oppressed of the glory, And again, 
No man shall see my face and live. To the second, When’. 
he prepared the heavens I was present, when by law and 
compass he inclosed the deep, To the third, Wetther was it 
needful that any should bear witness to him of man, for he 
knew well what was in man. And to the last, From the 
beginning are known to the Lord all his works. 
_ 15. From the former two of these have been drawn 
certain senses and expositions of scriptures, which had 
need be contained within the bounds of sobriety; the 
one anagogical, and the other philosophical. But as to 
the former, man is not to prevent his time: Videmus 
nunc per speculum in enigmaie, tunc autem facie ad factem: 
wherein nevertheless there seemeth to be a liberty granted, 
as far forth as the polishing of this glass, or some moder- 
-ate explication of this enigma. But to press too far 
into it, cannot but cause a dissolution and overthrow 
of the spirit of man. For in the body there are three 
degrees of that we receive into it, aliment, medicine, 
and poison: whereof aliment is that which the nature of 
man can perfectly alter and overcome ; medicine is that 
