44 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



And in another place, Qui facit Arcturum, et Oriona, et 

 ffyadas, et interior a Austri ; [who maketh Arcturus, Orion, and 

 Hyades, and the secrets of the South ;] where again he takes 

 knowledge of the depression of the southern pole, calling it 

 the secrets of the south, because the southern stars were in 

 that climate unseen. Matter of generation ; Annon sicut lac 

 mulsisti me, et sicut caseum coagulasti me ? [Hast thou not 

 poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese f] etc. 

 Matter of minerals ; Hdbet argentum venarum suarum 



] principia : et auro locus est in quo confiatur, ferrum de 

 terra tollitur, et lapis solutus calore in ces vertitur : [Surely 

 there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold 

 where they fine it. Iron is taken out of the earth, and 

 brass is molten out of the stone:] and so forwards in that 

 chapter. 



So likewise in the person of Solomon the king, we see 

 the gift or endowment of wisdom and learning, both in 

 Solomon's petition, and in God's assent thereunto, preferred 

 before all other terrene and temporal felicity. By virtue of 



20 which grant or donative of God Solomon became enabled, not 

 only to write those excellent parables, or aphorisms concern 

 ing divine and moral philosophy ; but also to compile a 

 natural history of all verdure, from the cedar upon the moun 

 tain to the moss upon the wall, (which is but a rudiment 

 between putrefaction and an herb,) and also of all things that 

 breathe or move. Nay, the same Solomon the king, although 

 he excelled in the glory of treasure and magnificent buildings, 

 of shipping and navigation, of service and attendance, of 

 fame and renown, and the like, yet he maketh no claim to 



30 any of those glories, but only to the glory of inquisition of 

 truth ; for so he saith expressly, The glory of God is to conceal 

 a thing, but the glory of the king is to find it out ; as if, accord 

 ing to the innocent play of children, the Divine Majesty took 

 delight to hide his works, to the end to have them found 

 out ; and as if kings could not obtain a greater honour than 

 . to be God's playfellows in that game ; considering the great 



