THE FIRST BOOK 227 



the immortality of the soul, yet came to this point, 

 that whatsoever motions the spirit of man could act 

 and perform without the organs of the body they thought 

 might remain after death ; which were only those of the 

 understanding, and not of the affection ; so immortal 

 and incorruptible a thing did knowledge seem unto them 

 to be. But we, that know by divine revelation that 

 not only .the understanding but the affections purified, 

 not only the spirit but the body changed, shall be 

 advanced to immortality, to disclaim in these rudiments 

 of the senses. But it must be remembered both in this 

 last point, and so it may likewise be needful in other 

 places, that in probation of the dignity of knowledge 

 or learning I did in the beginning separate divine 

 testimony from human; which method I have pursued, 

 and so handled them both apart. 



Nevertheless I do not pretend, and I know it will be 

 impossible for me by any pleading of mine, to reverse 

 the judgment, either of Aesop's cock, that preferred the 

 barleycorn before the gem ; or of Midas, that being 

 chosen judge between Apollo president of the Muses, 

 and Pan god of the flocks, judged for plenty ; or of 

 Paris, that judged for beauty and love against wisdom 

 and power ; or of Agrippina, occidat matrem, modo imperet, 

 that preferred empire with condition never so detestable ; 

 or of Ulysses, qui vetulam praetulit immortalitati, being 

 a figure of those which prefer custom and habit before 

 all excellency; or of a number of the like popular 

 judgments. For these things continue as they have 

 been : but so will that also continue whereupon learning 

 hath ever relied, and which faileth not : Justificata est 

 sapientia a fliis suis. 



