Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

[ 393] Impossible to know God perfectly here, in this World.

TUlly relateth, how Simonides being asked by Hiero the King of Sicily, VVhat God was,* 1.1 desired one day to consider of it; And after one day being past, ha∣ving not yet found it out, desired two dayes more to consider of it, and after two dayes he desired three: And to conclude, at length he had no other answer to re∣turn unto the King, but this; That the more he thought upon it, the more still he might: For the further he waded himself in the s••arch thereof, the further he was from the fin∣ding of it:* 1.2 And thus Plato, What God is (saith he) that I know not, What he is not, that I know:* 1.3 Most certain it is, that God onely in regard of himself, knows himself, as dwelling in the light inaccessible,* 1.4 whom never man saw, neither can see. Here now the Well is not onely 〈◊〉〈◊〉, but we want a bucket to draw with••l; God is infinite and never to be comprehended essentially; Oh then that we could so much the more long to enjoy him, by how muchless we are able to apprehend him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lib de 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Deorum.
• * 1.2

  De Deo 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dicitur non po∣test dici. H••lar.
• * 1.3

  1 Tim. 6. 16.
• * 1.4

  Drexelii consi∣derat. de aeternitate▪