mutable elements,[1] and one immutable fifth essence, duly and eternally placed, need no God, than that an army of infinite small portions or seeds unplaced, should have produced this order and beauty without a divine marshal. The scripture saith, The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God;[2] it is not said, The fool hath thought in his heart; so as[3] he rather saith it by rote to himself, as that[4] he would have, than that he can thoroughly believe it, or be persuaded of it.[5] For none deny there is a God, but those for whom it maketh[6] that there were no God. It appeareth in nothing more, that atheism is rather in the lip than in the heart of man, than by this; that atheists will ever be talking of that their opinion, as if they fainted in it within themselves, and would be glad to be strengthened by the consent[7] of others. Nay more, you shall have atheists strive to get disciples, as it fareth with other sects. And, which
- ↑ Four mutable elements. The four elements are earth, air, fire, and water, of which all things were thought to be made. Aristotle suggested a 'fifth being,' or 'form of existence,' for that which makes a thing what it is, its 'soul.' The Latin language translated 'fifth being' as quinta essentia, 'fifth essence'; that is, 'quintessence,' in English.
"The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire;
And this ethereal quintessence of heav'n
Flew upward, spirited with various forms,
That roll'd orbicular, and turn'd to stars
Numberless."
Milton. Paradise Lost. III. 715–719. - ↑ This is the first sentence of the first verse of both the Fourteenth and the Fifty-third Psalms.
- ↑ As. That.
- ↑ That means what, that which.
- ↑ "For myself, I would not give up the poetry of religion for all the wisest results that philosophy will ever arrive at." Thomas Moore to Lord Byron, Feb. 9, 1822. Letters and Journals of Lord Byron, with Notices of his Life. Thomas Moore.
- ↑ Maketh. Make means profit.
- ↑ Consent. Agreement or unity of opinion; unanimity, consensus.
