Page:The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart.pdf/340

336 languages, they said, give not wisdom, but have that purpose only that by means of them we can converse with many and divers inhabitants of the terrestrial globe, be they alive or dead. Therefore not he, they said, who can speak many languages, but he who can speak of useful things, is learned. Now they called useful things all God's works, and they said that arts are of some use for the purpose of understanding Him; but they also say that the true fountain of knowledge is the Holy Writ, and the Holy Ghost our teacher, and that the purpose of all true knowledge is Christ, He who was crucified. Therefore, as I saw, all these learned men tended with all their learning to Christ, as to the centre; and everything, they say, that was an obstacle to their approaching Christ they reject, even if it was most learned. I saw also that they read divers human books, according to their pursuits; but the choicest only they read carefully, and they always consider human statements as human only. They write books themselves also, but not to spread their fame among the people, but rather because they hope to impart something useful to their fellow-men, to aid the common welfare, to frustrate the wicked.

5. Of priests and preachers I saw a certain number among them, according to the wants of the Church; all were in simple attire, and