[Sidenote: [i. THEORIC.]] ii. _Prima creatorem dat scire sciencia summum:_ _Qui caput agnoscit, sufficit illud ei._[933] _Plura viros quandoque iuuat nescire, set illud_ _Quod videt expediens, sobrius ille sapit._ Of Theorique principal The Philosophre in special The propretees hath determined, [Sidenote: Hic tractat de prima parte Philosophie, que Theorica dicitur, cuius natura triplici dotata est sciencia, scilicet Theologia, Phisica et Mathematica: set primo illam partem Theologie declarabit.] As thilke which is enlumined Of wisdom and of hih prudence Above alle othre in his science: And stant departed upon thre, The ferste of which in his degre Is cleped in Philosophie The science of Theologie, 70 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 87=] That other named is Phisique, The thridde is seid Mathematique. [Sidenote: [THEOLOGY.]] Theologie is that science Which unto man yifth evidence Of thing which is noght bodely, Wherof men knowe redely The hihe almyhti Trinite, Which is o god in unite Withouten ende and beginnynge And creatour of alle thinge, 80 Of hevene, of erthe and ek of helle. Wherof, as olde bokes telle, The Philosophre in his resoun Wrot upon this conclusioun, And of his wrytinge in a clause He clepeth god the ferste cause, Which of himself is thilke good,[934] Withoute whom nothing is good, Of which that every creature[935] Hath his beinge and his nature. 90 [Sidenote: Nota quod triplex dicitur essencia: Prima temporanea, que incipit et desinit, Secunda perpetua, que incipit et non desinit, Tercia sempiterna, que nec incipit nec desinit.] After the beinge of the thinges Ther ben thre formes of beinges:[936] Thing which began and ende schal, That thing is cleped temporal; Ther is also be other weie Thing which began and schal noght deie, As Soules, that ben spiritiel, Here beinge is perpetuel: Bot ther is on above the Sonne, Whos time nevere was begonne, 100 [Sidenote: =P. iii. 88=] And endeles schal evere be; That is the god, whos mageste Alle othre thinges schal governe, And his beinge is sempiterne. The god, to whom that al honour Belongeth, he is creatour, And othre ben hise creatures: The god commandeth the natures[937] That thei to him obeien alle;[938] Withouten him, what so befalle, 110 Her myht is non, and he mai al: The god was evere and evere schal, And thei begonne of his assent; The times alle be present To god, to hem and alle unknowe, Bot what him liketh that thei knowe: