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If he cannot make any thing of it for the present, yet to make it as a seed of somewhat

in time to come.

1.

the sands, as we see in M. Brutus, when he
brake forth into that speech,

"Te colui, virtus, ut rem; at tu nomen inane es;"
yet the divine foundation is upon the rock.

tired.

WISDOM OF GOVERNMENT........

238

Government is a part of knowledge, secret and re2. In the governors towards the government all things

ought to be manifest.

Statesmen are the proper persons to write on universal justice..

4. Of universal justice.

8. He should reserve a power to retreat. 237 3.
Following the wisdom in the ancient fable
of the two frogs, which consulted when their
and
plash was dry whither they should go;
the one moved to go down into a pit, because
it was not likely the water would dry there;
but the other answered, "True; but if it do,
how shall we get out again?"

9. He should be cautious in his friendships
and enmities.

“Et ama tanquam inimicus futurus, et odi
tanquam amaturus."

37. Fortunes may be obtained without precept.

238

There are in nature certain fountains of justice, whence all civil laws are derived but as streams; and like as waters do take tinctures and tastes from the soils through which they run, so do civil laws vary according to the regions and governments where they are planted, though they proceed from the same fountains.

5. Of the wisdom of a law maker.....

238

6. Bacon intends a work in aphorisms upon universal justice.2

They come tumbling into some men's laps;
and a number obtain good fortunes by dili-
gence in a plain way, little intermeddling, and 7.
keeping themselves from gross errors.

38. Of vicious precepts for self-advancement.... 237
39. The number of bad precepts for advancement in
237
life is greater than good....

It is in life as it is in ways, the shortest way
is commonly the foulest, and surely the fairer
way is not much about.

40. In the pursuit of fortune, man ought to set before
his eyes the general map of the world... 237
All things are vanity and vexation of spirit.
-Being without well-being is a curse; and
the greater the being, the greater the curse.
41. The incessant and sabbathless pursuit of fortune
leaveth not the tribute which we owe to God
of our time.

It is to small purpose to have an erected face
towards heaven, and a perpetual grovelling
spirit upon earth, eating dust, as doth the ser-
pent.

42. The adopting vicious precepts cannot be tolerated by the intended good ends.

43. Fortune, like a woman, if too much wooed, is the 238 further off...

44. Divinity points upwards to the kingdom of God: philosophy inwards to the goods of the mind. The human foundation hath somewhat of

ment of Learning in existence, with Shakspeare's autograph
in it. The same sentiment is expressed by Dryden.
Heaven has to all allotted soon or late,
Some lucky revolution of their fate;
Whose motions if we watch and guide with skill,
For human good depends on human will.
Our fortune rolls as from a smooth descent,
And from the first impression takes the bent;
But if unseized! she glides away like wind,
And leaves repenting folly far behind!

8.

Of the laws of England......

239

The whole book is not much better than that noise or sound which musicians make while they are tuning their instruments; which is nothing pleasant to hear, but yet is a cause why the music is sweeter afterwards: so have I been content to tune the instruments of the muses, that they may play that have better hands.

Observations upon the prospects of the progress of knowledge.

REVEALED RELIGION..

239

1. It is the sabbath of all men's labours.
2. The prerogative of God extends to man's reason,
and to his will.

3.

Sacred theology is grounded upon the oracle of God. 4. The use of reason in matters spiritual is exten

sive.

The Christain Faith, as in all things so in this, deserveth to be highly magnified; holding and preserving the golden mediocrity in this point between the law of the heathen and the law of Mahomet, which have embraced the two extremes. For the religion of the heathen had no constant belief or confession, but left all to the liberty of argument; and the religion of Mahomet, on the other side, interdicteth argument altogether: the one having the very face of error, and the other of imposture.

5. Uses of reason in spiritual matters....

1. In the conception of revealed mysteries. 2. In inferences from revelation.

240

6. A treatise on the limits of reason in spiritual matters is wanting.

The same sentiment is contained in the Essays. "It is usually said of Fortune that she has locks before, but none behind." 7. "Fortune is like Time, if you do not take him by the forelock; he turns his bald noddle to you;" or at least, turneth the handle of the bottle first to be received; and after the belly, which is hard to clasp.

■ Events are not in our power; but it always is to make a Minute Philosopher. good use of the very worst.

This would be an opiate to stay and bridle not only the vanity of curious speculations, wherewith the schools labour, but the fury of controversies, wherewith the church laboureth. Parts of divinity.

1. The matter revealed.

2. The nature of the revelation.. 241

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We see Moses when he saw the Israelite and the Egyptian fight, he did not say, Why strive you? but drew his sword and slew the Egyptian: but when he saw the two Israelites fight, he said, You are brethren, why strive you?

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seated.

2. The perfection of the laws of nature. 3. The secrets of the heart of man..... 242 4. The future succession of all ages. The coat of our Saviour was entire without 18. The expositions of Scripture are not deficient. seam, and so is the doctrine of the Scriptures 19. A work is wanted of a sound collection of texts, in itself; but the garment of the church was not dilated into commonplaces, or hunting of divers colours. after controversies, or methodized, but scattered. MATTER REVEALED...

The Limits of the Information..... 241

9. Considerations respecting the limits.
1. The inspiration of individuals.
2. The inspiration of the church.
3. The proper use of reason.

The Sufficiency of the Information.... 241 10. Considerations respecting the sufficiency.

1. Fundamental and perfective points of reli-
gion.

They ought to be piously and wisely distin-
guished to abate controversy.

2. The gradations of light for the generation
of belief.

The Acquisition of the Information... 241 11. It rests upon the sound interpretation of Scrip

ture.

They are the fountains of the waters of life. 12. Different modes of interpreting Scripture. 1. Methodical.

2. Solute or at large.

20. Different sorts.

243

The one being as the internal soul of reli gion, and the other as the external body.

1. Matter of belief.

2. Matter of science.

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3. Liturgy

4. Government.

1. Patrimony of the church.

2. The franchises of the church. 3. The jurisdiction of the church. 4. The laws of the church.

This divine water which excelleth so much 22. Deviations from religion.

that of Jacob's well, is drawn forth much in
the same kind as natural water useth to be out

of wells and fountains; either it is first
forced up into a cistern, and from thence

Atheism.

Heresy.

Idolatry.

243

Witchcraft.

fetched and derived for use; or else it is 23. There is no deficience in divinity.

drawn and received in buckets and vessels im-
mediately where it springeth.

13. Methodical mode of interpretation.

It seems to be more ready, but is more subject to corrupt.

14. Objects of methodical interpretation.

1. Summary brevity.

2. Compacted strength.

3. Complete perfection.

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(a) HUMAN PHILOSOPHY; OR, KNOWLEDGE OF MAN.

ANALYSIS OF

ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING.

1. THE EXCELLENCE OF, (1. Objections to Learning. 162. AND OF DISSEMINATING LEARNING. 162.

1. By divines. 162.

2. By politicians. 164.

3. From faults of learned men. 166.

12. Advantages of Learning 174. 1. Divine proofs. 174.

12. Human proofs. 176.

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1. History of creatures. 187.

1. Natural. 187. 2. History of marvels. 188. 3. History of arts. 188.

3. The persons of the learned. 185. 1. Different histories. 187.

1. Memorials. 189.

2. Civil. 189.

2. Antiquities. 189. 3. Perfect history. 189.

1. Chronicles.

1. Simple. 189. 2. Biography. 3. Relations.

2. Mixed. 191.

1. History of the church. 191. 191. 2. History of prophecy. 191. 3. History of providence. 192.

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2. The mind. 205.

1. Of Conversation. 228.

2. Its faculties.

51. Helps of memory. 212.

1. The Understanding. 3. Memory. 212. 2. Nature of memory. 212.

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2. The Will. 218.

1. Te Image of Good. 219. 2. The Culture of the Mind. 223.

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ture saith of the wisest king, "That his heart was as the sands of the sea:" which though it be one of the largest bodies, yet it consisteth of the smallest and finest portions; so hath God given your majesty a composition of understanding admirable, being able to compass and comprehend the greatest matters, and nevertheless to touch and apprehend the least: whereas it should seem an impossi

THERE were, under the law, excellent king, both the least occasion presented, or the least spark of daily sacrifices, and freewill-offerings; the one pro-another's knowledge delivered. And as the Scripceeding upon ordinary observance, the other upon a devout cheerfulness: in like manner there belongeth to kings from their servants both tribute of duty and presents of affection. In the former of these I hope I shall not live to be wanting, according to my most humble duty, and the good pleasure of your majesty's employments: for the latter I thought it more respective to make choice of some oblation, which might rather refer to the propriety and ex-bility in nature, for the same instrument to make itcellency of your individual person, than to the business of your crown and state.

self fit for great and small works. And for your gift of speech, I call to mind what Cornelius Tacitus saith of Augustus Cæsar; " Augusto profluens, et quæ principem deceret, eloquentia fuit." For, if we note it well, speech that is uttered with labour and difficulty, or speech that savoureth of the affectation of art and precepts, or speech that is framed after the imitation of some pattern of eloquence, though never so excellent, all this has somewhat servile, and holding of the subject. But your majesty's manner of speech is indeed prince-like, flowing as from a fountain, and yet streaming and branching itself into nature's order, full of facility and felicity, imitating none, and inimitable by any. 'And as in your civil estate there appeareth to be an emulation and contention of your majesty's virtue with your fortune; a virtuous disposition with a fortunate regiment; a virtuous expectation, when time was, of your greater fortune, with a prosperous possession thereof in the due

Wherefore, representing your majesty many times unto my mind, and beholding you not with the inquisitive eye of presumption, to discover that which the Scripture telleth me is inscrutable, but with the observant eye of duty and admiration leaving aside the other parts of your virtue and fortune, I have been touched, yea, and possessed with an extreme wonder at those your virtues and faculties, which the philosophers call intellectual; the largeness of your capacity, the faithfulness of your memory, the swiftness of your apprehension, the penetration of your judgment, and the facility and order of your elocution; and I have often thought, that of all the persons living that I have known, your majesty were the best instance to make a man of Plato's opinion, that all knowledge is but remembrance, and that the mind of man by nature knoweth all things, and hath but our own native and original motions (which by the strange-time; a virtuous observation of the laws of marriage, ness and darkness of this tabernacle of the body are sequestered) again revived and restored: such a light of nature I have observed in your majesty, and such a readiness to take flame and blaze from VOL. 1.-21

with most blessed and happy fruit of marriage; a virtuous and most Christian desire of peace, with a fortunate inclination in your neighbour princes thereunto: so likewise, in these intellectual matters 02

161

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