The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

BOOK I. ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 163
heart, yet cannot man find out the work which forget our mortality. The second, that we make
God worketh from the beginning to the end:" application of our knowledge, to give ourselves
declaring, not obscurely, that God hath framed repose and contentment, and not distaste or repinthe mind of man as a mirror or glass, capable of ing. The third, that we do not presume by the
the image of the universal world, and joyful to contemplation of nature to attain to the mysteries
receive the impression thereof, as the eye joyeth of God. For, as touching the first of these, Soloto receive light; and not only delighted in behold- mon doth excellently expound himself in another
ing the variety of things, and vicissitude of times, place of the same book, where he saith;,, I saw
but raised also to find out and discern the ordi- well that knowledge recedeth as far from ignonances and decrees, which throughout all those rance as light doth from darkness; and that the
changes are infallibly observed. And although wise man's eyes keep watch in his head, whereas
he doth insinuate, that the supreme or summary the fool roundeth about in darkness: but withal I
law of nature, which he calleth, ", The work which learned, that the same mortality involveth thein
God worketh from the beginning to the end, is both." And for the second, certain it is, there is
not possible to be found out by man;" yet that no vexation or anxiety of mind which resulteth
doth not derogate from the capacity of the mind, from knowledge, otherwise than merely by accibut may be referred to the impediments, as of dent; for all knowledge, and wonder (which is J
shortness of life, ill conjunction of labours, ill the seed of knowledge) is an impression of pleatradition of knowledge over from hand to hand, sure in itself: but when men fall to framing concluand many other inconveniences, whereunto the sions out of their knowledge, applying it to their
condition of man is subject. For that nothing particular, and ministering to themselves thereby
parcel of the world is denied to man's inquiry and weak fears or vast desires,' there groweth that
invention, he doth in another place rule over, carefulness and trouble of mind which is spoken
when he saith, 6" The spirit of man is as the lamp of: for then knowledge is no more. ", Lumen
of God, wherewith he searcheth the inwardness siccum," whereof Heraclitus the Profound said,
of all secrets." If then such be the capacity and "' Lumen siccum optima anima;" but it becometh
receipt of the mind of man, it is manifest, that "'Lumen madidum, or maceratum," being steeped
there is no danger at all in the proportion or quan- and infused in the humours of the affections. And
tity of knowledge, how large soever, lest it should as for the third point, it deserveth to be a little
make it swell or out-compass itself; no, but it stood upon, and not to be lightly passed over:
is merely the quality of knowledge, which, be it for if any man shall think, by view and inquiry
in quantity more or less, if it be taken without the into these sensible and material things, to attain
true corrective thereof, hath in it some nature of that light, whereby he may reveal unto himself
venom or malignity, and some effects of that ve- the nature or will of God, then indeed is he
nom, which is ventosity or swelling. This cor- spoiled by vain philosophy: for the contemplation
rective spice, the mixture whereof maketh know- of God's creatures and works produceth (having
ledge so sovereign, is charity, which the apostle regard to the works and creatures themselves)
immediately addeth to the former clause; for so knowledge; but having regard to God, no perfect
he saith, "knowledge bloweth up, but charity knowledge, but wonder, which is broken knowbuildeth up;" not unlike unto that which he de- ledge. And therefore it was most aptly said by
livereth in another place: " If I spake," saith he, one of Plato's school, —" That the sense of man
", with the tongues of men and angels, and had carrieth a resemblance with the sun, which, as we
not charity, it were but as a tinkling cymbal;" see, openeth and revealeth all the terrestrial globe;
not but that it is an excellent thing to speak but then again it obscureth and concealeth the
with the tongues of men and angels, but because, stars and celestial globe; so doth the sense
if it be severed from charity, and not referred to discover natural things, but it darkeneth and
the good of men and mankind, it hath rather a shutteth up divine." And hence it is true, that
sounding and unworthy glory, than a meriting it hath proceeded, that divers great learned men
and substantial virtue. And as for that censure have been heretical, whilst they have sought to
of Solomon, concerning the excess of writing and fly up to the secrets of the Deity by the waxen
reading books, and the anxiety of spirit which re- wings of the senses. And as for the conceit that
doundeth fromknowledge; and thatadmonition of too much knowledge should incline a man to
St. Paul, ", That we be not seduced by vain philoso- atheism, and that the ignorance of second causes
phy;" let those places be rightly understood, and should make a more devout dependance upon God,
they do indeed excellently set forth the true bounds which is the first cause; First, it is good to ask
and limitations, whereby human knowledge is the question which Job asked of his friends;
confined and circumscribed; and yet without any ", Will you lie for God, as one man will do for
such contracting or coarctation, but that it may another to gratify him." For certain it is that
comprehend all the universal nature of things; God worketh nothifig in nature but by second
for these limitations are three: the first, that we causes; and if they would have it otherwise beriot so place our felicity in knowledge, as we lieved, it is mere imposture, as it were in favour