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7. He should imitate nature which does nothing in

vain *

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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. S. He should reserve a power to retreat

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Following the wisdom in the ancient fable of the two frogs, which consulted when their plash was dry whither they should go; and 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 tranquam inimicus futurus, et odi tanquam amaturus."

37. Fortunes may be obtained without precept.

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

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39. The number of bad precepts for advancement in life is greater than good

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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

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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 serpent.

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

Minute Philosopher.

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

43. Fortune, like a woman, if too much wooed, is the further 293

off

44. Divinity points upwards to the kingdom of God: philosophy inwards to the goods of the mind..

The human foundation hath somewhat of 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.

WISDOM OF GOVERNMENT

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1. Government is a part of knowledge, secret and retired. 2. In the governors towards the government all things ought to

be manifest.

3. Statesmen are the proper persons to write on universal jus

tice

4. Of universal justice.

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There are in nature certain fountains of justice, whence all civil laws are derived but as streams: and like as waters do tuke 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.

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

7. Of the laws of England

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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.

* See the Treatise "De Augmentis," where some progress is made in this science, now nobly advanced, and advancing by the labours of Bentham.-(See note U.)

8. Observations upon the prospects of the progress of know

ledge.

REVEALED RELIGION

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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 extensive.

The Christian 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.

301

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

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.

7. Parts of divinity.

1. The matter revealed.

2. The nature of the revelation

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THE NATURE OF THE REVELATION.

1. Its limits.

2. Its sufficiency.

3. Its acquisition.

8. The points fundamental and of perfection ought to be dis

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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 Ægyptian: but when he saw the two Israelites fight, he said, You are brethren, why strive you?

The coat of our Saviour was entire without seam, and so is the doctrine of the Scriptures in itself; but the garment of the church was of divers colours.

The Limits of the Information

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

10. Considerations respecting the sufficiency.

1. Fundamental and perfective points of religion.

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They ought to be piously and wisely distinguished to ⚫ abate controversy.

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

The Acquisition of the Information

11. It rests upon the sound interpretation of scripture. They are the fountains of the waters of life.

12. Different modes of interpreting scripture.

1. Methodical.

2. Solute or at large.

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This divine water, which excelleth so much 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 fetched and derived for use; or else it is drawn and received in buckets and vessels immediately where it springeth.

18. 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.

15. Solute method of interpretation

16. There have been divers, curious but unsafe modes.

17. Divine knowledge beyond human reach.

1. The mysteries of the kingdom of glory.
The angelical mode of exposition

The philosophical mode

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To seek philosophy in divinity is to seek the dead amongst the living neither are the pots or lavers, whose place was in the outward part of the temple, to be sought in the holiest place of all, where the ark of the testimony was seated. 2. The perfection of the laws of nature.

3. The secrets of the heart of man

4. The future succession of all ages.

18. The expositions of scripture are not deficient.

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19. A work is wanted of a sound collection of texts, not dilated into common places, or hunting after controversies, or methodized, but scattered.

20. Different sorts.

MATTER REVEALED

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

1. Matter of belief.

2. Matter of science.

21. Emanations.

1. Faith.

1. The nature of God.
2. The attributes of God.
3. The works of God.

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