the advancement of learning-第2部分

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y　of　the　mind；　but　may　be　referred　to　the　impediments；　as　of　shortness　of　life；　ill　conjunction　of　labours；　ill　tradition　of　knowledge　over　from　hand　to　hand；　and　many　other　inconveniences；　whereunto　the　condition　of　man　is　subject。　For　that　nothing　parcel　of　the　world　is　denied　to　man's　inquiry　and　invention；　he　doth　in　another　place　rule　over；　when　he　saith；　THE　SPIRIT　OF　MAN　IS　AS　THE　LAMP　OF　GOD；　WHEREWITH　HE　SEARCHETH　THE　INWARDNESS　OF　ALL　SECRETS。　If　then　such　be　the　capacity　and　receipt　of　the　mind　of　man；　it　is　manifest　that　there　is　no　danger　at　all　in　the　proportion　or　quantity　of　knowledge；　how　large　soever；　lest　it　should　make　it　swell　or　out…compass　itself；　no；　but　it　is　merely　the　quality　of　knowledge；　which；　be　it　in　quantity　more　or　less；　if　it　be　taken　without　the　true　corrective　thereof；　hath　in　it　some　nature　of　venom　or　malignity；　and　some　effects　of　that　venom；　which　is　ventosity　or　swelling。　This　corrective　spice；　the　mixture　whereof　maketh　Knowledge　so　sovereign；　is　Charity；　which　the　Apostle　immediately　addeth　to　the　former　clause：　for　so　he　saith；　KNOWLEDGE　BLOWETH　UP；　BUT　CHARITY　BUILDETH　UP；　not　unlike　unto　that　which　he　delivereth　in　another　place：　IF　I　SPAKE；　saith　he；　WITH　THE　TONGUES　OF　MEN　AND　ANGELS；　AND　HAD　NOT　CHARITY；　IT　WERE　BUT　AS　A　TINKLING　CYMBAL；　not　but　that　it　is　an　excellent　thing　to　speak　with　the　tongues　of　men　and　angels；　but　because；　if　it　be　severed　from　charity；　and　not　referred　to　the　good　of　men　and　mankind；　it　hath　rather　a　sounding　and　unworthy　glory；　than　a　meriting　and　substantial　virtue。　And　as　for　that　censure　of　Salomon；　concerning　the　excess　of　writing　and　reading　books；　and　the　anxiety　of　spirit　which　redoundeth　from　knowledge；　and　that　admonition　of　St。　Paul；　THAT　WE　BE　NOT　SEDUCED　BY　VAIN　PHILOSOPHY；　let　those　places　be　rightly　understood；　and　they　do　indeed　excellently　set　forth　the　true　bounds　and　limitations；　whereby　human　knowledge　is　confined　and　circumscribed；　and　yet　without　any　such　contracting　or　coarctation；　but　that　it　may　comprehend　all　the　universal　nature　of　things；　for　these　limitations　are　three：　the　first；　THAT　WE　DO　NOT　SO　PLACE　OUR　FELICITY　IN　KNOWLEDGE；　AS　WE　FORGET　OUR　MORTALITY：　the　second；　THAT　WE　MAKE　APPLICATION　OF　OUR　KNOWLEDGE；　TO　GIVE　OURSELVES　REPOSE　AND　CONTENTMENT；　AND　NOT　DISTASTE　OR　REPINING：　the　third；　THAT　WE　DO　NOT　PRESUME　BY　THE　CONTEMPLATION　OF　NATURE　TO　ATTAIN　TO　THE　MYSTERIES　OF　GOD。　For　as　touching　the　first　of　these；　Salomon　doth　excellently　expound　himself　in　another　place　of　the　same　book；　where　he　saith：　　I　SAW　WELL　THAT　KNOWLEDGE　RECEDETH　AS　FAR　FROM　IGNORANCE　AS　LIGHT　DOTH　FROM　DARKNESS；　AND　THAT　THE　WISE　MAN'S　EYES　KEEP　WATCH　IN　HIS　HEAD；　WHEREAS　THE　FOOL　ROUNDETH　ABOUT　IN　DARKNESS：　BUT　WITHAL　I　LEARNED；　THAT　THE　SAME　MORTALITY　INVOLVETH　THEM　BOTH。　And　for　the　second；　certain　it　is；　there　is　no　vexation　or　anxiety　of　mind　which　resulteth　from　knowledge　otherwise　than　merely　by　accident；　for　all　knowledge　and　wonder　（which　is　the　seed　of　knowledge）　is　an　impression　of　pleasure　in　itself：　but　when　men　fall　to　framing　conclusions　out　of　their　knowledge；　applying　it　to　their　particular；　and　ministering　to　themselves　thereby　weak　fears　or　vast　desires；　there　groweth　that　carefulness　and　trouble　of　mind　which　is　spoken　of：　for　（gee　knowledge　is　no　more　LUMEN　SICCUM；　whereof　Heraclitus　the　profound　　said；　LUMEN　SICCUM　OPTIMA　ANIMA；　but　it　becometh　LUMEN　MADIDUM；　OR　MACERATUM；　being　steeped　and　infused　in　the　humours　of　the　affections。　And　as　for　the　third　point；　it　deserveth　to　be　a　little　stood　upon；　and　not　to　be　lightly　passed　over：　for　if　any　man　shall　think　by　view　and　inquiry　into　these　sensible　and　material　things　to　attain　that　light；　whereby　he　may　reveal　unto　himself　the　Nature　or　Will　of　God；　then　indeed　is　he　spoiled　by　vain　philosophy：　for　the　contemplation　of　God's　creatures　and　works　produceth　（having　regard　to　the　works　and　creatures　themselves）　knowledge；　but　having　regard　to　God；　no　perfect　knowledge；　but　wonder；　which　is　broken　knowledge。　And　therefore　it　was　most　aptly　said　by　one　of　Plato's　school；　THAT　THE　SENSE　OF　MAN　CARRIETH　A　RESEMBLANCE　WITH　THE　SUN；　WHICH；　AS　WE　SEE；　OPENETH　AND　REVEALETH　ALL　THE　TERRESTRIAL　GLOBE；　BUT　THEN　AGAIN　IT　OBSCURETH　AND　CONCEALETH　THE　STARS　AND　CELESTIAL　GLOBE：　　SO　DOTH　THE　SENSE　DISCOVER　NATURAL　THINGS；　BUT　IT　DARKENETH　AMD　SHUTTETH　UP　DIVINE。　And　hence　it　is　true　that　it　hath　proceeded；　that　divers　great　learned　men　have　been　heretical；　whilst　they　have　sought　to　fly　up　to　the　secrets　of　the　Deity　by　the　waxen　wings　of　the　senses。　And　as　for　the　conceit　that　too　much　knowledge　should　incline　a　man　to　Atheism；　and　that　the　ignorance　of　second　causes　should　make　a　more　devout　dependence　upon　God；　which　is　the　first　cause；　first；　it　is　good　to　ask　the　question　which　Job　asked　of　his　friends。　WILL　YOU　LIE　FOR　GOD；　AS　ONE　MAN　WILL　DO　FOR　ANOTHER；　TO　GRATIFY　HIM　？　　For　certain　it　is　that　God　worketh　nothing　in　nature　but　by　second　causes：　and　if　they　would　have　it　otherwise　believed；　it　is　mere　imposture；　as　it　were　in　favour　towards　God；　and　nothing　else　but　to　offer　to　the　Author　of　Truth　the　unclean　sacrifice　of　a　lie。　But　further；　it　is　an　assured　truth；　and　a　conclusion　of　experience；　that　a　little　or　superficial　knowledge　of　Philosophy　may　incline　the　mind　of　man　to　Atheism；　but　a　further　proceeding　therein　doth　bring　the　mind　back　again　to　Religion：　for　in　the　entrance　of　Philosophy；　when　the　second　causes；　which　are　next　unto　the　senses；　do　offer　themselves　to　the　mind　of　man；　if　it　dwell　and　stay　there　it　may　induce　some　oblivion　of　the　highest　cause；　but　when　a　man　passeth　on　further；　and　seeth　the　dependence　of　causes；　and　the　works　of　Providence；　then；　according　to　the　allegory　of　the　poets；　he　will　easily　believe　that　the　highest　link　of　nature's　chain　must　needs　＇4＇　be　tied　to　the　foot　of　Jupiter's　chair。　To　conclude　therefore；　let　no　man　upon　a　weak　conceit　of　sobriety　or　an　ill…applied　moderation　think　or　maintain；　that　a　man　can　search　too　far；　or　be　too　well　studied　in　the　book　of　God's　word；　or　in　the　book　of　God's　works；　divinity　or　philosophy：　but　rather　let　men　endeavour　an　endless　progress　or　proficience　in　both；　only　let　men　beware　that　they　apply　both　to　charity；　and　not　to　swelling；　to　use；　and　not　to　ostentation；　and　again；　that　they　do　not　unwisely　mingle　or　confound　these　learnings　together。

II。　1。　And　as　for　the　disgraces　which　Learning　receiveth　from　Politiques；　they　be　of　this　nature；　that　Learning　doth　soften　men's　minds；　and　makes　them　more　unapt　for　the　honour　and　exercise　of　arms；　that　it　doth　mar　and　pervert　men's　dispositions　for　matter　of　government　and　policy；　in　making　them　too　curious　and　irresolute　by　variety　of　reading；　or　too　peremptory　or　positive　by　strictness　of　rules　and　axioms；　or　too　immoderate　and　overweening　by　reason　of　the　greatness　of　examples；　or　too　incompatible　and　differing　from　the　times　by　reason　of　the　dissimilitude　of　examples；　or　at　least；　that　it　doth　divert　men's　travails　from　action　and　business；　and　bringeth　them　to　a　love　of　leisure　and　privateness；　and　that　it　doth　bring　into　states　a　relaxation　of　discipline；　whilst　every　man　is　more　ready　to　argue　than　to　obey　and　execute。　Out　of　this　conceit；　Cato；　surnamed　the　Censor；　one　of　the　wisest　men　indeed　that　ever　lived；　when　Carneades　the　philosopher　came　in　embassage　to　Rome；　and　that　the　young　men　of　Rome　began　to　flock　about　him；　being　allured　with　the　sweetness　and　majesty　of　his　eloquence　and　learning；　gave　counsel　in　open　senate　that　they　should　give　him　his　dispatch　with　all　speed；　lest　he　should　infect　and　enchant　the　minds　and　affections　of　the　youth；　and　at　unawares　bring　in　an　alteration　of　the　manners　and　customs　of　the　state。　Out　of　the　same　conceit　or　humour　did　Virgil；　turning　his　pen　to　the　advantage　of　his　country；　and　the　disadvantage　of　his　own　profession；　make　a　kind　of　separation　between　policy　and　government；　and　between　arts　and　sciences；　in　the　verses　so　much　renowned；　attributing　and　challenging　the　one　to　the　Romans　and　leaving　and　yielding　the　other　to　the　Grecians：

Tu　regere　imperio　populos；　Romane；　memento；　Hae　tibi　erunt　artes；　etc。

So　likewise　we　see　that　Anytus；　the　accuser　of　Socrates；　laid　it　as　an　article　of　charge　and　accusation　against　him；　that　he　did；　with　the　variety　and　power　of　his　discourses　and　disputations；　withdraw　young　men　from　due　reverence　to　the　laws　and　customs　of　their　country；　and　that　he　did　profess　a　dangerous　and　pernicious　science；　which　was；　to　make　the　worse　matter　seem　the　better；　and　to　suppress　truth　by　force　of　eloquence　and　speech。

2。　But　these；　and　the　like　imputations；　have　rather　a　countenance　of　gravity　than　any　ground　of　justice：　for　experience　doth　warrant；　that　both　in　persons　and　in　times；　there　hath　been　a　meeting　and　concurrence　in　Learning　and　Arms；　flourishing　and　excelling　in　the　same　men　and　the　same　ages。　For；　as　for　men；　there　cannot　be　a　better　nor　the　like　instance；　as　of　that　pair；　Alexander　the　Great　and　Julius　Cesar　the　Dictator；　whereof　the　one　was　Aristotle's　scholar　in　philosophy；　and　the　other　was　Cicero's　rival　in　eloquence：　or　if　any　man　had　rather　call　for　scholars　that　were　great　generals；　than　generals　that　were　great　scholars；　let　him　take　Epaminondas　the　Theban；　or　Xenophon　the　Athenian；　whereof　the　one　was　the　first　that　abated　the　power　of　Sparta；　and　the　other　was　the　first　that　made　way　to　the　overthrow　of　the　monarchy　of　Persia。　And　this　concurrence　is　yet　more　visible　in　times　than　in　persons；　by　how　much　an　age　is　a　greater　object　than　a　man。　For　both　in　Egypt；　Assyria；　Persia；　Graecia；　and　Rome；　the　same　times　that　are　most　renowned　for　arms；　are　likewise　most　admired　for　learning；　so　that　the　greatest　authors　and　philosophers；　and　the　greatest　captains　and　governors　have　lived　in　the　same　ages。　Neither　can　it　otherwise　be：　for　as　in　man　the　ripeness　of　strength　of　the　body　and　mind　cometh　much　about　an　age；　save　that　the　strength　of　the　body　cometh　the　more　early：　　so　in　states　Arms　and　Learning；　whereof　the　one　correspondeth　to　the　body；　the　other　to　the　soul　of　man；　have　a　concurrence　or　near　sequence　in　times。

3。　And　for　matter　of　Policy　and　Government；　that　learning　should　rather　hurt；　than　enable　thereunto；　is　a　thing　very　improbable：　we　see　it　is　ac