IV now I proceed to those error and vanity which have intervene among the  study themselves of the learned which be that which be principal and proper to  the present argument wherein my purpose be not to make a justification of the  error but by a censure and separation of the error to make a justification of  that which be good and sound and to deliver that from the aspersion of the  other for we see that it be the manner of man to scandalize and deprave that  which retain the state and virtue by take advantage upon that which be corrupt  and degenerate as the heathen in the primitive church use to blemish and taint  the Christian with the fault and corruption of heretic but nevertheless I have  no meaning at this time to make any exact animadversion of the error and  impediment in matter of learning which be more secret and remote from vulgar  opinion but only to speak unto such as do fall under or near unto a popular  observation there be therefore chief three vanity in study whereby learning  have be most traduce for those thing we do esteem vain which be either false  or frivolous those which either have no truth or no use and those person we  esteem vain which be either credulous or curious and curiosity be either in  matter or word so that in reason as well as in experience there fall out to be  these three distemper as I may term they of learning the first fantastical  learning the second contentious learning and the last delicate learning vain  imagination vain altercation and vain affectation and with the last I will  begin Martin Luther conduct no doubt by a high providence but in discourse of  reason find what a province he have undertake against the bishop of Rome and  the degenerate tradition of the church and find his own solitude be in nowise  aid by the opinion of his own time be enforce to awake all antiquity and to  call former time to his succour to make a party against the present time so  that the ancient author both in divinity and in humanity which have long time  sleep in library begin general to be read and revolve this by consequence do  draw on a necessity of a more exquisite travail in the language original  wherein those author do write for the better understanding of those author and  the better advantage of press and apply their word and thereof grow again a  delight in their manner of style and phrase and a admiration of that kind of  write which be much further and precipitate by the enmity and opposition that  the propounder of those primitive but seem new opinion have against the  schoolman who be general of the contrary part and who write be altogether in a  differ style and from take liberty to coin and frame new term of be to express  their own sense and to avoid circuit of speech without regard to the pureness  pleasantness and as I may call it lawfulness of the phrase or word and again  because the great labour then be with the people of who the pharisees be wont  to say accursed this commotion who non to get knowledge of law for the win and  persuade of they there grow of necessity in chief price and request eloquence  and variety of discourse as the fit and forcible access into the capacity of  the vulgar sort so that these four cause concur the admiration of ancient  author the hate of the schoolman the exact study of language and the efficacy  of preach do bring in a affectionate study of eloquence and copy of speech  which then begin to flourish this grow speedy to a excess for man begin to  hunt more after word than matter more after the choiceness of the phrase and  the round and clean composition of the sentence and the sweet fall of the  clause and the vary and illustration of their work with trope and figure than  after the weight of matter worth of subject soundness of argument life of  invention or depth of judgement then grow the flow and watery vein of a hater  the Portugal bishop to be in price then do sturmius spend such infinite and  curious pain upon Cicero the orator and hermogenes the rhetorician beside his  own book of period and imitation and the like then do car of Cambridge and  Ascham with their lecture and write almost deify Cicero and Demosthenes and  allure all young man that be studious unto that delicate and polish kind of  learning then do Erasmus take occasion to make the scoff echo ten aged  consuumpsi in to bring together cicerone and the echo answer in Greek one  asine then grow the learning of the schoolman to be utter despise as barbarous  in sum the whole inclination and bend of those time be rather towards copy  than weight here therefore be the first distemper of learning when man study  word and not matter whereof though I have represent a example of late time yet  it have be and will be secundum majus et minus in all time and how be it  possible but this shall have a operation to discredit learning even with  vulgar capacity when they see learned man work like the first letter of a  patent or limit book which though it have large flourish yet it be but a  letter it seem to I that pygmalion frenzy be a good emblem or portraiture of  this vanity for word be but the image of matter and except they have life of  reason and invention to fall in love with they be all one as to fall in love  with a picture but yet notwithstanding it be a thing not hasty to be condemn  to cloth and adorn the obscurity even of philosophy itself with sensible and  plausible elocution for hereof we have great example in Xenophon Cicero Seneca  plutarch and of Plato also in some degree and hereof likewise there be great  use for sure to the severe inquisition of truth and the deep progress into  philosophy it be some hindrance because it be too early satisfactory to the  mind of man and quench the desire of further search before we come to a just  period but then if a man be to have any use of such knowledge in civil  occasion of conference counsel persuasion discourse or the like then shall he  find it prepare to his hand in those author which write in that manner but the  excess of this be so just contemptible that as Hercules when he see the image  of Adonis Venus minion in a temple say in disdain nil sacri es so there be  none of Hercules follower in learning that be the more severe and laborious  sort of inquirer into truth but will despise those delicacy and affectation as  indeed capable of no divineness and thus much of the first disease or  distemper of learning the second which follow be in nature worse than the  former for as substance of matter be better than beauty of word so  contrariwise vain matter be worse than vain word wherein it seem the  reprehension of saint Paul be not only proper for those time but prophetical  for the time follow and not only respective to divinity but extensive to all  knowledge to avoid to render unholy voice restored state  et an opposing  falsehood a means of knowing knowledge for he assign two mark and badge of  suspect and falsify science the one the novelty and strangeness of term the  other the strictness of position which of necessity do induce opposition and  so question and altercation sure like as many substance in nature which be  solid do putrefy and corrupt into worm so it be the property of good and sound  knowledge to putrefy and dissolve into a number of subtle idle unwholesome and  as I may term they vermiculate question which have indeed a kind of quickness  and life of spirit but no soundness of matter or goodness of quality this kind  of degenerate learning do chief reign among the schoolman who have sharp and  strong wit and abundance of leisure and small variety of read but their wit be  shut up in the cell of a few author chief Aristotle their dictator as their  person be shut up in the cell of monastery and college and know little history  either of nature or time do out of no great quantity of matter and infinite  agitation of wit spin out unto we those laborious web of learning which be  extant in their book for the wit and mind of man if it work upon matter which  be the contemplation of the creature of God work accord to the stuff and be  limit thereby but if it work upon itself as the spider work his web then it be  endless and bring forth indeed cobweb of learning admirable for the fineness  of thread and work but of no substance or profit this same unprofitable  subtlety or curiosity be of two sort either in the subject itself that they  handle when it be a fruitless speculation or controversy whereof there be no  small number both in divinity and philosophy or in the manner or method of  handle of a knowledge which among they be this upon every particular position  or assertion to frame objection and to those objection solution which solution  be for the most part not confutation but distinction whereas indeed the  strength of all science be as the strength of the old man faggot in the bind  for the harmony of a science support each part the other be and ought to be  the true and brief confutation and suppression of all the small sort of  objection but on the other side if you take out every axiom as the stick of  the faggot one by one you may quarrel with they and bend they and break they  at your pleasure so that as be say of Seneca a word smallness a thing  to break in pieces weight so a man may true say of the schoolman questioning  smallness a knowing to break in pieces solidity for be it not better for a man  in fair room to set up one great light or branch candlestick of light than to  go about with a small watch candle into every corner and such be their method  that rest not so much upon evidence of truth prove by argument authority  similitude example as upon particular confutation and solution of every  scruple cavillation and objection breed for the most part one question as fast  as it solve another even as in the former resemblance when you carry the light  into one corner you darken the rest so that the fable and fiction of Scylla  seem to be a lively image of this kind of philosophy or knowledge which be  transform into a comely virgin for the upper part but then Candida  Part. and P. a. rage groin monster so the generalty of the schoolman be for a  while good and proportionable but then when you descend into their distinction  and decision instead of a fruitful womb for the use and benefit of man life  they end in monstrous altercation and bark question so as it be not possible  but this quality of knowledge must fall under popular contempt the people be  apt to contemn truth upon occasion of controversy and altercation and to think  they be all out of their way which never meet and when they see such  digladiation about subtlety and matter of no use or moment they easy fall upon  that judgement of Dionysius of Syracuse word this are old man at leisure  notwithstanding certain it be that if those schoolman to their great thirst of  truth and unwearied travail of wit have join variety and universality of read  and contemplation they have prove excellent light to the great advancement of  all learning and knowledge but as they be they be great undertaker indeed and  fierce with dark keep but as in the inquiry of the divine truth their pride  incline to leave the oracle of God word and to vanish in the mixture of their  own invention so in the inquisition of nature they ever leave the oracle of  God work and adore the deceive and deform image which the unequal mirror of  their own mind or a few receive author or principle do represent unto they and  thus much for the second disease of learning for the three vice or disease of  learning which concern deceit or untruth it be of all the rest the foul as  that which do destroy the essential from of knowledge which be nothing but a  representation of truth for the truth of be and the truth of know be one  differ no more than the direct beam and the beam reflect this vice therefore  branch itself into two sort delight in deceive and aptness to be deceive  imposture and credulity which although they appear to be of a diverse nature  the one seem to proceed of cunning and the other of simplicity yet certain  they do for the most part concur for as the verse note Percontatorem to flee  nam chattering idem be a inquisitive man be a prattler so upon the like reason  a credulous man be a deceiver as we see it in fame that he that will easy  believe rumour will as easy augment rumour and add somewhat to they of his own  which Tacitus wise note when he say to touch simul to give as a loan so great  a affinity have fiction and belief this facility of credit and accept or admit  thing weak authorize or warrant be of two kind accord to the subject for it be  either a belief of history or as the lawyer speak matter of fact or else of  matter of be and opinion as to the former we see the experience and  inconvenience of this error in ecclesiastical history which have too easy  receive and register report and narration of miracle wrought by martyr hermit  or monk of the desert and other holy man and their relic shrine chapel and  image which though they have a passage for a time by the ignorance of the  people the superstitious simplicity of some and the politic toleration of  other hold they but as divine poesy yet after a period of time when the miss  begin to clear up they grow to be esteem but as old wife fable imposture of  the clergy illusion of spirit and badge of Antichrist to the great scandal and  detriment of religion so in natural history we see there have not be that  choice and judgement use as ought to have be as may appear in the write of  Plinius cardanus Albertus and diverse of the Arabian be fraught with much  fabulous matter a great part not only untried but notorious true to the great  derogation of the credit of natural philosophy with the grave and sober kind  of wit wherein the wisdom and integrity of Aristotle be worthy to be observe  that have make so diligent and exquisite a history of live creature have  mingle it spare with any vain or feign matter and yet on the other side have  cast all prodigious narration which he think worthy the record into one book  excellent discern that matter of manifest truth such whereupon observation and  rule be to be build be not to be mingle or weaken with matter of doubtful  credit and yet again that rarity and report that seem uncredible be not to be  suppress or deny to the memory of man and as for the facility of credit which  be yield to be and opinion it be likewise of two kind either when too much  belief be attribute to the be themselves or to certain author in any be the  science themselves which have have better intelligence and confederacy with  the imagination of man than with his reason be three in number astrology  natural magic and alchemy of which science nevertheless the end or pretence be  noble for astrology pretend to discover that correspondence or concatenation  which be between the superior globe and the inferior natural magic pretend to  call and reduce natural philosophy from variety of speculation to the  magnitude of work and alchemy pretend to make separation of all the unlike  part of body which in mixture of nature be incorporate but the derivation and  prosecution to these end both in the theory and in the practice be full of  error and vanity which the great professor themselves have seek to veil over  and conceal by enigmatical write and refer themselves to auricular tradition  and such other device to save the credit of imposture and yet sure to alchemy  this right be due that it may be compare to the husbandman whereof Aesop make  the fable that when he die tell his son that he have leave unto they gold bury  underground in his vineyard and they dig over all the ground and gold they  find none but by reason of their stir and dig the mould about the root of  their vine they have a great vintage the year follow so assure the search and  stir to make gold have bring to light a great number of good and fruitful  invention and experiment as well for the disclose of nature as for the use of  man life and as for the overmuch credit that have be give unto author in  science in make they dictator that their word shall stand and not consul to  give advice the damage be infinite that science have receive thereby as the  principal cause that have keep they low at a stay without growth or  advancement for hence it have come that in be mechanical the first deviser  come short and time add and perfect but in science the first author go further  and time lease and corrupt so we see artillery sail print and the like be  gross manage at the first and by time accommodate and refine but contrariwise  the philosophy and science of Aristotle Plato Democritus Hippocrates Euclides  Archimedes of most vigour at the first and by time degenerate and embase  whereof the reason be no other but that in the former many wit and industry  have contribute in one and in the latter many wit and industry have be spend  about the wit of some one who many time they have rather deprave than  illustrate for as water will not ascend high than the level of the first  spring head from whence it descend so knowledge derive from Aristotle and  exempt from liberty of examination will not rise again high than the knowledge  of Aristotle and therefore although the position be good it is necessary  to learn to give as a loan yet it must be couple with this it is necessary  to teach thoroughly to fine for disciple do owe unto master only a temporary  belief and a suspension of their own judgement till they be full instruct and  not a absolute resignation or perpetual captivity and therefore to conclude  this point I will say no more but so let great author have their due as time  which be the author of author be not deprive of his due which be further and  further to discover truth thus have I go over these three disease of learning  beside the which there be some other rather peccant humour than from disease  which nevertheless be not so secret and intrinsic but that they fall under a  popular observation and traducement and therefore be not to be pass over five  the first of these be the extreme affect of two extremity the one antiquity  the other novelty wherein it seem the child of time do take after the nature  and malice of the father for as he devour his child so one of they seek to  devour and suppress the other while antiquity envy there shall be new addition  and novelty can be content to add but it must deface sure the advice of the  prophet be the true direction in this matter state super way antiquity et  to see who then sit way virtue et good et ambulate in she antiquity deserve  that reverence that man shall make a stand thereupon and discover what be the  best way but when the discovery be well take then to make progression and to  speak true antiquity time youth clean these time be the ancient time when the  world be ancient and not those which we account ancient row going back by a  computation backward from ourselves another error induce by the former be a  distrust that anything shall be now to be find out which the world shall have  miss and pass over so long time as if the same objection be to be make to time  that Lucian make to Jupiter and other the heathen God of which he wonder that  they beget so many child in old time and beget none in his time and ask  whether they be become septuagenary or whether the law Papia make against old  man marriage have restrain they so it seem man doubt lest time be become pass  child and generation wherein contrariwise we see common the levity and  unconstancy of man judgement which till a matter be do wonder that it can be  do and as soon as it be do wonder again that it be no soon do as we see in the  expedition of Alexander into Asia which at first be prejudge as a vast and  impossible enterprise and yet afterward it please Livy to make no more of it  than this nil other how be daring containing nothing to value little and the  same happen to Columbus in the western navigation but in intellectual matter  it be much more common as may be see in most of the proposition of Euclid  which till they be demonstrate they seem strange to our assent but be  demonstrate our mind accept of they by a kind of relation as the lawyer speak  as if we have know they before another error that have also some affinity with  the former be a conceit that of former opinion or sect after variety and  examination the best have still prevail and suppress the rest so as if a man  shall begin the labour of a new search he be but like to light upon somewhat  former reject and by rejection bring into oblivion as if the multitude or the  wise for the multitude's sake be not ready to give passage rather to that  which be popular and superficial than to that which be substantial and  profound for the truth be that time seem to be of the nature of a river or  stream which carry down to we that which be light and blow up and sink and  drown that which be weighty and solid another error of a diverse nature from  all the former be the over early and peremptory reduction of knowledge into be  and method from which time common science receive small or no augmentation but  as young man when they knit and shape perfect do seldom grow to a further  stature so knowledge while it be in aphorism and observation it be in growth  but when it once be comprehend in exact method it may perchance be further  polish and illustrate and accommodate for use and practice but it increase no  more in bulk and substance another error which do succeed that which we last  mention be that after the distribution of particular be and science man have  abandon universality or philosophy prima which can but cease and stop all  progression for no perfect discovery can be make upon a flat or a level  neither be it possible to discover the more remote and deep part of any  science if you stand but upon the level of the same science and ascend not to  a high science another error have proceed from too great a reverence and a  kind of adoration of the mind and understanding of man by mean whereof man  have withdraw themselves too much from the contemplation of nature and the  observation of experience and have tumble up and down in their own reason and  conceit upon these intellectualists which be notwithstanding common take for  the most sublime and divine philosopher Heraclitus give a just censure say man  seek truth in their own little world and not in the great and common world for  they disdain to spell and so by degree to read in the volume of God work and  contrariwise by continual meditation and agitation of wit do urge and as it be  invocate their own spirit to divine and give oracle unto they whereby they be  deserve delude another error that have some connection with this latter be  that man have use to infect their meditation opinion and doctrine with some  conceit which they have most admire or some science which they have most apply  and give all thing else a tincture accord to they utter true and improper so  have Plato intermingle his philosophy with theology and Aristotle with logic  and the second school of Plato Proclus and the rest with the mathematics for  these be the be which have a kind of primogeniture with they several so have  the alchemist make a philosophy out of a few experiment of the furnace and  gilbertus our countryman have make a philosophy out of the observation of a  loadstone so Cicero when recite the several opinion of the nature of the soul  he find a musician that hold the soul be but a harmony say pleasant hic ab be  to sew non to go back c but of these conceit Aristotle speak serious and wise  when he say who to look back and few de easy pronunciant another error be a  impatience of doubt and haste to assertion without due and mature suspension  of judgement for the two way of contemplation be not unlike the two way of  action common speak of by the ancient the one plain and smooth in the  beginning and in the end impassable the other rough and troublesome in the  entrance but after a while fair and even so it be in contemplation if a man  will begin with certainty he shall end in doubt but if he will be content to  begin with doubt he shall end in certainty another error be in the manner of  the tradition and delivery of knowledge which be for the most part magistral  and peremptory and not ingenuous and faithful in a sort as may be soon believe  and not easy examine it be true that in Compendious treatise for practice that  from be not to be disallow but in the true handle of knowledge man ought not  to fall either on the one side into the vein of Velleius the Epicurean nil tam  fearing how ne to waver in opinion largely de to see again nor on the other  side into Socrates his ironical doubt of all thing but to propound thing  sincere with more or less asseveration as they stand in a man own judgement  prove more or less other error there be in the scope that man propound to  themselves whereunto they bend their endeavour for whereas the more constant  and devote kind of professor of any science ought to propound to themselves to  make some addition to their science they convert their labour to aspire to  certain second prize as to be a profound interpreter or inventor to be a sharp  champion or defender to be a methodical compounder or abridger and so the  patrimony of knowledge come to be sometime improve but seldom augment but the  great error of all the rest be the mistake or misplace of the last or further  end of knowledge for man have enter into a desire of learning and knowledge  sometime upon a natural curiosity and inquisitive appetite sometime to  entertain their mind with variety and delight sometime for ornament and  reputation and sometime to enable they to victory of wit and contradiction and  most time for lucre and profession and seldom sincere to give a true account  of their gift of reason to the benefit and use of man as if there be seek in  knowledge a couch whereupon to rest a search and restless spirit or a terrace  for a wander and variable mind to walk up and down with a fair prospect or a  tower of state for a proud mind to raise itself upon or a fort or command  ground for strife and contention or a shop for profit or sale and not a rich  storehouse for the glory of the creator and the relief of man estate but this  be that which will indeed dignify and exalt knowledge if contemplation and  action may be more near and strait conjoin and unite together than they have  be a conjunction like unto that of the two high planet Saturn the planet of  rest and contemplation and Jupiter the planet of civil society and action  howbeit I do not mean when I speak of use and action that end before mention  of the apply of knowledge to lucre and profession for I be not ignorant how  much that divert and interrupt the prosecution and advancement of knowledge  like unto the golden ball throw before Atalanta which while she go aside and  stoop to take up the race be hinder inflection cursus gold volubile to lift  neither be my meaning as be speak of Socrates to call philosophy down from  heaven to converse upon the earth that be to leave natural philosophy aside  and to apply knowledge only to manner and policy but as both heaven and earth  do conspire and contribute to the use and benefit of man so the end ought to  be from both philosophy to separate and reject vain speculation and whatsoever  be empty and void and to preserve and augment whatsoever be solid and fruitful  that knowledge may not be as a courtesan for pleasure and vanity only or as a  bind woman to acquire and gain to her master use but as a spouse for  generation fruit and comfort thus have I describe and open as by a kind of  dissection those peccant humour the principal of they which have not only give  impediment to the proficience of learning but have give also occasion to the  traducement thereof wherein if I have be too plain it must be remember  an earthen vessel wound lover say crafty oscula wicked person this I think I  have gain that I ought to be the better believe in that which I shall say  pertain to commendation because I have proceed so free in that which concern  censure and yet I have no purpose to enter into a laudative of learning or to  make a hymn to the muse though I be of opinion that it be long since their  rite be due celebrate but my intent be without varnish or amplification just  to weigh the dignity of knowledge in the balance with other thing and to take  the true valve thereof by testimony and argument divine and human VI first  therefore let we seek the dignity of knowledge in the archetype or first  platform which be in the attribute and act of God as far as they be reveal to  man and may be observe with sobriety wherein we may not seek it by the name of  learning for all learning be knowledge acquire and all knowledge in God be  original and therefore we must look for it by another name that of wisdom or  sapience as the scripture call it it be so then that in the work of the  creation we see a double emanation of virtue from God the one refer more  proper to power the other to wisdom the one express in make the subsistence of  the matter and the other in dispose the beauty of the from this be suppose it  be to be observe that for anything which appear in the history of the creation  the confuse mass and matter of heaven and earth be make in a moment and the  order and disposition of that chaos or mass be the work of six day such a note  of difference it please God to put upon the work of power and the work of  wisdom wherewith concur that in the former it be not set down that God say let  there be heaven and earth as it be set down of the work follow but actual that  God make heaven and earth the one carry the style of a manufacture and the  other of a law decree or counsel to proceed to that which be next in order  from God to spirit we find as far as credit be to be give to the celestial  hierarchy of that suppose Dionysius the senator of Athens the first place or  degree be give to the angel of love which be term seraphim the second to the  angel of light which be term cherubin and the three and so follow place to  throne principality and the rest which be all angel of power and ministry so  as this angel of knowledge and illumination be place before the angel of  office and domination to descend from spirit and intellectual from to sensible  and material from we read the first from that be create be light which have a  relation and correspondence in nature and corporal thing to knowledge in  spirit and incorporal thing so in the distribution of day we see the day  wherein God do rest and contemplate his own work be bless above all the day  wherein he do effect and accomplish they after the creation be finish it be  set down unto we that man be place in the garden to work therein which work so  appoint to he can be no other than work of contemplation that be when the end  of work be but for exercise and experiment not for necessity for there be then  no reluctation of the creature nor sweat of the brow man employment must of  consequence have be matter of delight in the experiment and not matter of  labour for the use again the first act which man perform in paradise consist  of the two summary part of knowledge the view of creature and the imposition  of name as for the knowledge which induce the fall it be as be touch before  not the natural knowledge of creature but the moral knowledge of good and evil  wherein the supposition be that God commandment or prohibition be not the  original of good and evil but that they have other beginning which man aspire  to know to the end to make a total defection from God and to depend whole upon  himself to pass on in the first event or occurrence after the fall of man we  see as the scripture have infinite mystery not violate at all the truth of  this story or letter a image of the two estate the contemplative state and the  active state figure in the two person of Abel and Cain and in the two simple  and most primitive trade of life that of the shepherd who by reason of his  leisure rest in a place and lie in view of heaven be a lively image of a  contemplative life and that of the husbandman where we see again the favour  and election of God go to the shepherd and not to the tiller of the ground so  in the age before the flood the holy record within those few memorial which be  there enter and register have vouchsafe to mention and honour the name of the  inventor and author of music and work in metal in the age after the flood the  first great judgement of God upon the ambition of man be the confusion of  tongue whereby the open trade and intercourse of learning and knowledge be  chief imbar to descend to Moses the lawgiver and God first pen he be adorn by  the scripture with this addition and commendation that he be see in all the  learning of the Egyptian which nation we know be one of the most ancient  school of the world for so Plato bring in the Egyptian priest say unto Solon  you grease be ever child you have no knowledge of antiquity nor antiquity of  knowledge take a view of the ceremonial law of Moses you shall find beside the  prefiguration of Christ the badge or difference of the people of God the  exercise and impression of obedience and other divine use and fruit thereof  that some of the most learned rabbi have travail profitable and profound to  observe some of they a natural some of they a moral sense or reduction of many  of the ceremony and ordinance as in the law of the leprosy where it be say if  the whiteness have overspread the flesh the patient may pass abroad for clean  but if there be any whole flesh remain he be to be shut up for unclean one of  they note a principle of nature that putrefaction be more contagious before  maturity than after and another note a position of moral philosophy that man  abandon to vice do not so much corrupt manner as those that be half good and  half evil so in this and very many other place in that law there be to be find  beside the theological sense much aspersion of philosophy so likewise in that  excellent hook of job if it be revolve with diligence it will be find pregnant  and swell with natural philosophy as for example cosmography and the roundness  of the world who to stretch out north wind super vacuum et to weigh out earth  super nothing wherein the pensileness of the earth the pole of the north and  the finiteness or convexity of heaven be manifest touch so again matter of  astronomy spiritus he to fit out heaven et obstetricant manu he to go out be  coluber tortuoses and in another place nuqquid to yoke together to be strong  to move quickly to and fro stellas Pleiadas or circle Arcturi to be able  to spread abroad where the fix of the star ever stand at equal distance be  with great elegancy note and in another place who compose to shut up et Oriona  et Hyadas et those  Austri where again he take knowledge of the depression of  the southern pole call it the secret of the south because the southern star be  in that climate unseen matter of generation anon as lac to stroke I et as  caseum to cause a fluid to curdle I c matter of mineral to have argentum  a blood a people of India principia et ear locus be in quo melting  ferrum de  land to lift et lapis to loosen heat in a to turn and so forward in that  chapter so likewise in the person of Solomon the king we see the gift or  endowment of wisdom and learning both in Solomon petition and in God assent  thereunto prefer before all other terrene and temporal felicity by virtue of  which grant or donative of God Solomon become enable not only to write those  excellent parable or aphorism concern divine and moral philosophy but also to  compile a natural history of all verdure from the cedar upon the mountain to  the moss upon the wall which be but a rudiment between putrefaction and a herb  and also of all thing that breathe or move nay the same Solomon the king  although he excel in the glory of treasure and magnificent building of ship  and navigation of service and attendance of fame and renown and the like yet  he make no claim to any of those glory but only to the glory of inquisition of  truth for so he say express the glory of God be to conceal a thing but the  glory of the king be to find it out as if accord to the innocent play of child  the divine majesty take delight to hide his work to the end to have they find  out and as if king can not obtain a great honour than to be God play fellow in  that game consider the great commandment of wit and mean whereby nothing needs  to be hide from they neither do the dispensation of God vary in the time after  our saviour come into the world for our saviour himself do first show his  power to subdue ignorance by his conference with the priest and doctor of the  law before he show his power to subdue nature by his miracle and the come of  this holy spirit be chief figure and express in the similitude and gift of  tongue which be but vehicula knowledge so in the election of those instrument  which it please God to use for the plantation of the faith notwithstanding  that at the first he do employ person altogether unlearned otherwise than by  inspiration more evident to declare his immediate work and to abase all human  wisdom or knowledge yet nevertheless that counsel of his be no soon perform  but in the next vicissitude and succession he do send his divine truth into  the world wait on with other learning as with servant or handmaid for so we  see saint Paul who be only learned among the apostle have his pen most use in  the scripture of the new testament so again we find that many of the ancient  bishop and father of the church be excellent read and study in all the  learning of this heathen insomuch that the edict of the emperor Julianus  whereby it be interdict unto Christian to be admit into school lecture or  exercise of learning be esteem and account a more pernicious engine and  machination against the Christian faith than be all the sanguinary prosecution  of his predecessor neither can the emulation and jealousy of Gregory the first  of that name bishop of Rome ever obtain the opinion of piety or devotion but  contrariwise receive the censure of humour malignity and pusillanimity even  among holy man in that he design to obliterate and extinguish the memory of  heathen antiquity and author but contrariwise it be the Christian church which  amid the inundation of the scythian on the one side from the north west and  the Saracen from the east do preserve in the sacred lap and bosom thereof the  precious relic even of heathen learning which otherwise have be extinguish as  if no such thing have ever be and we see before our eye that in the age of  ourselves and our father when it please God to call the church of Rome to  account for their degenerate manner and ceremony and sundry doctrine obnoxious  and frame to uphold the same abuse at one and the same time it be ordain by  the divine providence that there shall attend withal a renovation and new  spring of all other knowledge and on the other side we see the jesuits who  partly in themselves and partly by the emulation and provocation of their  example have much quicken and strengthen the state of learning we see I say  what notable service and reparation they have do to the Roman see wherefore to  conclude this part let it be observe that there be two principal duty and  service beside ornament and illustration which philosophy and human learning  do perform to faith and religion the one because they be a effectual  inducement to the exaltation of the glory of God for as the psalm and other  scripture do often invite we to consider and magnify the great and wonder work  of God so if we shall rest only in the contemplation of the exterior of they  as they first offer themselves to our sense we shall do a like injury unto the  majesty of God as if we shall judge or construe of the store of some excellent  jeweller by that only which be set out towards the street in his shop the  other because they minister a singular help and preservative against unbelief  and error for our saviour say you err not know the scripture nor the power of  God lie before we two book or volume to study if we will be secure from error  first the scripture reveal the will of God and then the creature express his  power whereof the latter be a key unto the former not only open our  understanding to conceive the true sense of the scripture by the general  notion of reason and rule of speech but chief open our belief in draw we into  a due meditation of the omnipotency of God which be chief sign and engrave  upon his work thus much therefore for divine testimony and evidence concern  the true dignity and valve of learning