190 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING, |XX.7.__ 
wished themselves anathematized and razed out of the 
book of life, in an ecstasy of charity and infinite feeling 
of communion. 
8. This being set down and strongly planted, doth 
judge and determine most of the controversies wherein 
moral philosophy is conversant. For first, it decideth the 
question touching the preferment of the contemplative or 
active life, and decideth it against Aristotle. For all the 
reasons which he bringeth for the contemplative are pri- 
vate, and respecting the pleasure and dignity of a man’s 
self (in which respects no question the contemplative life 
hath the pre-eminence), not much unlike to that com- 
parison, which Pythagoras made for the gracing and 
magnifying of philosophy and contemplation: who being 
asked what he was, answered, Zhat 7f Hiero were ever at 
the Olympian games, he knew the manner, that some came 
to try their fortune for the prizes, and some came as mer- 
chants fo utter their commodites, and some came to make 
good cheer and meet thetr friends, and some came to look 
on; and that he was one of them that came to look on. 
But men must know, that in this theatre of man’s life it is 
reserved only for God and angels to be lookers on. Neither 
could the like question ever have been received in the 
church, notwithstanding their Pretosa in oculis Domini 
mors sanclorum ejus, by which place they would exalt 
their civil death and regular professions, but upon this 
defence, that the monastical life is not simple contem- 
plative, but performeth the duty either of incessant prayers 
and supplications, which hath been truly esteemed as an 
office in the church, or else of writing or taking instruc- 
tions for writing concerning the law of God, as Moses 
did when he abode so long in the mount. And so 
we see Henoch the seventh from Adam, who was the first 
