THE FIRST BOOK. 15 



raised also to find out and discern the ordinances and decrees 

 which throughout all those changes are infallibly observed. 

 And although he doth insinuate that the supreme or summary 

 law of Nature (which he calleth &quot; the work which God Avorketh 

 from the beginning to the end &quot;) is not possible to be found 

 out by man, yet that doth not derogate from the capacity of 

 the mind; but may be referred to the impediments, as of short 

 ness of life, ill conjunction of labours, ill tradition of know 

 ledge 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, &quot; The 

 spirit of man is as the lamp of God, wherewith He searcheth 

 the inwardness of all secrets.&quot; 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 correc 

 tive 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, &quot; Knowledge bloweth 

 up, but charity buildeth up ; &quot; not unlike unto that which he 

 delivereth in another place : &quot;If I spake,&quot; saith he, &quot; with the 

 tongues of men and augels, and had not charity, it were but 

 as a tinkling cymbal.&quot; 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 Solomon concerning the excess of writing and read 

 ing books, and the anxiety of spirit which redoundeth from 

 knowledge, and that admonition of St. Paul, &quot; That we be 

 not seduced by vain philosophy,&quot; 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 con 

 tracting or coarctation, but that it may comprehend all the 

 universal nature of things ; for these limitations are three : 

 the first, &quot;That we do not so place our felicity in knowledge, 

 as we forget our mortality; &quot; the second, &quot; That we make appli 

 cation of our knowledge, to give ourselves repose and content 

 ment, and not distaste or repining ; &quot; the third, &quot; That we do 



