16 THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. 



not presume by the contemplation of Nature to attain to the 

 mysteries of God.&quot; For as touching the first of these, Solomon 

 doth excellently expound himself in another place of the same 

 book, where he saith : &quot;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.&quot; 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 par 

 ticular, and ministering to themselves thereby weak fears or 

 vast desires, there groweth that carefulness and trouble of 

 mind which is spoken of ; for then 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 

 &quot;he 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, 

 &quot;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 and shutteth up divine.&quot; 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 : &quot; Will you lie for God, as one man will 

 do for another, to gratify him ? &quot; 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 



