THE SECOND BOOK 93 



not much less than to orators harangues. But it is 

 not good to stay too long in the theatre. Let us now 

 pass on to the judicial place or palace of the mind, 

 which we are to approach and view with more rever 

 ence and attention. 



V. 1. The knowledge of man is as the waters, 

 some descending from above, and some springing 

 from beneath ; the one informed by the light of nature, 

 the other inspired by divine revelation. The light of 

 nature consisteth in the notions of the mind and the 

 reports of the senses : for as for knowledge which man 

 receiveth by teaching, it is cumulative and not original ; 

 as in a water that besides his own spring-head is fed 

 with other springs and streams. So then, according 

 to these two differing illuminations or originals, know 

 ledge is first of all divided into divinity and philo 

 sophy. 



2. In philosophy, the contemplations of man 

 either penetrate unto God, or are circumferred to 

 nature, or are reflected or reverted upon himself. Out 

 of which several inquiries there do arise three know 

 ledges ; divine philosophy, natural philosophy, and 

 human philosophy or humanity. For all things are 

 marked and stamped with this triple character, of the 

 power of God, the difference of nature, and the use of 

 man. But because the distributions and partitions of 

 knowledge are not like several lines that meet in one 

 angle, and so touch but in a point ; but are like branches 

 of a tree, that meet in a stem, which hath a dimension 

 and quantity of entireness and continuance, before it 

 come to discontinue and break itself into arms and 

 boughs : therefore it is good, before we enter into the 

 former distribution, to erect and constitute one universal 

 science, by the name of phUosophia prima, primitive 

 or summary philosophy, as the main and common 

 way, before we come where the ways part and divide 

 themselves ; which science whether I should report as 

 deficient or no, I stand doubtful. For I find a certain 

 rhapsody of natural theology, and of divers parts of 

 logic ; and of that part of natural philosophy wliich 



