26 Of the Advancement of Learning. L i b . I. 



cenfure, in that which went before. And yet I have no purpofe to en- 

 ter into a Laudative of Learnings or to make a Hymn to the Mufes 5 

 though I am of opinion, that it is long fince their Rites were duely ce- 

 lebrated : but my intent is, without varnilh or amplification, to take the 

 iutt waight, and toballancethe Dignity of Knowledge in the (bales with 

 other things 3 andtofearch out the true values thcreofj /rc» tejiimo' 

 fties Divine and Humane. 



Chap, VI. 



The Dignity of Learning from Divine Arguments and Teftimonies, 



I. From Gods TPifdom. § Angels of Illumination. § The firfl Light 

 andfirfi Sabbath. § Mans imployment in the Garden. § Abels 

 contemplative life. § The invention of Mu(icl{. § Confufion of 

 Tongues. II. The excellent Learning */ Moles. § Job. ^ Solo- 

 mon. § Chrift. § 6"/. Paul. § The Ancient DoBort of the. Church, 

 § Learning exalts ^the Mind to the Celebration of Gods glory 3 and it 

 a Prefervative againfi Error ^ndVnbelief, 



I. l~^Irft therefore let us feek the Dignity of Knowledge , in the 

 It* Arch.Type or firft Platform, which is in the Attributes^ and m 

 the AUsofGod^ as far as they are revealed to man, and may be ob- 

 ferved with fobriety. ' Wherein we may nbt feek it by the name of 

 Learning'-, for all Learning xi Knowledge acquired, and no knowledge 

 in God is acquired^ but Original .• and therefore we muft look for it by 

 another name, that is rvifdom or fapienccj "as the facred Scriptures call it. 

 It is fo then , In the n>orks of the Creation , we lee a double emanation 

 Gen,;i. of Divine virtue from God, whereof the one is referr'd to Power, the 

 other to Wifdom , that is chiefly expreft in making the Mafs and fub- 

 fkance of the Matter , this in difpofing the beauty of the Form. This 

 being fuppored,it is to be obferved, that for any thing which appears ia 

 the Hiftory of the Creation^ the confufed Mafs and Matter of Heaven and 

 Earth was made in a moment of Time ; yet the Order and Difpojition of 

 thzt Chaos or Ma(s, was the work of fix days : fuch a note of difference 

 it pleated God to put upon the works of Power ^ and the works of IVifi 

 dom 5 wherewith concurs, that in the Creation of the Matter , it is 

 not recorded that God laid Let there be Heaven and Earthy as it is (aid 

 of the works following j but (imply and aftualiy, God made Heaven 

 and Earth : (b that the Matter (eems to be as a Manufa&ure^ but the 

 Form carries the ftile of a Law or Decree. 



§ Let us proceed //•<?«? God to Angels or Spirits, whofe nature in or.- 

 der of Dignity is next Gods. We fee,fo far as credit is to be given to the 

 Celeftial Hierarchy, fet forth under the name of D;tf»>'//«/ Areopagita^ 

 i>;on ^^^^ '" ^^^ order of Angels, the firlt place or degree is given to the 

 /re \ Seraphim, that is. Angels of Love : the (econd to the Cherubim, that is^ 

 Angels of Illumination : the third, and fo following, Places to T/;r^«(?/, 

 Principalities and the reft, which arc Angels of Power and Miniftry. 



Sd 



