66 Of the Advancement of Learning, L i b. 11^ 



of Partiaries ; and it is imployed in the obfervation of that divine Cor" 

 refpoKclence which often interveneth betrveen Gods revealed IVill^ and his 

 fecrct Will. For though the Counfels and Judgements of God be fb ob- 

 I Cor, 2, fcure, that they are infcrutabk to the Natural man ; yea, many times 

 withdraw themfelves even from their eyes, that look out of the Ta- 

 bernacle : Yet fometimes by turns it pleafeth the Divine wifdom for 

 Ad Ephef. the Confirmation of this 3 and Confutation of thofe which are as with- 

 ^' out God in the rvorld '-, to purpofe them to be feen written in fuch Capi- 



Habac.2. tal Letters, that, as the Prophet fpeaketh,- Every one that runs by, may 

 read them , that is, that men meerly Senfual and Carnal , who make hajie 

 topofi over thofe divine 'judgements , and never fix their cogitations up' 

 on them : yet though they are upon thefpeed, and intend nothing left, they 

 are urgd to ackftowledge them. Such as are late, and unlooked for 

 Judgements 5 unhoped for Deliverances fuddenly fhining forth 5 the 

 divine Counfels, paffing through fuch Serpentine windings, and won- 

 derful mazes of things ; at length manifeftly difintangling and clearing 

 themfelves. Which (erve not only for the Confolation of the minds of 

 the Faithful ; but for the Aftonilhment and Convidion of the Confci* 

 ences of the Wicked. 



Chap. XII. 



The Appendices ofHifiory Converfant about the words of Men, at Hi'* 

 jiory it felf about the Deeds : The Partition thereof into. Orations^ 

 § Letters. § And Apophthegms. 



BUt not the Deeds only^ but the Words alfo of Men, fljouldhe retained 

 in Memory. It is true that fometimes JVords are inferred into the 

 Hiftory it felf, fo far as they conduce to a more perfpicuous, and fo- 

 lemn Delivery of Deeds. But the fayings and words of men, are pre- 

 (erved properly in Books of Orations ; Epijiles 5 and Apophthegms. And 

 certainly the Orations, of wife men made touching bufinefs, and mat- 

 ters of grave and deep importance, much conduce, both to the know« 

 ledge of things themfelves j and to Elocution. 



§ But yet greater Inftruftions for Civil Prudence, are from the Let- 

 ters of great Terfonages , touching the Affairs of State. And of the 

 words of men, there is nothing more found and excellent, than are Let' 

 ters 5 for they are more natural than Orations ; more advifed thanfud- 

 dain Conferences. The fame Letters, when they are continued accord- 

 ing to the fequel of times (as is obferved in thofe fent by Embafladors, 

 Governours of Provinces, and other Miniflers ofEflate) are without 

 Queftion of all other the moji precious provifton for Hijiory. 



§ Neither are Apophthegms only for delight , and ornament , but 



<i Cic E- for real Bufinefles , and Civil Ufages, for they are, as he faid, ^ Secures 



L. ix.'™' ""* mucrones verborum, which by their fharp edge cut and penetrate 



the knots of Matters and Bufinefs ; And Occafions run round in a Ring 5 



and what was once profitable, may again be pradis'd •-, and again be 



cffeftual J whether a man fpeak them as ancient j or make them his 



own. 



