Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/286

 158 ANALYSIS OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. THE NATURE OF THE HEVELATIOIT. . Its limits. . Its sufficiency. . Its acquisition. . The points fundamental and of perfection ought to he distinguished, &quot; r &quot; &quot;,. ^ We see Muses when he saw the Israelite and the Egyptian fight, he did not say. Why strive you? but drew his sword and slew the Egyptian but when he saw the two Israel ites fight, he said, You are brethren, why strive you? The coat of our Saviour was entire without seam, and so is the doctrine of the Scriptures in itself; but the garment of the church was of divers colours. The Limits of the Information . Considerations respecting the limits. . The inspiration of individuals. . The inspiration of the church. . The proper use of reason. The Sufficiency of the Information 241 . Considerations respecting the sufficiency. . Fundamental and perfective points of reli gion. They ought to be piously and wisely distin guished to abate controversy. . The gradations of light for the generation of belief. The Acquisition of the Information ... 24 . It rests upon the sound interpretation of Scrip ture. They are the fountains of the waters of life. . Different modes of interpreting Scripture. . Methodical. . Solute or at large. This divine water which excelleth so mui that of JitcoVs well, is drawn forth much i the same kind as natural water useth to be 01 of wells and fountains; either it is fir firced up into a cistern, and from then fetched and derived for use,- or else it drawn and received in buckets and vessels ir medial ly where it springe/ h. . Methodical mode of interpretation. It seems to be more ready, but is more su ject to corrupt. . Objects of methodical interpretation. . Summary brevity. . Compacted strength. . Complete perfection. . Solute method of interpretation L . There have been divers curious but unsal modes. Divine knowledge beyond human reach. . The mysteries of the kingdom of glory. The analogical mode of exposition 242 The philosophical mode 242 To seek philosophy in divinity is to seek the dead among.it the living: neitht-r are the puts or /avers, vjhose place was in the outward part of the temple, to be sought in the holiest plaii. of oil, where the ark of the testimony was seated. . The perfection of the laws of nature. . The secrets of the heart of man 242 . The future succession of all ages. . The expositions of Scripture are not deficient. . A work is wanted of a sound collection of texts, not dilated into commonplaces, or hunting after controversies, or methodized, but scattered. MATTER REVEALED 243 . Different sorts. The one being as the internal soul oj rel* gion, and the other as the external body. . Matter of belief. . Matter of science. . Emanations. . Faith. . The nature of God. . The attributes of God. . The works of God. . Manners 243 Of the law, as to substance and style. It imposes restraint where God granteth liberty, or in taking liberty where God im~ posef h restraint. . Liturgy 243 . Government. . Patrimony of the church. . The franchises of the church. . The jurisdiction of the church. . The laws of the church. . Deviations from religion. Atheism. Heresy. Idolatry. Witchcraft. . There is no deficience in divinity. / can find no space or ground that l &amp;lt;dh va cant and unsown in the matter of divinity ; so diligent have men been, either in sowing of good seed, or in sowing of tares. Thus have I made as it were a small Gbbe, of the Intellectual World, as truly and faith fully as I could discover; w ; th a note and de scription of those parts which seem to me not constantly occupale, or not well converted by the labour of man.