3. To the famous Univerfity of Oxford,

Health.

Since I have written to my indulgent mother the famous Univerfity of Cambridge, I fhould be wanting in respect were I not to offer a fimilar token of my affection to her fifter. But as I have exhorted them, fo do I now exhort you ftrenuoufly to exert yourfelves in the advancement of learning; and instead of imagining, that by the labours of the ancients, nothing or everything has been attained, to reflect with humility upon your own powers, and aid their difcoveries by your experience. The event must be profperous, if, instead of mutually attacking each other, you unite your forces against the ftrongholds of Nature. This will afford you ample scope for honour and for victory. Fare ye well.

LOVE.

The stage is more beholding to Love, than the life of man. For as to the stage, Love is ever matter of comedies,

and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief; fometimes like a fyren, fometimes like a fairy. (Eays, 1625, x.)

LIBELS.

Hereupon [on condemnation of Sir William Stanley] came forth fwarms and volleys of libels (which are the gufts of liberty of fpeech reftrained, and the females of fedition) containing bitter invectives and flanders against the King and fome of the Council; for the contriving and difperfing whereof (after great diligence of enquiry) five mean perfons were caught up and executed. Life of Henry VII.)*

THE MIRACLES OF OUR
SAVIOUR.

He hath done all things well!

A true confeffion and applaufe. God, when He created all things, saw that * See under 'Sir William Stanley.'

everything in particular, and all things in general, were exceeding good. God the Word, in the miracles which He wrought (now every miracle is a new creation, and not according to the first creation), would do nothing which breathed not towards men favour and bounty. Mofes wrought miracles, and fcourged the Egyptians with many plagues. Elias [= Elijah] wrought miracles, and shut up heaven, that no rain should fall upon the earth; and again, brought down from heaven the fire of God upon the captains and their bands. Elizeas [= Elifha] wrought also, and called bears out of the defert to devour young children. Peter ftruck Ananias, the facrilegious hypocrite, with prefent death; and Paul, Elymas, the forcerer, with blindness. But no fuch thing did Jefus. The Spirit of God defcended down upon Him in the form of a dove, of whom He faid, 'You know not of what fpirit you are' [St. Luke ix. 55]. The Spirit of Jefus is the spirit of a dove. Thofe fervants of God were as the oxen of God treading out the corn, and trampling the ftraw down under their feet; but Jefus is the Lamb

of God, without wrath or judgments. Al His miracles were confummate about mar's body, as His doctrine refpected The body of man

the foul of man.

needeth their things, fuftenance, defence from outward wrongs, and medicine. It was He that drew a multitude of ffhes into the nets that He might give unto men more liberal provifion. He turned water, a leís worthy nourishment of man's body, into wine, a more worthy, that glads the heart of man. He fentenced the fig-tree to wither for not doing that duty whereunto it was ordained, which is to bear fruit for men's food. He multiplied the scarcity of a few loaves and fishes to a fufficiency to victual an hoft of people. He rebuked the winds that threatened deftruction to the feafaring men. He reftored motion to the lame, light to the blind, speech to the dumb, health to the fick, cleanness to the leprous, a right mind to thofe that are poffeffed, and life to the dead. No miracle of His is to be found to have been of judgment or revenge, but all of goodnefs and mercy, and respecting man's body; for as touching riches He did not vouchfafe to do any miracles,

fave one only, that tribute might be given to Cæfar. (Efays, 1625.)*

09

CHRISTIAN MISSIONS NEGLECTED BY THE CHURCH (1629).

Although the wars had been for a Naples, or a Milan, or a Portugal, or a Bohemia, yet these wars were but as the wars of Heathens (of Athens, or Sparta, or Rome) for fecular interest or ambition, not worthy the warfare of Chriftians. The Church (indeed) maketh her miffions into the extreme parts of the nations and ifles; and it is well but this is Ecce unus gladius hic [='Behold, here is a fword!'] The Chriftian princes and potentates are they that are wanting to be propagators of the Faith by their arms. Yet our Lord, that faid on earth to the difciples,

:

* With reference to the miracle of withering the fig-tree, Bacon might have noted that it was by an irresponsible tree, not a human being with a destiny, the Saviour warned the Jews of their unfruitfulness and unprofitableHow pitiful this was!

ness.