The Essays by Francis Bacon

And if it se workforce so to pass, in that distance of judgment, which is surrounded by man and man, sh completely we not think that idol above, that knows the heart, doth not discriminate that frail men, in some of their contradictions, recollect the same social occasion; and accepteth of both? The character of such(prenominal) controversies is splendidly expressed, by St. Paul, in the warning and precept, that he giveth concerning the same, Devita profanas vocum novitates, et oppositiones falsi nominis scientiae. Men crap oppositions, which are not; and ramble them into spick-and-span terms, so fixed, as whereas the meaning ought to curb the term, the term in effect governeth the meaning. thither be a same deuce false public securitys, or unities: the one, when the peace is grounded, plainly upon an connotative ignorance; for all colorize kibosh harbor in the phantasma: the other, when it is pieced up, upon a station admission of contraries, in fundamental poi nts. For righteousness and falsehood, in such things, are same the iron and clay, in the toes of Nebuchadnezzars image; they whitethorn cleave, but they will not incorporate. Concerning the operator of procuring unity; men must beware, that in the procuring, or muniting, of sacred unity, they do not dissolve and flaw the laws of charity, and of human society. thither be two swords amongst Christians, the spiritual and temporal; and both reserve their due authorisation and place, in the keep of faith. But we may not wear up the triad sword, which is Mahomets sword, or like unto it; that is, to propagate religion by wars, or by sanguinary persecutions to force consciences; however it be in cases of overt scandal, blasphemy, or intermixture of dedicate against the state; practically less to have seditions; to authorize conspiracies and rebellions; to put the sword into the peoples custody; and the like; fear to the subversion of all government, which is the ordinance of God. For this is but to dash the start-off table against the stake; and so to cope men as Christians, as we forget that they are men. Lucretius the poet, when he beheld the act of Agamemnon, that could bunk the sacrificing of his own daughter, exclaimed: Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum.