70 j OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. [VIII. 3. 



&amp;gt; ^rr 



than in tyrannies, because the commandment extendeth 



more over the wills of men, and not only over their deeds 

 and services. And therefore, when Virgil putteth himself 

 forth to attribute to Augustus Coesar the best of human 

 honours, he doth it in these words : 



Victorque volentes 

 Per populos dat jura, viamque affectat Olympo. 



But yet the commandment of knowledge is yet higher 

 than the commandment over the will : for it is a com 

 mandment over the reason, belief, and understanding of 

 man, which is the highest part of the mind, and giveth 

 law to the will itself. For there is no power on earth 

 which setteth up a throne or chair of estate in the spirits 

 and souls of men, and in their cogitations, imaginations, 

 opinions, and beliefs, but knowledge and learning. And 

 therefore we see the detestable and extreme pleasure that 

 arch-heretics, and false prophets, and impostors are trans 

 ported with, when they once find in themselves that they 

 have a superiority in the faith and conscience of men ; so 

 great as if they have once tasted of it, it is seldom seen 

 that any torture or persecution can make them relinquish 

 or abandon it. But as this is that which the author of the 

 Revelation calleth the depth or profoundness of Satan, 

 so by argument of contraries, the just and lawful sove 

 reignty over men s understanding, by force of truth rightly 

 interpreted, is that which approacheth nearest to the simil 

 itude of the divine rule. 



4. As for fortune and advancement, the beneficence of 

 Teaming is not so confined to give fortune only to states 

 and commonwealths, as it doth not likewise give fortune 

 to particular persons. For it was well noted long ago, 

 that Homer hath given more men their livings, than either 

 Sylla, or Crcsar, or Augustus ever did, notwithstanding 



