388 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 



The declinations from religion, besides the privative, which 

 is atheism and the branches thereof, are three ; Heresies, 

 Idolatry, and Witchcraft ; Heresies, when we serve the 

 true God with a false worship ; Idolatry, when we worship 

 false gods, supposing them to be true ; and Witchcraft, 

 when we adore false gods, knowing them to be wicked and 

 false. For so your Majesty doth excellently well observe, 

 that Witchcraft is the height of Idolatry. And yet we see 

 though these be true degrees, Samuel teacheth us that they 

 are all of a nature, when there is once a receding from the 

 word of God ; for so he saith, Quasi peccatum ariolandi est 

 repugnare, et quasi scelus idolatriae nolle acquiescere. 



These things I have passed over so briefly because I can 

 report no deficience concerning them : for I can find no 

 space or ground that lieth vacant 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 Globe of the 

 Intellectual World, as truly and faithfully as I could 

 discover ; with a note and description of those parts which 

 seem to me not constantly occupate, or not well converted 

 by the labour of man. In which, if I have in any point 

 receded from that which is commonly received, it hath 

 been with a purpose of proceeding in melius, and not in 

 aliud\ a mind of amendment and proficience, and not of 

 change and difference. For I could not be true and 

 constant to the argument I handle, if I were not willing to 

 V go beyond others ; but yet not more willing than to have 

 others go beyond me again : which may the better appear 

 by this, that I have propounded my opinions naked and 

 at unarmed, not seeking to preoccupate the liberty of men's 

 judgments by confutations. For in any thing which is 

 well set down, I am in good hope that if the first reading 

 move an objection, the second reading will make an 

 answer. And in those things wherein I have erred, I am 

 sure I have not prejudiced the right by litigious argu- 

 ments ; which certainly have this contrary effect and 

 operation, that they add authority to error, and destroy 



