The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

VALFERIUS TERMINUS
OF
THE INTERPRETATION OF NATURE.
WITH THE
ANNOTATIONS OF HERMES STELLA.
A FEW FRAGMENTS OF TIlE FIRST BOOK.
[None of the Annotations of Stella are set down in these Fragments.]
CHAPTER I. and intruding into God's secrets and mysteries,
was rewarded with a further removing and estrangOf the limits and end of knowledge. ing from God's presence. But as to the goodIN the divine nature, both religion and philoso- ness of God, there is no danger in contending or
phy hath acknowledged goodness in perfection, advancing towards a similitude thereof; as that
science or providence comprehending all things, which is open and propounded to our imitation.
and absolute sovereignty or kingdom. In aspir- For that voice, whereof the heathen and all other
ing to the throne of power, the angels transgress- errors of religion have ever confessed that it
ed and fell; in presuming to come within the sounds not like man, ", Love your enemies; be
oracle of knowledge, man transgressed and fell; you like unto your heavenly Father, that suffereth
but in pursuit towards the similitude of God's his rain to fall both lpon the just and the unjust,"
goodness or love, which is one thing, for love is doth well declare, that we can in that point comnothing else but goodness put in motion or applied, mit no excess. So again we find it often repeated
either man or spirit ever hath transgressed, or in the old law, ", Be ye holy as I am holy;" and
shall transgress. what is holiness else but goodness, as we conThe angel of light that was, when he presumed sider it separate and guarded from all mixture,
before his fall, said within himself,,; I will ascend and all access of evil!
and be like unto the Highest;" not God, but the Wherefore seeing that knowledge is of the numHighest. To be like to God in goodness, was no ber of those things which are to be accepted of
part of his emulation: knowledge, being in crea- with caution and distinction; being now to open
tion an angel of light, was not the want which a fountain, such as it is not easy to discern where
did most solicit him; only because he was a mi- the issues and streams thereof will take and fall;
nister he aimed at a supremacy; therefore his I thought it good and necessary in the first place,
climbing or ascension was turned into a throwing to make a strong and sound head or bank to rule
down or precipitation. and guide the course of the waters; by setting
Man, on the other side, when he was tempted down this position or firmament, namely, ", That
before he fell, had offered unto him this suggestion, all knowledge is to be limited by religion, and to
", that he should be like unto God." But how. be referred to use and action."
not simply, but in this part, 6" knowing good and For if any man shall think, by view and inquievil." For being in his creation invested with ry into these sensible and material things, to attain
sovereignty of all inferior creatures, he was not to any light for the revealing of the nature or will
needy of power or dominion. But again, being of God, he shall dangerously abuse himself. It
a spirit newly enclosed in a body of earth, he was is true, that the contemplation of the creatures of
fittest to be allured with appetite of light and God bath for end, as to the natures of the creatures
liberty of'knowledge. Therefore this approaching themselves, knowledge; but as to the nature of
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