I do not reproach this excess of Reв€Јligion in those that are capable of disв€Јcerning, but rather praise it yet whatever Commendations they may deserve, we cannot but confess that a just medium is much the safest course and that it is more reasonaв€Јble to remove error from truth, than to venerate error because it is mix'd with truth.

Only due to the true Religion and we dare not find fault with the one for fear of attacking at the same time something that is holy in the Other. Nevertheless these preв€Јjudices that are in the true Religion are, as I may say, so closely interwoв€Јven with it, that they have drawn that respect to themselves which is I confess that prejudices are not in themselves common to a true as well as a false Religion for they Reign chiefly in the false, which is only the contrivance of humane Wit but in the true (which is the production of God alone,) there wou'd none be ever found, if humane Wit cou'd be prevenв€Јted from Intermedling and mixing something of its own with it for all its new inventions are but prejudices without ground, and it is not able to add any thing real or solid to the great work of God. It is in it's own Nature, a matter of Reв€Јligion amongst the Pagans, and beв€Јcome so without any necessity aв€Јmongst Christians, and on both sides it is loaded with prejudices which obscure the clearest truths.

And in my opinion this business of Oracles hath no considerable difficulty in it, but what we our selves have raised. Men are not willing to suffer the decision of things to be too easie, and therefore they mingle their own prejudices with truths, and so create greater perplexities than are Natuв€Јrally found therein and those scruв€Јples, which our selves frame, give us But when we have no more to do, but to enquire whether the Oracles were a Trick and Artifice of the heathen Priests, or not, and at what time they ceas'd, Where lies the difficulty? Cannot we that are Imв€Јposed on every day, imagine how far other Men may have been deceivers or deceived? But especially when the whole matter turns upon the time when Oracles ceased, Where can the difficulty be? There are many Books that treat of Oracles let us see thereв€Јfore in what time or in what Age the last Oracles, of which we have any knowledge, were deliver'd.

It is not at all surprizing, that Philosophers shou'd have so much trouble in finding out the secrets of Nature, her Principles being so hidden that 'tis rashness in Men to think to discover 'em. In doing this 'tis neв€Јcessary that I run through the whole History of Oracles, that I unfold their Originals, their Progress, the different Manners in which they were deliver'd and lastly their Deв€Јcay, with the same exactness as if I were in these matters pursuing the Natural and Historical Order. MY design is not to give you directly an History of Oraв€Јcles I only intend to argue against that common Opinion which attributes 'em to Daemons, and will have 'em to cease at the coming of Iesus Christ.

Venture towns cheats