his Colleague, the Consul _Sallust_
which happen'd just at the same Time, tho' eight hundred Miles off; so
in another Case, _Julian_ thought it ominous that he, who was _Augustus_
should be nam'd with two other Names of Persons, both already dead; the
Case was thus, the Stile of the Emperor was _Julianus Foelix
Augustus_, and two of his principal Officers were _Julianus_ and
_Foelix_; now both _Julianus_ and _Foelix_ died within a few Days of
one another, which disturb'd Him much, who was the third of the three
Names; but his flattering _Devil_ told him it all imported Good to him
(_viz._) that tho' _Julianus_ and _Foelix_ should die, _Augustus_
should be immortal.

Thus whatever happen'd, and whatever was foretold, and how much soever
they differ'd from one another, the lying Spirit was sure to reconcile
the _Prediction_ and the _Event_, and make them at least seem to
correspond in Favour of the Person enquiring.

Now we are told Oracles are ceased, and the _Devil_ is farther limited
for the Good of Mankind, not being allow'd to vent his Delusions by the
Mouths of the Priests and Augurs, as formerly: I will not take upon me
to say how far they are really ceas'd, more than they were before; I
think 'tis much more reasonable to believe there was never any Reality
in them at all, or that any Oracle ever gave out any Answers but what
were the Invention of the Priests and the Delusions of the DEVIL; I have
a great many antient Authors on my Side in this Opinion, as _Eusebius_,
_Tertullian_, _Aristotle_, and others, who as they liv'd so near the
Pagan Times, and when even some of those Rites were yet in Use, they had
much more Reason to know, and could probably pass a better Judgment upon
them; nay _Cicero_ himself ridicules them in the openest manner; again,
other Authors descend to Particular and shew how the Cheat was manag'd
by the Heathen Sacrists and Priests, and in what enthusiastic manner
they spoke; namely, by going into the hollow Images, such as the brazen
Bull and the Image of _Apollo_, and how subtilly they gave out _dubious_
and _ambiguous_ Answers; that when the People did not find their
Expectations answer'd by the Event, they might be imposed upon by the
Priests, and confidently told they did not rightly understand the
Oracle's Meaning: However, I cannot say but that indeed there are some
Authors of good Credit too, who will have it that there was a real
prophetic Spirit in the Voice or Answers given by the