Mr. Blount's oracles of reason examined and answered in nine sections in which his many heterodox opinions are refuted, the Holy Scriptures and revealed religion are asserted against deism & atheism / by Josiah King ...

PAg. 167.

Augury is a sort of the ancient heathenish Superstition: And Pag. 169. We may see that Superstition, like Fire, endea∣vours to resolve all things into it self.

ANSWER.

Mr. Blount hath given us some Account of the Pagan Superstition of Augury; out of which it appears how insufficient Natural Religion is of it self, and how necessary Revealed Reli∣gion is, to shew the vanity of these Abomina∣tions. To this purpose very remarkable is that of Alexander ab Alexandro, in the end of his last Book Dierum genialium: Quantum debe∣mus Christo Domino Regi & Doctori nostro, quem verum Deum veneramur & scimus, quo praemon∣strante explosa monstrosa ferarum gentium doctrina rituque immani ac barbaro, veram religionem edo∣cti, humanitatem & verum Deum colimus, evi∣ctisque erroribus & infandis ineptiis, quas prisci co∣luere, quid quemque deceat & quibus sacris quaque

mente, Deum colere oporteat noscitamus?

How much do we owe to Christ our King and Ma∣ster, whom we acknowledge and worship as true God, by whose guidance and direction, the monstrous Doctrine, and barbarous Rites of these savage Nations being chased away; and we being taught true Religion, imbrace Civility and the true God: and the errors and unspeakable follies which the Ancients had in honour and reverence, being brought to light, we know what our duty is, with what Ceremonies, and what mind God is to be wor∣shipped.

Which is in effect the same with that of the Apostle, Colos. 1. ver. 13.

Thanks be to God, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.

Now this of Alex∣ander is the more to be remark'd; forasmuch as Augury, the Art of Divination, Astrology, Southsaying, and the like Superstitions, like a universal contagion, had insected all Mankind (save only where Revealed Religion had ob∣tained) as Tully tells us in his first Book de Di∣vinatione: Qua est autem gens, aut quae civitas, quae non aut extis pecudum, aut monstra, aut ful∣gura interpretantium, aut Augurum, aut Astrologo∣rum, aut Sortium (ea enim fere Artis sunt) aut Som∣niorum, aut Va••icinationum, haec enim duo naturalia putantur praedictione moveatur:

There could not be named any Nation or City, which abounded not with these Abominations, and was not moved with the Predictions of those

who pretend to interpret Prodigies and Light∣nings; or with the Predictions of the Augurs, or Astrologers, or Oracles (in these there was something of Art) or with the foreboding of Dreams, and Accidents, which two last may have something Natural.

What Mr. Blount could promise himself by his Account of Augury, I cannot imagine; but I am perswaded he could not think of any thing, which would prove more disadvantagious to his Design in general, than this Subject.