The Magical-Astrological-Diviner Posed and Puzzled, Treatise · Chapter 27 · Section 11
11. Of the divining envy, diſſimulation, calumny, blaſphemy, and enmity, not onelyonly againſt Chriſtian Religion, but even againſt Chriſt himſelfe.
MIleſian Apollo being conſulted about Chriſt, whether he was God, or man, gave this anſwer: That he was mortall according to fleſh, or body; wiſe in portentous, or monſtrous workes; but being apprehended by armes under Chaldean Judges, with nailes and clubs, he made a bitter end. Upon which Lactantius his comment is, That although the Oracle (as it was forced) began to ſpeak truth; yet it did it ſo ſubtilly, and perverſely, as with intent to deceive the conſulter, being altogether ignorant of the myſtery of God and man: and ſo ſeems to deny him to be God, by confeſſing him to be man. But in that it acknowledgeth him to be mortall, according to the fleſh, it is not inconſequent (although againſt the mind of the Oracle) but that he was immortall, and God nevertheleſſe, according to the Spirit. And why muſt he needs make mention of the fleſh; when as it was enough to ſay him mortall? but being preſſed with truth, he could not deny the thing to be, as it was: as he alſo was forced to confeſſe him to be wiſe. And what ſaies Apollo to himſelfe? If he be wiſe, then is his doctrine wiſdome, and no other: and they are therefore wiſe that follow it, and no other. Why then doe their vulgar account us vain and fooliſh: ſince we follow a maſter, and Teacher wiſe, by their Oraculous gods own confeſſion? In that he ſaith, that he did portentous works (by which he merited the faith of a Godhead) he ſeems to aſſent unto us: becauſe he ſaith him to doe thoſe very things, which (rightly underſtood and believed) we glory in. Nevertheleſſe he recollects himſelfe, and returnes to his daemonicall frauds of calumny and blaſphemy. For albeit he ſpake ſome truth, as neceſſitated, yet he ſeems to be a betrayer of himſelfe and the gods: in as much as he would have enviouſly concealed (through an inimicall and deceiving lie) that which the truth partly wrung from him. And therefore he ſaith him to have done wonderfull workes; but he meant it ſhould be underſtood not by a divine, but by a magicall or divining power. But whereas he ſaith further, that he was apprehended under Chaldaean Judges, &c. I demand hereupon▪ whether they were Chaldeans by nature, or by profeſſion? The firſt is not to be conceded as concerning Herod and Pilat; nor yet properly as touching Annas and Caiaphas: and therefore (ſince he will needs call them Chaldeans) the latter is rather to be ſuppoſed: it is not ſtrange to be believed, that any one of them might be of the Chaldean profeſſion, or addicted to it. And why might not the Chaldaeanizing Oracle be drawn to confeſſe ſo much againſt it ſelfe? And might it not be one end of the Ecclipſe at his paſſion, to make even all the Chaldaeanizing Aſtrologers to confeſſe, with ſome of their fellows, that it was no other but the God of nature, that now ſuffered?
One asking Apollo, what God he might appeaſe, whereby to recall his wife from Chriſtianity? The Oracle gave this anſwer (as St. Auguſtine cites it from Porphyrius, a great enemy of Chriſt and Chriſtians) Sooner mayſt thou write in water, or fly in the ayre like a bird, then remove the opinion of thy impious wife; let her goe on as ſhe will, and ſing a dead God in vaine fallacies, and falſe lamentations: whom (the Judge rightly determining) an ill death hath ended. This Porphyrius cites, and expounds blaſphemouſly; as if Chriſt died deſervedly, from the juſt ſentence of his Judges. But St. Auguſtine conceives Apollo ſpake not thus; but his vaticinating Diviner: and yet not he, but this magicall calumniator; that durſt blaſpheme above the devill himſelfe. For Apollo himſelfe durſt not but ſpeak well of him, ſaying, he was ſuch a God, and King, as made the heavens, the earth, and Sea, and the deep things of Hell to tremble; of whom both he, and his fellow Daemons were afraid. Such alſo was the anſwer of Hecate concerning Chriſt; and ſo were all the reſt of them. Among ſome forced and diſſembled truths, abundance of blaſphemy, and calumny againſt Chriſt, and Chriſtian religion.
The Pythian Oracle being conſulted again and again by the Athenians, what religion was beſt to be ſet up? would ſtil anſwer, their Fathers or Countries cuſtomes, rites, or ceremonies. Not but that he would falſe religion in all variety: but that he feared a change of religion might make way to reformation of Chriſtianity.