God, who could predict good and evil, had also the power of acting in favour of his worshippers; hence temples, sacrifices, supplications, and numerous ceremonies, in honour of their gods; for the oracle of Delos, the temple of Jupiter Ammon, and other oracles equally celebrated, filled the world with astonishment and devotion. But when the oracles were found to utter their responses under the dictation of princes, and their falsity was discovered by the people, men became incredulous, and from that moment capable of subverting all established order.
"Hence it is evidently the duty of princes, and the heads of republics, to support the religion of the country on its basis; for nothing is so easy as to maintain a.state composed of religious persons—religion is a bond of union, which unites them to each other and their prince; therefore, every thing that tends to favour religion ought to be paid attention to, even though we are aware of its falsity, and the greater our wisdom and our knowledge of the human
