Gods arrow against atheists. By Henry SmithGods arrovve against atheists. By Henrie Smith

The Oracles and answers of of these gods,¹ even in Ciceroes time (as Cicero himself witnesseth, who syued somewhat before the coming of Christ) began to cease: and at last by little and little they ceased altogether,² and were utterly extinct. It is reported that in Egypt (when Christ was there with Joseph and his mother Mary) all the Adals of that foolish and superstitious Nation fell down of their own accord. Afterwards, in the time of the Emperor Adrian, all sacrifices unto those gods ceased, as also the Oracle of Apollo, and all other Oracles became d•nube.³ Wherefore Juvenal saith, Cessant oracula Delphis, that is, The oracles cease at Delphos. ⟨image 23⟩And another Poet sayth: ⁴Excessere omnes a ditis arisque relictis, Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat, &c. that is, All the gods whereby this Empire stood, have departed from their Temples, and left their Altars and place of their habitation. Plutarch affirmeth the like,⁵ and is much busied to search out the cause & reason of the ceasing of their Oracles, who being a heathen was much troubled herewith, guessing at the matter, and vainly devising fond conceits in his brain not able indeed to pierce into the very cause thereof. But Porphyry (even that great patron of Paganism, and enemy of Christian Religion) can teach him or any other the true cause thereof, showing them that since the coming of Jesus their gods are dumb, & can do them no good, but are all gone and departed from them. His words be these, Nune vero mirantur (inquis) fi tam multos annos civit as peste vexetur, ⁶cum & Aesculopius & alii dii longe absint ab ea: postea enim quam JESVS colitur, nihil utilitatis adiìs consesequì possumus. Now (saith he) they marvel why this city is so many years vexed with pestilence, when as (indeed) Aesculapius and other gods be far gone and departed from it: for since the time that Jesus is worshipped, all our gods have been unprofitable to us. Considering then that Jesus (the author of the christian religion) hath silenced & utterly destroyed the gods of the Gentiles (as histories & the visible event them, his religion must needs be the only true religion.