But his predictions are far from being comparable with those revealed to us by God, through his angels, or the prophets; these are always certain and infallible, because they have for their principle God, who is truth; while the predictions of the demons are often deceitful, because the arrangements on which they are founded can be changed and deranged, when they least expect it, by unforeseen and unexpected circumstances, or by the authority of superior powers overthrowing the first plans, or by a peculiar disposition of Providence, who sets bounds to the power of the prince of darkness. Sometimes, also, demons purposely deceive those who have the weakness to place confidence in them. But, usually, they throw the fault upon those who have taken on themselves to interpret their discourses and predictions. So says St. Augustine;[201] and although we do not quite agree with him, but hold the opinion that souls, angels and demons are disengaged from all matter or substance, still we can apply his reasoning to evil spirits, even upon the supposition that they are immaterial--and own that sometimes they can predict the future, and that their predictions may be fulfilled; but that is not a proof of their being sent by God, or inspired by his Spirit. Even were they to work miracles, we must anathematize them as soon as they turn us from the worship of the true God, or incline us to irregular lives. Footnotes: [190] Deut. xiii. 1, 2. [191] Isaiah xli. 22, 23. [192] Tertull. Apolog. c. 20. [193] Hieronym. in Dan. [194] Matt. xxiv. 11, 24. [195] Jonah i. 2. [196] Kings xx. 1. Isai. xxxviii. 1. [197] Numb. xxii. xxiii. xxiv. [198] Numb. xxxi. 8. [199] Aug. de Divinat. Daemon. c. 3, pp. 507, 508, _et seq._ [200] Idem. c. 5. [201] S. August. in his Retract. lib. ii. c. 30, owns that he advanced this too lightly. CHAPTER XVII. REASONS WHICH LEAD US TO BELIEVE THAT THE GREATER PART OF THE ANCIENT ORACLES WERE ONLY IMPOSITIONS OF THE PRIESTS AND PRIESTESSES, WHO FEIGNED THAT THEY WERE INSPIRED BY GOD.