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nifh us with abundance of useful reflections: but this Differtation, wherin I have endeavor'd that precifion fhou'd reign next to perfpicuity, is long enough already. I cou'd eafily inlarge it, efpecially in this latter part, wou'd I produce all the fhifts of the Commentators, each to serve his own hypothefis, concerning RAGUEL, JETHRO, and HO BAB. They come neareft the point, who make HOBAB to have been JETHRO's brother. But I shall never temt the Reader's patience, where I have no profpect of inftructing him: befides that the main fubject of the Cloud's not being miraculous, can fuffer nothing from wrangling about names by thofe; who wou'd rather have any portion of the facred writings to pafs for nonfense, than that I fhou'd demonftrate it to be fenfe. In this however lies my comfort, that the BIBLE will ever preferve its dignity; and that the TRUTH will triumph at laft, over all the prejudices of the ignorant or the interested.

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FINIS

OR,

Of the EXOTERIC and ESOTERIC

PHILOSOPHY;

THAT IS,

Of the External and Internal Doctrine of the Ancients :

The one open and public, accommodated to popular prejudices and the RELIGIONS eftablish'd by Law; the other private and fecret, wherin, to the few capable and difcrete, was taught the real TRUTH ftript of all disguises.

Χρεω δε σε παντα πυθεσθαι,

Η μεν αλήθειης ευπειθε ατρεκες ητο;
Η δε βροτων δοξας, των ουκ ετι πιςις αληθης.
PARMENIDES apud. DIOG. LAERT. Lib. 9.

Sect. 22.

LONDON, Printed in the YEAR 1720.

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CLIDOPHORUS,

OR

Of the Exoteric and Esoteric Philosophy.

I.

O know the TRUTH is one, thing, to tell it to others is another thing: and as all men profels to admire the firft, fo few men practise the laft as they ought. At the fame time that TRUTH IS own'd to be more valuable than wealth or honor, thefe are by moft without hefitation preferr'd before it? which appears not onely by their cager application to procure fiches and titles, while they abandon the ftudy of TRUTH, or fair tly purfue it: but alfo by the abject deference they fhamelessly pay to men of power, and the indifference or neglect they commonly fhow to men of Learning. T fhall not fcrupuloufly inquire into the caufes of this proceding, which are various and multiform; but of all that can be affign'd, INTEREST certainly is the most general and prevailing: for men being obferv'd to be naturally fond of TRUTH, tho,

thro

thro laziness or occupation, few are capable to acquire the poffeffion of it; fome cunning perfons thought they cou'd not better attain to Authority over the reft (which draws Riches after it of course) than by pretending to be masters of this fame TRUTH. Next they gave out that they cou'd impart it to others, without putting them to any labor, or diverting them from any bufinefs and as for a little expenfe, who wou'd grudge to give a price out of his tranfitory pelf for the invaluable jewel of Knowledge? of not think it equitable to beftow a moderate reward on men, that cou'd equally delight and benefit him? Nor did these crafty Empirics ftop here. They knew the falfity of facts, and the fallacy of reasonings, might at one time or other be detected by men of penetration. Wherfore, as the Devil is God's ape, they boasted of a fuperior and fupernatural knowledge, not fubject to the rules of Criticism, nor a proper object of the Underftanding. Nay, they went a greater length, openly maintaining that it was lawful to ly for the public goods fo that the common people (faid they) being incapable of reflection, ought to be manag'd by guile, and to be deluded by agreable fables into obedience to their Governors. Thus M NEVIS, an Egyptian king, impos'd on his fubjects, by feigning an extraordinary communication with heaven, ZOROASTER fuccefsfully practis'd the fame art on the Bactrians and other neighboring nations. PYTHAGORA s after hiding himself for fome time (as if he were dead) appear'd again at Crotona, preaching the joys and torments of another life. His difciple ZAMOLXIS vaunted having receiv'd divine Revelations in a cave, wherby he gain'd fuch authority, as to prescribe what laws he pleas'd to the rude Scythians. MINOS and EPIMENIDES in Crete, publifh'd the con

ferences

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