A Short Treatise declaring the Detestable Wickedness of Magical Sciences

¶ A ſhort treatiſe declaringe the deteſtable wickedneſſe, of magicall ſciences, as Necromancie. Coniurations of ſpirites, Curiouſe Aſtrologie and ſuche lyke. (:)

Made by Francis Coxe,

Eſaia. [•].

Babell is fallen, it is fallen, and all: images of her hath he brokē vnto y• groi

Eſaia. [•].

Thy filthines ſhalbe diſcouered, and t[〈…〉] ſhame ſhalbe ſene. Stande now amon thyne enchaunters, and in the multitu[〈…〉] of thy ſothſayers, &c. Let now the Aſtr[•]logers, the ſtarre gaſers, and Prognoſticatours, ſtande vp, end ſaue thee frō theſe thinges, &c.

¶ I. C.

¶ Finis.

I. P.

¶ Finis.

¶ To the good and gentle Reader.

ALthough, I lacke ſuch eloquēce and learning, as is to be required in him, which ſhould compile any work to y• prayſe, or diſpraiſe of a thig, yet for y• I haue my ſelfe ben an offender in theſe moſte deteſtable ſciences, againſt whome I haue compiled this worke, as Aſtrologie, Netroniancie, & ſuche like: I thought it my parte, for. ij. cauſes principall, theſame to do. Wherof the one is, y• I woulde it ſhoulde openly be knowen, howe wicked an offendor I haue ben, bothe towardes God, and the lawes of my prince, y• therby I might geue an occaſion too all men, too laude and prayſe God for his bountiful giftes of grace, that when I deſerued his eternall ire: yet he by his gentle and ſweet rod of correction, woulde call me agayne too y• ſtate of ſaluation, from which I was fallē. And alſo, to bleſſe this God of merci, which hath apointed ſuch a mercifull gouernor to rule and rayne ouer vs. Who as ſhe is ſeuere to puniſh the obſtinate and ſtubburne male factors, ſo vſeth ſhe clementie too the penitent trangreſiors: whereof I of late ſufficiently taſted, at what time I ſtode before her graces moſte honorable counſayll to receiue determinate ſentēce for my wicked offences. The ſeconde cauſe of this my labor is: that I woulde deterre and feare away, all ſuche as yet do, or hereafter may by the craftines of Sathan be procured to the lyke. Wherfore gentle reader, I moſte haretly beſech thee to take it in good parte whiche thinge, if thou ſhalt do: I haue my deſire, who wiſſheth thee the eternal peace of God.

Francis Coxe.

¶ In honore ſanctiſſime Trinitatis.

AMongeſt other the Godly, holſome and profitable ſayinges of the deuine Philoſopher Plato: I call too my remembraunce this one, as moſte neceſſarie for all Chriſtians to be had in memorie, whiche is this. Non ſolum nobinati ſumus, ſed ortus noſtri partim patria ſibi vendicat, partim parentes, partim amici (that is to ſaye) we are not born only for our ſelues, like brute beaſtes, to ſeke y• ſatiſfiinge of our owne deſire or luſt: but of our birth (ſayeth he) our contrye chalēgeth a parte, our parentes likewiſe, yea, & oure frendes alſo. Wherefore to enioye any good, godly, or profitable thinges, or to reſerue any benefit or gift, by the meanes of other, or through our owne trauels and diligent labor (if the ſame by anye meanes maye ſeme to ſounde to the glorie of God, the profit of our cōtry, parentes & frendes) in withholdinge or keping backe the ſame, we ſhal not only trāſgreſſe y• cōmaūdmēts of almighty God, which comaūdeth vs to do as we wolde be don vnto: but alſo, if it ſhalbe well perceiued & diligently marked of ſuch as are wiſe & lerned: we ſhal be foūd manifeſt robbers & ſpoilers of y• high maie ſtie of God, which hath imparted his benefites ſo liberalli vnto vs for y• ſetting forth of his glorie & finally ſhow our ſelues vnnaturall, both to our cōtry, parēts & frēdes, hewraieng our great ingratitude, not onely towards God: but alſo toward our cōtries. Amōgſt (therfore) y• ineſtimable heapes of wickednes, ſinne & dānation, foreſeinge y• proclinitie or redines of mē, how apt & prone thei are to euel, & alſo ſeinge very many to erre & go aſtray, eſpecially by one meanes, wherby they detrude thē ſelues, euen doune to y• botōles lake of vnſpekeable offences, & for ſo much as I my ſelf haue beit, in y• like diſceiued, yea & had almoſt vtterli periſhed, had not y• almighty power of god by his ōnipotētie and gifts of grace called me back through moſt ſweet & gentle chaſtiſemēt. And alſo ſeing & wel perceiuing y• craftines of wicked Sathā, who (as S. Peter teſtefieth) goeth about lyke a rorig Liō, ſeking whom he may deuour. To cauſe all toūges to land his eternal maieſtie, which hath ſo renouated or regenerated me frō y• ſtate of endles death, into the which I was almoſt ſlipt, to ſhew my ſelf myndful therfore of my loue & duety towardes my cōtry and frendes, to whome next God and my prince I am moſte chiefly bounden, and to aduoyde the filthy vice of ingratitude, then the which nothing cā wel be more odious: I thought it my part manifeſtly to declare and open the wickednes of thoſe artes and ſciences, which hath of late time to y• prouocation of Gods wrath and almightie diſpleaſure, ben had in ſuche eſtimation, yea, rather veneration, that without it y• whole ſtate of men (except a few) would do in maner nothing, yea, it grew into ſuche credit with men, that not onely they iudged the courſe of naturall thinges therby to be gouerned, but alſo that parte which god hath and doth reſerue to him ſelfe, and his determination, as the mynde of man, and ſuche like. Nay they ſeaſſed not here, but ſo blinded and bewytched the wittes of men, that ſcant durſt thei credit God him ſelf, if it ſemed that their blinded propheſies any time woulde make contradiction. How wel this appeared in the yeare of oure Lorde God, 1559. at what time our moſt noble ſouerain began her Imperial gouernement & raign ouer vs, all men maye iudge, and eaſelye perceiue. For although it was well knowē vnto all mē, what loue and godly zeale, her moſt royal maieſtie had and did bear to the trew prophetes of God, his afflicted flock & woorde of the croſſe, yet did the people ſo wauer, the whole realm was ſo troubled & ſo moued with the blinde enigmatical and deueliſh propheſtes of that heauen gaſer Noſtravamus, in ſuch ſort, that euen thoſe whiche in their heartes coulde haue wiſſhed the glory of God and his worde moſte floriſhing to be eſtabliſhed: were broughte into ſuche an extreme coldenes of faythe, y• they doubted God hadde forgotten hys promiſe, yea, they hong ſo choyſly betwéne the heauenly fountayne of hope, & the bottomleſſe pytte of vtter deſperation: that in doubt it was to which they woulde adhere or ſtick, ſo great was thinfectiō of this peſtilēciall poyſoned lying propheſies. Of all poyſons moſte difficulte to auoyde by mea nes of the ſweete and pleaſaunte myxture therof, wherfore it may be called dulce venenū. Aſwete and delicious poyſon: but as the prouerbe ſayeth, ſweete meats haths ſower ſauce, ſo is this ſweetnes tempered, with an euerlaſtinge bitternes or gall:

For in theſe ſciences Arologie, Geomācis, Necromancie and ſuch like infinite, contayned vnder the general name of Magick but eſpecially Necromancy, of which here chiefly I purpoſe to ſpeake, is one thinge [〈1 page duplicate〉] [〈1 page duplicate〉] promiſed: but an other performed, for why leſt they ſeke ryches: they finde beggerye, for hope of good reporte: they haue euel fame & open ſhame, for health: diſeaſes and grief, for quyet myndes: wandring wittes. Of Chriſtians: they becomme infideles, [•]urninge the temple of y• holy Ghoſte into [••]agoge of Sathan. Therfore deare cōtrymen, flee frome theſe mooſte wicked and damnable ſciences of diuination, manifeſtly prohibited, by the ſacred Scriptures and eternall woorde of God, lette the loue of him, whiche for thy ſake ſweate bothe water and bloudde, and had his fleſh rent vpon a croſſe, cauſe thee to withdraw thy mynde from the ſnares of vtter deſpayre. But if that maye not preuayle with thee: let the feare of reuenge, at leaſt wiſe abate thy corage therin, and learne this leſſon. Felix quē faciunt aliena pericula cautum. Happye and fortunate are thei, whome other mens harmes, do cauſe to be ware.

The God of Godds who ſuffereth no good deed tobe vnrewarded, no wicked offence vnpuniſſhed (whiche hathe ſaid heauen and earth ſhall periſh, but his word ſhall endure) hath not only manifeſtly in diuers & ſundry places of the ſcriptures forbidē the vſe and exerciſe of ſuche curious ſciences: but alſo hath appointed ſharp puniſhment to the vſers thereof, that is no leſſe then death.

This godly and wholſom law was in tyme paſt executed within this realme, by the terrour whereof, many were feared from theſe practiſes, But now whileſt this lawe for lacke of execution hath lyen a ſlepe, and thoffendors nothinge puniſhed: it was in ſuche ſorte encreaſed, that it was made a berye handycrafte, ſo that manye lyued therby, yea, & thought they did as honeſtly gette and gather their ſubſtaunce: as he, whiche dayly ſwet for the ſame.

The people were growen vnto ſuche a folly, that ſcant wolde thei ryde or go anye iorney: oneleſſe thei cōſultide, either with theſe blynde prophetes, or at the leaſt with their prophecies, whiche yearly to no litle hurt, bothe in the fayth of Chriſt, & wealth of the realme, were without all ſhame deuulgid.

What hurt it did in the faith before I haue ſhewed, what damage it procurid to y• commun wealth, mai eaſly be iudged, for what with their comminacions of warres, and dearth, they ſo tickled the myndes of vnſatiable niggards, that without al neede, euē a middeſt the plentye: we liued yet in pen[•]urie. Wel, to my purpoſe, I promiſed to open the wicked and blaſphemous ſecretes of theſe deueliſh ſciences. And although I bende my ſelfe wholy to write agaynſte y• ſuperſtitious and helliſhe practiſes of Necromancie, I do not exempte the curious parte of Aſtrologie, frome the number of them: whoſe vtter deuaſtation and cōfoūding before God, I moſt earneſtly deſire & wiſhe, for this I am able to iuſtifie, & haue the like in my ſelfe experimented, that of a truthe it is Malorum eſca, the very bayte or trayne to fer greater miſcheues. Neuer was there any that coulde yet holde hym ſelfe content with the ſimple knowledge of Aſtrologie: but wolde wade furder in thoſe ſciences of prediction, hauing this as [•] grounde worke to ſer hygher matters. I neede not here to ſpeake any more of it, for who liſt to reade the commendable worke of fulce, vttered too the ſame intent, ſhall finde of what force it is. But this I knowe that what euer is conteyned within their bokes, whiche they eſteme, as principall rules and pillers of their knowledge to be nothing els but meare fables, and toyes, & that in them there is no truth at all. Experience therin haue I had diuers and ſondry kyndes, not by the iudgement of one or .ij. but a number, yea, euen of the chefeſt and mooſte experte, amongeſt whome I ſhall recyte the iudgement of one, & forme of his calculation. The queſtion was moued for ſtolen goddes, the houre was by an inſtrument exactly takē, the Aſtrologer draweth the fourme of y• .xij. houſes, & ſo calculateth for the time, which had, he domineth, now in his forſayde calculation moued wt talke, and forgetting hym ſelfe (as he afterward confeſſed) where he ſhoulde haue ſubtracted: he added, and by that meanes placed y• ſigne that ſhoulde haue ben aſcendinge: in the .vii. houſe, and ſo contrarely, that ſigne whiche ſhoulde haue ben in the .vij. houſe placed he in the firſte, wherby all his work was turned vpſidedoun, & as we properly terme it, the carte ſet before the horſe, yet he not finding this his great errour, gaue iudgement, that it ſhoulde be had agayne, ſo fell it out, that it was recouered. Whervppon maye eaſly be gathered, that if he had calculated right, according to the rules of arte, he ſhoulde haue quite miſſed the cuſſhion.

O how certayn a ſcience is this trow ye, and of how good a grounde? Yet will they preſume to enter in iudgements of the ſecrete motions of men, whiche God hath reſerued to his owne proper knowledge. I wolde ſuche did remember this diſticon of wiſe Cato.

Mitto arcana dei celūqque inquirere quid fit?

Cū ſis mortalis que ſunt mortalia cures. He teacheth them wherein to be accupied, and not to medle with y• miſteries of God. Yea, this he ſayeth more vnto them, euē in the ſame boke folowing thus.

Quid deus intendat, noli perquirere ſorte

Quid ſtatuat de te, ſine te deliberet ipſe; Theſe are the preſumptious imps of Sathan, which cā not yet be cōtēt here to ſeke out according to y• hardnes of their hearts, (as Paul to the Romains the .ij. Chapter teſtifieth) ſeaſe not to heap vnto them ſelues; wrath, againſt the day of wrath. For y• ſtarres & ſkyes are not ſufficiēt for their future prediction: but they muſte adioyne therevnto moſte deteſtable partes or ſocietye with ſpirites. Which thing, when they go about, & wolde haue any thing broughte to effect, they do it by one of theſe .ij. meanes: either beſides the horrible & greuous blaſphemies, thei commit in their cōiuratiōs, thei muſt fall to ſome cōpoſitiō wt y• deuell, that is too promiſe him for his ſeruice, he wil abſtayn frō wynes, or ſome certayne meates, or drinkes. As I my ſelf knew a Prieſt, not farre frō a toun, called Bridgewater, whcih as it is wel knowē in the contrye, was a great magiciā, in all his lyfe time, after he once begā theſe practiſes, he neuer wolde eat bread, but in ſtede thereof did eat always cheſe, which thing as he cōfeſſed diuers times, he did becauſe it was ſo cōcluded betwene him & the ſpirit, which ſerued hī, for at what time he did eat bread: he ſhould no lōger lyue. Yea, he wolde not bluſſhe to ſay y• after a few years he ſhould dye, & that the deuel for his payns y• he toke with him, ſhould haue in recōpēce his ſoul. O moſte miſerable mā & wretched creatur that wolde in hope of any earthly treaſure: forſake his Lord, & God, which had ſo tenderly bought him. Theſe are thei, of whom Paul ſpeaketh in his .vi. & .x. chapters to the Hebrews, theſe are thei y• crucifie Chriſts agayn vnto them ſelues, and therfore it is impoſſible, they ſhould be reuewed agayne by repentaunce.

The ſeconde waye, whiche is as euel as the firſte, or rather worſe: is thus. For whē the ſpirite is once come before the circle, he forthe with demaundeth the exſorciſte a ſacrifice, whiche moſte commenlye is a pece of waxe cōſecrated, or hallowed after their owne order (For they haue certayn bokes, called bokes of conſecration) or els it is a chickē, a lapwing, or ſome liuinge creatur, whiche when he hath receyued: then doeth he fulfill the mynd of the exſorciſt, for oneles he hath it, he will neither doe, neither ſpeake any thinge. Of this teſtefieth bacon in his boke of Necromancie, where he telleth alſo this ſtorie. After ſo long tyme traueled in theſe ſciences, at laſt ioyned hym ſelfe with a Turke, whiche was moſte excellētly ſene therin, and longe conferring together: they wente aboute too call a certayn ſhe deuell, named Egippia, which ſpirite wolde by no meanes make theym aunſwer to any their demaunds, wherevppon Bacon, whiche knewe that nothinge coulde be done withoute ſacrifice: cruſeth the Turke to be baptiſed, and after the baptiſme, they both entred the circle & called the ſpirite, whiche when ſhe came: for all their conuirations ſhe woulde not

God of his iuſtice cā neither leaue y• workmaiſter, neither yet him that ſeketh to any ſuche for helpe, vnpuniſhed. For as wel deſerueth he execution that ſeketh to theym: as they them ſelues.

Example of this: we haue in the firſte boke of Samuel. called communly the firſt boke of the Kinges, in the .xxviij. Chapiter. For after y• Saule went once to wytches & ſorcerers to learn his ſtate: God gaue him vp quite into vtter ruin. If then he were ſo preciſe with his owne peculier people, that the ſpared not their kinge and annointed: what will he do vnto vs? How muche more thinke ye will he execute his righteous iudgementes on vs, that are but the braūches of the wylde Olyue tree, grafted in by his mercye and grace?

I can not ſe how they maye excuſe them ſelues of cryme by Goddes woorde, that either ſeke too them or procure theym too worke, for bothe, by the ſcripture deſerue lyke payne, and puniſhement. Yea, the Deuell hym ſelfe is of that condicion, that he will not ſuffer them longe to reyg[••] that vſe him as an inſtrument for their neceſſities. I remembre a very notable hiſtorie writtē in Froſarte; but the tyme is ſo long ſince I read it, I wel remēbre not the place, but who ſo liſteth to loke in y• tables of his boke: maye eaſly finde it, where he writeth of Orthō a ſpirite. Theffect is this, a prieſte & a certayn gentleman, falling at variaūce, and the gentleman ſeming ſtyll too perſeuer in his purpoſe: the prieſt to abate hys corage, and to make him yeelde: ſendeth vnto him the foreſayde ſpirite Orthon, to moleſt and trouble hym, whiche comming about the quyet tyme of the night, whē all things are moſte ſtylleſt: he clappeth the wyndowes and dores, as though he wolde haue toren them to peeces. The gentlemā, regardeth it not, the next night he doth lykewiſe, but a great deale more fearſly, in ſo muche that it ſeemed he wolde haue entred the gentlemans bed chaumbre, wherwithall his ſpirites moued: ſoddenly aſked who was there. The ſpirite aunſwereth, & telleth his name, & ſheweth hym frō whom he was ſent, and to what ende as is aforeſayde. Well ſayeth the gentle man, wilt thou be contētid to ſerue me, and leaue thy maiſter the prieſt? He aunſwereth yea, and ſo they concluded. The office of this ſpirite was to bring hym newes oute of all places of the worlde what was done, within the ſpace of .xxiiij. houres, whiche thing he did.

After a whyle, this gentleman beinge very deſirouſe to ſe his new man (for as yet though he hearde him, he neuer ſawe hym) requeſted him earneſtly that he mighte ſee hym, whiche thinge at the laſte he graunted (and ſayeth) when ye ariſe in the morninge, the firſte ſtraunge thinge you ſe, after you be vp: the ſame is I, ſo he departed. In the morninge the gentleman ariſinge and caſting on hys nighte goune, he might ſe three ruſſhes ſtande vprighte, and moue informe, as though they daunced the haye, but this pleaſed him not, wherfore at night when he came to him agayne, he chalengeth the ſpirite with the breache of hys promiſe, whiche he coulde in no wiſe a byde, for though he be neuer ſo vntrewe, & deceitfull: yet may ye not charge him therwith. And therfore aſketh his maiſter what ſtraunge thinge he ſawe? he aūſwered nothinge but .ij. or .iij. ruſſhes driuē vp & doun with a wynde.

The ſame quod Orthen was I. Naye ſayeth his maiſter, I woulde ſe the more neare thy ſhappe, whiche after earneſt requeſt he graunted, and ſayeth, the firſte lyuing thinge that ye ſe out of youre gallery in the morninge in youre courte: the ſame am I.

The morninge comming he goeth vntoo his gallery, whiche loketh into his courte, and beholde, there he ſawe the mōſterouſt ſowe and leane, that coulde be, wherupon moued with the ſight, cauſed dogges to be ſet at her, and ſo he bayted her, but immediatly he falleth ſicke, and ſo from tyme to tyme, pyneth awaye.

A worthy ſeruaunte too ſerue a noble man, full well he rewarded hys maiſter in the ende. Neither was it any otherwais but as they are wonte all to do.

For thys is no new or rare thinge amongeſt thoſe that vſe ſocietie with Deuelles, for all haue the like ende, though not after one forme, yet to one effecte. Bakons ende was muche after the lyke ſorte, for hauinge a greadye deſire vntoo meate: he coulde cauſe nothinge to enter the ſtomack, wherefore thus miſerablye he ſterued to death.

Cornelius Agrippa, of whome all the worlde ſpeaketh, whoſe woorkes remayne vnto this daye, of whoſe ende are diuerſe opinions, ſome rumors haue ben, that whā he rode abrode, he had alwayes a blacke dogge, waytinge vpon him, whiche dogge one day in iourneinge: caryed hym awaye body and ſoule, ſome ſay that the ſworde ſeperate his headde from the bodye, ſoo that hys ende is vncertayne and moſte like it is that he endid after ſome ſtraunge ſorte, that the trueth therof is no more manifeſt.

Fabiane in hys Cronicles, the ſeuenth parte. and where he writeth of Carolus the eyghte, ſpeaketh of a certayne mayde, experte in theſe ſciences, called La pucelle de dieu, that is too ſaye: the mayde of God, who by her knowledge cauſed the Frenchmen marueylouſlye too preuayle in their marciall affaires, as more copiouſly doeth in the alleged place appeare.

But almightye God, whiche for[•] [•••]ſon ſuffereth ſuche ſorcerye and dyueliſhe wayes too proſpere and raygne, too the correction of ſinners: laſtely too ſhowe hys power, and that no good Chriſten menne ſhoulde falle intoo anye erroure: he ſheweth the clearnes of ſuche miſticall thinges, and ſo he did in this, for ſhe by a knight Burgonion was taken, and after ſent to Roane in Normandye, too the duke of Somerſet, and there brente, for her de merites.

Sainct Dunſtane (of whom Bale in his boke intituled the actes of the Engliſh votaries writeth ſufficiently, beinge one of this ſorte and facultie, after diuers & ſondry prodigeous ſignes in the element ſene: departed this lyfe, a ſwarme of deuels cōuaying away hys corps.

Ihon Grecian, that coniuringe Pope, after he had doon many deueliſh thinges, as teſtifieth Martinꝰ Carſulanus & Platina in vitis Pontificum: was of the deuell (as he was dooinge his feates in a foreſt) ſtrangled to death.

What maye we ſaye of Stanſholde of late time, whiche was experte in theſe ſciēces, whiche for robbinge of a colledge, in the vniuerſitie of Oxforde, was hanged at the townes ende for his demerites. Many haue ended their lyues after theſe & ſuche lyke ſortes, of whome if I ſhoulde write: it wolde conteyne an infinite volume, and that is moſt horrible, where thou ſeeſt one repent: a numbre are ſoo ſoddenly taken, that they haue no tyme of repentaunce.

Wherefore I ſaye to ſuche of that ſorte, repent and amēde your lyues, you Adders brode, and learne by hym that hath felt the ſmarte, to fle from greater miſcheues too come, for euen now is the axe put vnto the rote of the tree, therefore deferre no tyme. And now[〈…〉] th[••]e that hereafter ſhalbe moued by the prouocation of the deuell, either to practice the lyke, or to ſeke for counſayll or aduice of them that do vſe and practiſe theſe blaſphemous ſciences: knowe ye, that euen as the good corne is with the fan purged from the chaffe: ſo all thoſe be ſeparated from the elect and choſen of God, as in the former parte of my treatice, I ſhewed by thexample of kynge Saule.

God him ſelfe hath promiſed in his moſt holy and ſacred ſcriptures no leſſe to do, & alſo for the puniſhment of ſuche, hathe by his owne decre, in the .xx. of Leuiticus appointed ſharpe correction, ſayinge. And if a man or woman haue a ſpirite of diuination or ſothſaying in them: they ſhall dye the death, they ſhall ſtone them to deathe, their bloudde ſhalbe vpon them.

A moſte worthy puniſhemente for ſuche rebellious traitours. For if we iudge him worthy of death that euel reporteth of an earthely prince: what ſhall we ſaye by him that blaſphemeth the kynge of all kinges, his Lorde and onely ſauiour? They can not ſaye that ignoraunce is y cauſe of their euel diſpoſed lyfe, for God hath manifeſtly forbidden the vſe therof, not in one, or two places: but in ſondrye.

Thus he ſayeth Deuteronomie the .xviii. when thou ſhalt come into the lande, which the Lorde thy God geueth thee: thou ſhalte not lerne to do after the abhominations of thoſe nations, let none be founde amonge you that maketh his ſonne or his doughter to go through the fyre, or that vſeth wytheraft, or a regarder of times, or marker of the fleinge of foules, or a ſorcerer, or a charmer, or y• counſayleth with ſpirites, or a ſoothſayer, or that aſketh counſayll at the dead. For all that do ſuche thinges, are abominatiō vnto the Lorde. &c.

Lo, here he not onely forbiddeth the vſe: but commaundeth that thoſe, whiche wilbe his people, and of his flocke: ſhall not ſeke helpe at the ſorcerers handes. Rede the. xxx of the prophet Iſaiah, and ther ſhal ye find, how he reproueth the chyldren of Iſraell for ſekinge too the Egiptians for helpe, who were counted experte in deueliſhe artes. Ieremiah in hys .x. Chapiter ſayeth: Heare the worde of the Lord that he ſpeaketh vnto you: O houſe of Iſraell.

Thus ſayeth the Lorde, learne not the waye of the Heathen, and be not a fearde for the ſignes of heauen, thought the Heathen be afrayde of ſuche, for the cuſtomes of the people are vanitie. O how directé are the lawes of the Lord? how playne are his pathes? how ſwete are thei to them that fulfille them, for it preſerueth them from endles deathe and payne.

If we do embrace and folowe theym, we ſhall not only be ſure here in this world to lyue withoute dredde or feare, ſafe from oure enemies, both boddely, and ghoſtely: but after this lyfe, we ſhalbe crouned with the croune of euerlaſtinge ioye, and felicitie.

Where as the contrarie, and ſuche as will take no admoniſſion, but lyue inordinately, ſhalbe condemned to euerlaſting terrour, whoſe tormentes, no tonge is able to expreſſe.

This God of mercye hathe offred hys grace, wherfore refuſe it not, but with all humble heartes embrace it, beſeching him ſo to ſtrengthen you with his holy ſpirite, that this lyfe endid, we maye heare thys confortable ſayinge of oure Sauioure: Come ye bleſſed children of my Father, poſſeſſe ye the kyngedome, prepared for you, frō the beginning of the worlde. Too the which Father, Sōne, and holy Spirite, be eternall laudes, prayſes, empire, and glorie, worldes without ende.

¶Finis.