_Demetrius_ saith, that the spirits, which attended on oracles, waxed wearie of the peoples curiositie and importunitie, and for shame forsooke the temple. But as [*]one that of late hath written against prophesies saith; It is no marvell, that when the familiars that speake in trunks were repelled from their harbour for feare of discoverie, the blocks almightie lost their senses. For these are all gone now, and their knaverie is espied; so as they can no longer abuse the world with such bables. But whereas these great doctors suppose, that the cause of their dispatch was the comming of Christ; if they meane that the divell died, so soone as he was borne, or that then he gave over his occupation: they are deceived. For the popish church hath made a continuall practise hereof, partlie for their owne private profit, lucre, and gaine; and partly to be had in estimation of the world, and in admiration among the simple. But indeed, men that have learned Christ, and beene conversant in his word, have discovered and shaken off the vanitie and abhomination heereof. But if those doctors had lived till this daie, they would have said and written, that oracles had ceased, or rather beene driven out of _England_ in the time of K. _Henrie_ the eight, and of Queene _Elizabeth_ his daughter; who have doone so much in that behalfe, as at this houre they are not onlie all gone, but forgotten here in this English nation, where they swarmed as thicke as they did in _Bœotia_, or in any other place in the world. But the credit they had, depended not upon their desart, but upon the credulitie of others. Now therefore I will conclude and make an end of this matter, with the opinion and saieng of the prophet; Vaine is the answer of idols. For they have eies and see not, eares and heare not, mouthes and speake not, &c: and let them shew what is to come, and I will saie they are gods indeed. ♦[*] H. Haw. in his defensative against prophesies.♦ ♦In whose daies oracles ceased in England♦ ♦Zach. 10.♦ ♦Isai. 44.♦ ¶ _The ninth Booke._ The first Chapter. _The Hebrue word Kasam expounded, and how farre a Christian may conjecture of things to come._