Wis 17:10 They died for fear, denying that they saw the air, which could of no side be avoided.

Wis 17:11 For wickedness, condemned by her own witness, is very timorous, and being pressed with conscience, always forecasteth grievous things.

Wis 17:12 For fear is nothing else but a betraying of the succours which reason offereth.

Wis 17:13 And the expectation from within, being less, counteth the ignorance more than the cause which bringeth the torment.

Wis 17:14 But they sleeping the same sleep that night, which was indeed intolerable, and which came upon them out of the bottoms of inevitable h.e.l.l,

Wis 17:15 Were partly vexed with monstrous apparitions, and partly fainted, their heart failing them: for a sudden fear, and not looked for, came upon them.

Wis 17:16 So then whosoever there fell down was straitly kept, shut up in a prison without iron bars,

Wis 17:17 For whether he were husbandman, or shepherd, or a labourer in the field, he was overtaken, and endured that necessity, which could not be avoided: for they were all bound with one chain of darkness.

Wis 17:18 Whether it were a whistling wind, or a melodious noise of birds among the spreading branches, or a pleasing fall of water running violently,

Wis 17:19 Or a terrible sound of stones cast down, or a running that could not be seen of skipping beasts, or a roaring voice of most savage wild beasts, or a rebounding echo from the hollow mountains; these things made them to swoon for fear.

Wis 17:20 For the whole world shined with clear light, and none were hindered in their labour:

Wis 17:21 Over them only was spread an heavy night, an image of that darkness which should afterward receive them: but yet were they unto themselves more grievous than the darkness.

Wis 18:1 Nevertheless thy saints had a very great light, whose voice they hearing, and not seeing their shape, because they also had not suffered the same things, they counted them happy.

Wis 18:2 But for that they did not hurt them now, of whom they had been wronged before, they thanked them, and besought them pardon for that they had been enemies.

Wis 18:3 Instead whereof thou gavest them a burning pillar of fire, both to be a guide of the unknown journey, and an harmless sun to entertain them honourably.

Wis 18:4 For they were worthy to be deprived of light and imprisoned in darkness, who had kept thy sons shut up, by whom the uncorrupt light of the law was to be given unto the world.

Wis 18:5 And when they had determined to slay the babes of the saints, one child being cast forth, and saved, to reprove them, thou tookest away the mult.i.tude of their children, and destroyedst them altogether in a mighty water.

Wis 18:6 Of that night were our fathers certified afore, that a.s.suredly knowing unto what oaths they had given credence, they might afterwards be of good cheer.

Wis 18:7 So of thy people was accepted both the salvation of the righteous, and destruction of the enemies.

Wis 18:8 For wherewith thou didst punish our adversaries, by the same thou didst glorify us, whom thou hadst called.

Wis 18:9 For the righteous children of good men did sacrifice secretly, and with one consent made a holy law, that the saints should be like partakers of the same good and evil, the fathers now singing out the songs of praise.

Wis 18:10 But on the other side there sounded an ill according cry of the enemies, and a lamentable noise was carried abroad for children that were bewailed.

Wis 18:11 The master and the servant were punished after one manner; and like as the king, so suffered the common person.

Wis 18:12 So they all together had innumerable dead with one kind of death; neither were the living sufficient to bury them: for in one moment the n.o.blest offspring of them was destroyed.

Wis 18:13 For whereas they would not believe any thing by reason of the enchantments; upon the destruction of the firstborn, they acknowledged this people to be the sons of G.o.d.

Wis 18:14 For while all things were in quiet silence, and that night was in the midst of her swift course,

Wis 18:15 Thine Almighty word leaped down from heaven out of thy royal throne, as a fierce man of war into the midst of a land of destruction,

Wis 18:16 And brought thine unfeigned commandment as a sharp sword, and standing up filled all things with death; and it touched the heaven, but it stood upon the earth.

Wis 18:17 Then suddenly visions of horrible dreams troubled them sore, and terrors came upon them unlooked for.

Wis 18:18 And one thrown here, and another there, half dead, shewed the cause of his death.

Wis 18:19 For the dreams that troubled them did foreshew this, lest they should perish, and not know why they were afflicted.

Wis 18:20 Yea, the tasting of death touched the righteous also, and there was a destruction of the mult.i.tude in the wilderness: but the wrath endured not long.

Wis 18:21 For then the blameless man made haste, and stood forth to defend them; and bringing the shield of his proper ministry, even prayer, and the propitiation of incense, set himself against the wrath, and so brought the calamity to an end, declaring that he was thy servant.

Wis 18:22 So he overcame the destroyer, not with strength of body, nor force of arms, but with a word subdued him that punished, alleging the oaths and covenants made with the fathers.

Wis 18:23 For when the dead were now fallen down by heaps one upon another, standing between, he stayed the wrath, and parted the way to the living.

Wis 18:24 For in the long garment was the whole world, and in the four rows of the stones was the glory of the fathers graven, and thy Majesty upon the daidem of his head.

Wis 18:25 Unto these the destroyer gave place, and was afraid of them: for it was enough that they only tasted of the wrath.

Wis 19:1 As for the unG.o.dly, wrath came upon them without mercy unto the end: for he knew before what they would do;

Wis 19:2 How that having given them leave to depart, and sent them hastily away, they would repent and pursue them.

Wis 19:3 For whilst they were yet mourning and making lamentation at the graves of the dead, they added another foolish device, and pursued them as fugitives, whom they had intreated to be gone.

Wis 19:4 For the destiny, whereof they were worthy, drew them unto this end, and made them forget the things that had already happened, that they might fulfil the punishment which was wanting to their torments:

Wis 19:5 And that thy people might pa.s.s a wonderful way: but they might find a strange death.

Wis 19:6 For the whole creature in his proper kind was fashioned again anew, serving the peculiar commandments that were given unto them, that thy children might be kept without hurt:

Wis 19:7 As namely, a cloud shadowing the camp; and where water stood before, dry land appeared; and out of the Red sea a way without impediment; and out of the violent stream a green field:

Wis 19:8 Wherethrough all the people went that were defended with thy hand, seeing thy marvellous strange wonders.

Wis 19:9 For they went at large like horses, and leaped like lambs, praising thee, O Lord, who hadst delivered them.

Wis 19:10 For they were yet mindful of the things that were done while they sojourned in the strange land, how the ground brought forth flies instead of cattle, and how the river cast up a mult.i.tude of frogs instead of fishes.

Wis 19:11 But afterwards they saw a new generation of fowls, when, being led with their appet.i.te, they asked delicate meats.

Wis 19:12 For quails came up unto them from the sea for their contentment.

Wis 19:13 And punishments came upon the sinners not without former signs by the force of thunders: for they suffered justly according to their own wickedness, insomuch as they used a more hard and hateful behaviour toward strangers.