| Nevertheless thy saints had a very great light ( and their enemies heard their voice, but they saw not the figure of them ) And because they suffered not the same things, they magnified thee: and they that were vexed afore ( because they were not hurt now ) thanked thee, and besought thee ( O' God ) that there might be a difference. Therefore had they a burning pilar of fire to lead them in the unknown ways and thou gavest them the Sun for a free gift without any hurt. Reason was, that they should want light and be put in prison of darkness, which kept thy children in captivity, by whom the uncorrupt light of the law of the world was for to be given. When they thought to slay the babes of the righteous ( one being layed out, and preserved to be led unto the other ) thou broughtest out the whole multitude of the children, and destroyest these in the mighty water. Of that night were our fathers certified afore, that they knowing unto what oaths they had given credence, might be of good cheer. Thus thy people received the health of the righteous, but the ungodly were destroyed. For like as thou hast hurt our enemies, so hast thou promised us whom thou callest afore. For the righteous children of the good men offered secretly and ordered the law of righteousness unto unite: that the just should receive good and evil in like manner, singing praises unto the father of all men. Again there was heard an unconvenient voice of the enemies, and a piteous cry for children that were bewailed. The master and the servant were punished in like manner. For they all together had innumerable that died one death. Neither were the living sufficient to bury the dead, for in the twinkling of an eye, the noblest nation of them was destroyed. As often as God helped them before, yet would it not make them believe: but in the destruction of the first born they knowledged, that it was the people of God. For while all things were still, and when the night was in the midst of her course, thy Allmighty word ( O' Lord ) leaped down from heaven out of thy royal throne, as a rough man of war, in the midst of the land that was destroyed: and the sharp sword performed their straight commandment, standing and filling all things with death: yee it stood upon the earth and reached unto heaven. Then the sight of the evil dreams vexed them suddenly, and fearfulness came upon them unawares.
Then lay there one here, another there, half dead and half quick, and showed the cause of his death. For the visions that vexed them, showed them these things afore: so they were not ignorant, wherefore they perished.
The *tentacion of death touched the righteous also, and among the multitude in the wilderness there was insurrection, but thy wrath endured not long. For the faultless man went in all the haste, and took the battle upon him, brought forth the weapon of his ministration: even prayer and censors of reconciling: set himself against the wrath, and so brought the misery to an end: declaring thereby, that he was thy servant. For he overcame not the multitude with bodily power, ner with weapons of might: but with the word he subdued him that vexed him, putting thee in remembrance of the oath and covenant made unto the fathers. For when the dead were fallen down by heaps one upon another, he stood in the midst, pacified the wrath, and parted the way unto the living. And why? in his long garment was all the beauty, and in the four rows of the stones was the glory of the fathers graven, and thy majesty was written in the crown of his head. Unto these the destroyer gave place, and was afraid of them: for it was only a *tentacion worthy of wrath. |
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