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Apocrypha. one moment the noblest offspring of them was destroyed.

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 God.

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

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,

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.

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

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

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

Yea, the tasting of death touched the righteous also, and there was a destruction of the multitude in the wilderness: but the wrath endured not long.

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.

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.

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.

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 diadem of his head.

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

As for the ungodly, wrath came upon them without mercy unto the end: for he knew before what they would do;

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

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.

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 fulfill the punishment which was wanting to their torments:

And that thy people might pass a wonderful way: but they might find a strange death.

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:

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:

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

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

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 multitude of frogs instead of fishes.

But afterwards they saw a new generation of fowls, when, being led with their appetite, they asked delicate meats.

For quails came up unto them from the sea for their contentment.

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.

For the Sodomites did not receive those, whom they knew not when they came: but these brought friends into bondage, that had well deserved of them.