¶ The punyshment of Idolatrers, and the benefytes done vnto the faythfull,
CAPI. XVI.
FOr these and suche other thynges haue [unspec A] they suffred worthy punyshement and thorowe the multytude of beastes are they ro¦ted out. In steade of the whiche punyshmen¦tes thou hast gracyously ordred thyne owne people / and geuen their desyre that they lon∣ged for: a newe and straunge tayst, prepa∣rynge them quales to be theyr meate: to the intent that (by the thynges which were shew¦ed and sent vnto them) they that were so gre¦dy of meate / myght be withdrawen euen frō the desyre that was necessary. But these with in shorce tyme were brought vnto pouertye / and tasted a newe meate. For it was re∣quysite that (without any excuse) destruccion shulde come vpon those which vsed tyranny, and to shewe onely vnto the other, how their enemyes were destroyed. ‡ For when the cru¦el woodnesse of the beastes came vpon them, they peryshed thorow the stinges of the cruel Serpentes.
Notwithstandynge, thy wrath endured [unspec B] not perpetually / but they were put in feare for a lytle season / that they myght be refour∣med, hauyng a token of saluacyon, to remē∣bre the commaundemēt of thy lawe. For he that cōuerted / was not healed by the thynge y• he sawe / but by the / O sauiour of all. So in this thou shewedst thyne enemyes / that it is thou / which deliuered trō all euyll. As for them whē they were byttē▪ wt greshoppers and flyes, they dyed / for they were worthy to perysh by such: But neyther y• teth of dra∣gōs nor of venimous wormes ouercame thy chyldrē, for thy mercy was euer by thē & hel∣ped thē. Therfore were they punyshed to re∣mēbre thy wordes, but hastely were they hea¦led agayn / lest they shuld fal into so depe for∣getfulnes, y• they myght not vse thy helpe.
It was nether herbe nor playster that re∣stored thē to the helth / but thy word (O lord) [unspec C] which healeth all thynges. It is yu (O Lord) that hast the power of lyfe and death ‡ : thou ledest vnto deathes dore / and bryngest vp agayne. But mā thorow wickednes slayeth his owne soule, and when hys sprete goeth forth / it turneth not agayne, neyther may he call agayne the soule that is taken awaye: It is not possyble to eskape thy hande. For the vngodly that wolde not knowe y• / were punyshed by y• strength of thyne arme: wyth straunge waters / hayles and raynes were they persecuted, and thorowe fyre were they consumed. For it was a wonderous thynge that fyre myght do more then water whiche quencheth all thynges: but the worlde is the auenger of the ryghtuous. Somtyme was the fyre so tame / that the beastes which were sent to punysh the vngodly, brente not: and that because they shulde se and knowe / that they were persecuted with the punyshmente of God. And some tyme brent the fyre in the [unspec D] water on euery syde, that it myght destroye y• vnrightuous nacion of the earth. ‡ Againe thou haste fed thyne owne people wt Angels fode, and sent the breade redy from Heauen (without their laboure) beynge very plea∣saunt and of good tast. And to shewe thy ry∣ches & swetenesse vnto thy chyldren, thou ga¦uest euery one theyr desyre, so that euery mā myght take what lyked hym best. But the snowe and yse abode the vyolence of the fyre & melted not: that they myght knowe / that the fyre burnyng in the hayle and rayne / de∣stroyed the frute of the enemyes: the fyre al∣so forgat his strength agayne / that the rygh tuous myght be noryshed. For the creature that serueth the (whiche art the maker) is fe∣arse in punyshyng y• vnryghtuous, but is ea¦sy & gētle to do good / vnto suche as put their trust in the. Therfore dyd all thynges alter [unspec E] at the same tyme / and were all obedient vn∣to thy grace, whiche is the nurse of all thyn∣ges, accordynge to the desyre of them that had nede therof: that thy chyldren (O Lord) whō thou louest, myght knowe, that it is not nature and the growynge of frutes that fedeth men, but that it is thy worde, whiche preserueth them that put theyr truste in the.