CHAP. XVII.
The iudgements of God against the wicked.
1 FOr thy iudgements are great, and can not be expressed: therefore men do erre, that wil not be reformed.
2 For when the vnrighteous thoght to haue thine holie people in subiection, thei were bounde with the bands of darkenes, and long night, and being shut vp vnder the rofe did lie there to escape the euerlasting pro∣uidence.
3 And while they thoght to be hid in their dar ke sinnes, thei were scattered abroad in the darke couering of forgetfulnes, fearing hor ribly and troubled with visions.
4 For the denne that hid them, kept them not from feare: but the soundes that were about them, troubled them, and terrible visions ād sorowful sights did appeare.
5 No power of the fyre might giue light, ne∣ther might the clere flames of the starres ligh ten the horrible night.
6 For there appeared vnto them onely a sud∣den fyre, verie dredful: so that being afraied of this vision,“ which they colde not se, they thoght the things, which they sawe, to be worse.
7 * And the illusions of the magical artes were broght downe, and it was a moste shameful reproche for the boasting of their know∣ledge.
8 For they that promised to driue away feare and trouble from the sicke persone, were sic ke for feare, and worthie to be laughedat.
9 And thogh no feareful thing did feare them yet were they afraied at the beastes which passed by them, and at the hyssing of the ser pents: so that thei dyed for feare, and said they sawe not the ayre, which by no mea∣nes can be auoided.
10 For it is a feareful thing, whē malice is con demned by her owne testimonie: and a con∣science that is touched, doeth euer forecast cruel things.
11 For feare is nothing els, but a betraying of the succours, which reason offreth.
12 And the lesse that the hope is within, the more doeth he esteme the ignorance of the thing, that tormenteth him, great.
13 But they that did endure the night that was intollerable, and that came out of the dun∣geon of hell, which is insupportable, slept the same slepe,
14 And sometimes were troubled with mon∣struous visions, and some time they sowned, as thogh their owne soule shulde betray thē: for a sudden feare not loked for, came vpon them.
15 And thus, whosoeuer fel downe, he was kept and shut in prison, but without chaines.
16 For whether he was an housband man, or a shepherd, or one that was set to worke alone if he were taken, he must suffer this necessi∣tie, that he colde not auoide:
17 [For with one chaine of darkenes were they all bounde] whether it were an hyssing win de, or a swete song of the birds among the thicke branches of the trees, or the vehe∣mencie of hastie running water,
18 Or a great noyce of the falling downe of stones, or the running of skipping beastes, that colde not be sene, or the noyce of cruel beastes that roared, or the“ sounde that ans∣wereth againe in the holow mountaines: the se feareful things made them to swone.
19 For all the worlde shined with clere light, and no man was hindred in his labour.
20 Onely vpon them there fel an heauie night, an image of that darkenes that was to come vpon them: yea, they were vnto them selues more grieuous then darkenes.