Wisdom:19

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* 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 fulfil 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 . * And not only so , but peradventure some respect shall be had of those , because they used strangers not friendly : * But these very grievously afflicted them , whom they had received with feastings , and were already made partakers of the same laws with them . * Therefore even with blindness were these stricken , as those were at the doors of the righteous man : when , being compassed about with horrible great darkness , every one sought the passage of his own doors . * For the elements were changed in themselves by a kind of harmony , like as in a psaltery notes change the name of the tune , and yet are always sounds ; which may well be perceived by the sight of the things that have been done . * For earthly things were turned into watery , and the things , that before swam in the water , now went upon the ground . * The fire had power in the water , forgetting his own virtue : and the water forgat his own quenching nature . * On the other side , the flames wasted not the flesh of the corruptible living things , though they walked therein ; neither melted they the icy kind of heavenly meat that was of nature apt to melt . * For in all things , O Lord , thou didst magnify thy people , and glorify them , neither didst thou lightly regard them : but didst assist them in every time and place .

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