which cometh from God; and of their enemies: but God bringset a diadem on thine head of eth them unto thee, exalted the glory of the Everlasting. with glory, as children of the

38 For God will shew thy kingdom, brightness unto every country

42 For God hath appointed under heaven.

that every high hill, and banks 39 For thy name shall be of long continuance, should be called of God for ever, The cast down, and valleys filled up, peace of righteousness, and The to make even the ground, that glory of God's worship. Israel may go safely in the glory

40 Arise, O Jerusalem, and of God. stand on high, and look about 43 Moreover even the woods toward the east, and behold thy and every sweet-smelling tree children gathered from the west shall overshadow Israel by the unto the east by the word of commandment of God. the Holy One, rejoicing in the 44 For God shall lead Israel remembrance of God.

with joy in the light of his glory, 41 For they departed from with the mercy and righteousthee on foot, and were led away ness that cometh from him.

SECTION XX.-Vision of Esdras.

LESSON XLVIII.

be sealed in the feast of the

Lord; O ve heathen, that hear and un- 6 Which are departed from derstand, Look for your Shep- the shadow of the world, and herd, he shall give you ever have received glorious garments lasting rest; for he is nigh at of the Lord. hand, that shall come in the end 7 Take thy number, O Sion, of the world.

and shut up those of thine that 2 Be ready to the reward of are clothed in white, which have the kingdom, for the everlasting fulfilled the law of the Lord. light shall shine upon you for 8 The number of thy chil. evermore.

dren, whom thou longedst for, 3 Flee the shadow of this is fulfilled : beseech the power world, receive the joyfulness of of the Lord, that thy people, your glory: I testify my Saviour which have been called from openly.

the beginning, may be hallowed. 4 O receive the gift that is 9 I, Esdras, saw upon the given you, and be glad, giving mount Sion a great people, thanks unto him that hath call- whom I could not number, and ed you to the heavenly king- they all praised the Lord with dom.

songs. 5 Arise up and stand, be- 10 And in the midst of them hold the number of those that there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, gel, What young person is it and upon every one of their heads that crowneth them, and giveth he set crowns, and was more them palms in their hands? exalted; which I marvelled at 14 So he answered and said greatly.

unto me, It is the Son of God, 11 So I asked the angel, and whom they have confessed in said, Sir, what are these ? the world. Then began I great

12 He answered and said ly to commend them that stood unto me, These be they that so stiffly for the name of the have put off the mortal clothing, Lord. and put on the immortal, and 15 Then the angel said unto have confessed the name of me, Go thy way, and tell my God: now are they crowned, people what manner of things, and receive palms.

and how great wonders of the 13 Then said I unto the an- Lord thy God, thou hast seen.

Section XXI.—Destruction of Babylon.

LESSON XLIX.

9 A fire shall go forth from

his wrath, and who is he that Woe be unto thee, Babylon, may quench it? and Asia ! woe be unto thee, io He shall cast lightnings, Egypt, and Syria!

and who shall not fear? he shall 2 Gird up yourselves with thunder, and who shall not be cloths of sack and hair, bewail afraid ? your children, and be sorry; for 11 The Lord shall threaten, your destruction is at hand. and who shall not be utterly

3 A sword is sent upon you, beaten to powder at his preand who may turn it back ? sence ? 4 A fire is sent among you,

12 The earth quaketh, and and who may quench it ? the foundations thereof; the 5 Plagues are sent unto you,

sea ariseth

up

with waves from and what is he that may drive the deep, and the waves of it are them away?

troubled, and the fishes thereof 6 May any man drive away also, before the Lord, and bean hungry lion in the wood ? fore the glory of his power: or may any one quench the fire 13 For strong is his right. in stubble, when it hath begun hand that bendeth the bow; his to burn?

arrows that he shooteth are 7 May one turn again the sharp, and shall not miss, when arrow that is shot of a strong they begin to be shot into the archer ?

ends of the world. 8 The mighty Lord sendeth 14 Behold, the plagues are the plagues, and who is he that sent, and shall not return again, can drive them away?

until they come upon the earth.

15 The fire is kindled, and is shot of a mighty archer reshall not be put out, till it con- turneth not backward : even so sume the foundation of the the plagues that shall be sent earth.

upon earth shall not return 16 Like as an arrow which again.

Section XXII.--Song of Judith.

a

:

LESSON L.

smite him, nor high giants set

upon him: but Judith, the Then Judith began to sing this daughter of Merari, weakened thanksgiving in all Israel, and him with the beauty of her all the people sang after her this countenance. song of praise.

8 For she put off the gar2 And Judith said, Begin ment of her widowhood for the unto my God with timbrels, exaltation of those that were opsing unto my Lord with cym- pressed in Israel, and anointed bals : tune unto him a new her face with ointment, and psalm : exalt him, and call up- bound her hair in a tire, and on his name.

took a linen garment to deceive 3 For God breaketh the bat- him. tles: for among the camps in

9 Her sandals ravished his the midst of the people he hath eyes, her beauty took his mind delivered me out of the hands prisoner, and the fauchion passof them that persecuted me.

ed through his neck. 4 Assúr came out of the 10 The Persians quaked at mountains from the north; he her boldness, and the Medes came with ten thousands of his were daunted at her hardiarmy, the multitude whereof ness. stopped the torrents, and their 11 Then my afflicted shouted horsemen have covered the for joy, and

my

weak ones cried hills.

aloud; but they were astonished: 5 He bragged that he would these lifted up their voices, but burn up my borders, and kill they were overthrown. my young men with the sword, 12 The sons of the damsels and dash the sucking children have pierced them through, against the ground, and make and wounded them as fugitives' mine infants as a prey, and my children: they perished by the virgins as a spoil.

battle of the Lord. 6 But the Almighty Lord (13 I will sing unto the Lord hath disappointed them by the a new song: O Lord, thou art hand of a woman.

great and glorious, wonderful 7 For the mighty one did in strength, and invincible. not fall by the young men, nei

14 Let all creatures serve ther did the sons of the Titans thee: for thou spakest, and they were made, thou didst send forth yet thou art merciful to them thy spirit, and it created them, that fear thee. and there is none that can re- 16 For all sacrifice is too sist thy voice.

little for a sweet savour unto 15 For the mountains shall thee, and all the fat is not sufbe moved from their foundations ficient for thy burnt offering : with the waters, the rocks shall but he that feareth the Lord is melt as wax at thy presence: great at all times.

SECTION XXIII.-The Origin of Idolatry.

LESSON LI.

7 For being conversant in

his works they search him dili. SURELY vain are all men by na- gently, and believe their sight: ture, who are ignorant of God, because the things are beautiful and could not, out of the good that are seen. things that are seen, know

him 8 Howbeit neither are they that is : neither by considering to be pardoned. the works did they acknowledge 9 For if they were able to the workmaster;

know so much, that they could 2 But deemed either fire, or aim at the world; how did they wind, or the swift air, or the not sooner find out the Lord circle of the stars, or the violent thereof? water, or the lights of heaven, 10 But miserable are they, to be the gods which govern and in dead things is their hope, the world.

who called them gods, which 3 With whose beauty if they are the works of men's hands, being delighted took them to be gold and silver, to shew art in, gods; let them know how much and resemblances of beasts, or better the Lord of them is : for a stone good for nothing, the the first Author of Beauty hath work of an ancient hand. created them.

11 For neither were they 4 But if they were astonished from the beginning, neither at their power and virtue; let shall they be for ever. them understand by them, how 12 For by the vain glory of much mightier he is that made men they entered into the world, them.

and therefore shall they come 5 For by the greatness and shortly to an end. beauty of the creatures pro- 13 For a father afflicted portionably the maker of them with untimely mourning, when is seen.

he hath made an image of his 6 But yet for this they are child soon taken

away, now the less to be blamed: for they honoured him as a god, which peradventure err, seeking God, was then a dead man, and deand desirous to find him.

a

der him ceremonies and sacri. refuse of his work to dress his fices.

meat, hath filled himself; 14 Thus in process of time 22 And taking the very rean ungodly custom grown strong fuse among those which served was kept as a law, and graven to no use, being a crooked piece images were worshiped by the of wood, and full of knots, hath commandments of kings. carved it diligently, when he

15 Whom men could not had nothing else to do, and honour in presence, because formed it by the skill of his they dwelt far off, they took understanding, and fashioned it the counterfeit of his visage to the image of a man ; from far, and made an express

23 Or made it like some vile image of a king whom they ho- beast, laying it over with vernoured, to the end that, by this milion, and with paint colourtheir forwardness, they mighting it red, and covering every fatter him that was absent, as

spot therein: if he were present.

24 And when he had made a 16 Also the singular dili- convenient room for it, set it in gence of the artificer did help a wall, and made it fast with to set forward the ignorant to iron : more superstition.

25 For he provided for it that 17 For he, peradventure it might not fall, knowing that willing to please one in autho- it was unable to help itself; for rity, forced all his skill to make it is an image, and hath need of the resemblance of the best help: fashion.

26 Then maketh he prayer 18 And so the multitude, als for his goods, for his wife and lured by the grace of the work, children, and is not ashamed to took him now for a god, which speak to that which hath no life. a little before was but honoured 27 For health, he calleth up

on that which is weak : for life, 19 And this was an occasion prayeth to that which is dead : to deceive the world : for men, for aid, humbly beseecheth that serving either calamity or ty- which hath least means to help: ranny, did ascribe unto stones and for a good journey, he askand stocks the Incommunicable eth of that which cannot set a Name.

foot forward : 20 Now a carpenter that 28 And for gaining and getfelleth timber, after he hath ting, and for good success of sawn down a tree meet for the his hands, asketh ability to do purpose, and taken off all the of him, that is most unable to bark skilfully round about, and do any thing: hath wrought it handsomely, 29 Again, one preparing and made a vessel thereof fit himself to sail, and about to pass for the service of man's life; through the raging waves, call

21 And after spending the eth upon a piece of wood more

as a man.