Глава 17

  • 1. For great are thy Iudgements, and cannot be expressed: therefore vnnourtured soules haue erred.
  • 2. For when vnrighteous men thought to oppresse the holy nation: they being shut vp in their houses, the prisoners of darkenesse, and fettered with the bondes of a long night, lay exiled from the eternall prouidence.
  • 3. For while they supposed to lie hid in their secret sinnes, they were scattered vnder a darke vaile of forgetfulnesse, being horribly astonished, and troubled with (strange) apparitions.
  • 4. For neither might the corner that helde them keepe them from feare: but noises (as of waters) falling downe, sounded about them, and sadde visions appeared vnto them with heauie countenances.
  • 5. No power of the fire might giue them light: neither could the bright flames of the starres endure to lighten that horrible night.
  • 6. Onely there appeared vnto them a fire kindled of it selfe, very dreadfull: for being much terrified, they thought the things which they saw to be worse then the sight they saw not.
  • 7. As for the illusions of arte Magicke, they were put downe, and their vaunting in wisedome was reprooued with disgrace.
  • 8. For they that promised to driue away terrours, and troubles from a sicke soule, were sicke themselues of feare worthy to be laughed at.
  • 9. For though no terrible thing did feare them: yet being skared with beasts that passed by, and hissing of serpents,
  • 10. They died for feare, denying that they saw the ayre, which could of no side be auoided.
  • 11. For wickednesse condemned by her owne witnesse, is very timorous, and being pressed with conscience, alwayes forecasteth grieuous things.
  • 12. For feare is nothing else, but a betraying of the succours which reason offereth.
  • 13. And the expectation from within being lesse, counteth the ignorance more then the cause which bringeth the torment.
  • 14. But they sleeping the same sleepe that night which was indeed intolerable, and which came vpon them out of the bottomes of ineuitable hell:
  • 15. Were partly vexed with monstrous apparitions, and partly fainted, their heart failing them: for a suddaine feare and not looked for, came vpon them.
  • 16. So then, whosoeuer there fell downe, was straitly kept, shut vp in a prison without yron barres.
  • 17. For whether hee were husbandman, or shepheard, or a labourer in the field, he was ouertaken, and endured that necessitie, which could not be auoided: for they were all bound with one chaine of darkenesse.
  • 18. Whether it were a whistling winde, or a melodious noise of birdes among the spreading branches, or a pleasing fall of water running violently:
  • 19. Or a terrible sound of stones cast downe, or a running that could not be seene of skipping beasts, or a roaring voice of most sauage wilde beasts, or a rebounding Eccho from the hollow mountaines: these things made them to swoone for feare.
  • 20. For the whole world shined with cleare light, and none were hindered in their labour.
  • 21. Ouer them onely was spread an heauie night, an image of that darkenesse which should afterwards receiue them: but yet were they vnto themselues more grieuous then the darkenesse.