16:24 For the creature that serveth thee, who art the Maker increaseth his strength against the unrighteous for their punishment, and abateth his strength for the benefit of such as put their trust in thee. 16:25 Therefore even then was it altered into all fashions, and was obedient to thy grace, that nourisheth all things, according to the desire of them that had need: 16:26 That thy children, O Lord, whom thou lovest, might know, that it is not the growing of fruits that nourisheth man: but that it is thy word, which preserveth them that put their trust in thee. 16:27 For that which was not destroyed of the fire, being warmed with a little sunbeam, soon melted away: 16:28 That it might be known, that we must prevent the sun to give thee thanks, and at the dayspring pray unto thee. 16:29 For the hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter’s hoar frost, and shall run away as unprofitable water. 17:1 For great are thy judgments, and cannot be expressed: therefore unnurtured souls have erred. 17:2 For when unrighteous men thought to oppress the holy nation; they being shut up in their houses, the prisoners of darkness, and fettered with the bonds of a long night, lay [there] exiled from the eternal providence. 17:3 For while they supposed to lie hid in their secret sins, they were scattered under a dark veil of forgetfulness, being horribly astonished, and troubled with [strange] apparitions. 17:4 For neither might the corner that held them keep them from fear: but noises [as of waters] falling down sounded about them, and sad visions appeared unto them with heavy countenances. 17:5 No power of the fire might give them light: neither could the bright flames of the stars endure to lighten that horrible night. 17:6 Only there appeared unto them a fire kindled of itself, very dreadful: for being much terrified, they thought the things which they saw to be worse than the sight they saw not. 17:7 As for the illusions of art magick, they were put down, and their vaunting in wisdom was reproved with disgrace. 17:8 For they, that promised to drive away terrors and troubles from a sick soul, were sick themselves of fear, worthy to be laughed at. 17:9 For though no terrible thing did fear them; yet being scared with beasts that passed by, and hissing of serpents, 17:10 They died for fear, denying that they saw the air, which could of no side be avoided. 17:11 For wickedness, condemned by her own witness, is very timorous, and being pressed with conscience, always forecasteth grievous things. 17:12 For fear is nothing else but a betraying of the succours which reason offereth. 17:13 And the expectation from within, being less, counteth the ignorance more than the cause which bringeth the torment. 17:14 But they sleeping the same sleep that night, which was indeed intolerable, and which came upon them out of the bottoms of inevitable hell,