XLIX. The remembrance of aJosias is like bthe composition of the perfume

That is made by the art of the apothecary:

It is sweet as honey in all mouths,

And as cmusick at a banquet of wine.

2  He * behaved himself uprightly in the conversion of the people,

And dtook away the abominations of iniquity.

3  eHe directed his heart unto the Lord,

And in the time of the ungodly he established the worship of God.

4  All, except David and Ezekias and Josias, were defective:

For they forsook the law of the most High,

Even the kings of Judah failed.

5  Therefore fhe gave their * power unto others,

And their glory to a strange nation.

6  gThey burnt the chosen city of the sanctuary,

And made the streets desolate, * haccording to the prophecy of Jeremias.

7  For ithey entreated him evil,

Who nevertheless was a prophet, ksanctified in his mother’s womb,

lThat he might root out, and afflict, and destroy;

And lthat he might build up also, and plant.

8  It was mEzekiel who saw the glorious vision,

Which was shewed him upon nthe chariot of the cherubims.

9  For he made mention of the oenemies under the figure of the rain,

And * directed them that went right.

10  And of pthe twelve prophets qlet the memorial be blessed,

And rlet their bones flourish again out of their place:

For they comforted Jacob,

And delivered them by assured hope.

11  How shall we magnify sZorobabel?

Even he was tas a signet on the right hand:

12  So was uJesus the son of Josedec:

Who in their time builded the house,

And set up a holy temple to the Lord,

Which was prepared for everlasting glory.

13  And among the velect was Neemias,

Whose renown is great,

wWho raised up for us the walls that were fallen,

And set up the gates and the bars,

And raised up our ruins again.

14  But upon the earth was no man created like xEnoch;

For he was taken from the earth.

15  Neither was there a man born like unto yJoseph,

zA governor of his brethren, aa stay of the people,

bWhose bones were regarded of the Lord.

16  cSem and dSeth were in great honour among men,

And so was eAdam above every living thing in the creation.