XIV. Again, one preparing himself to sail, and about to pass through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more rotten than the * vessel that carrieth him. 2 For verily desire of gain devised * that, and the workman built it by his skill. 3 But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou ahast made a way in the sea, and a safe path in the waves; 4 shewing that thou canst save from all danger: yea, though a man went to sea without art. 5 Nevertheless thou wouldest not that the works of thy wisdom should be idle, and therefore do men commit their lives to a small piece of wood, and passing the rough sea bin a weak vessel are saved. 6 For in the old time also, cwhen the proud giants perished, the hope of the world governed by thy hand escaped in a weak vessel, and left to all ages a seed of generation. 7 For blessed is dthe wood whereby righteousness cometh. 8 But that which is made with hands is cursed, eas well it, as he that made it: he, because he made it; and it, because, being corruptible, it was called god. 9 For fthe ungodly and his ungodliness are both alike hateful unto God. 10 For that which is made shall be punished together with him that made it. 11 Therefore geven * upon the idols of the Gentiles shall there be a hvisitation: because in the creature of God they are become an abomination, and * istumblingblocks to the souls of men, and a * isnare to the feet of the unwise. 12 jFor the kdevising of idols was the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the invention of them the corruption of life. 13 For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever.

14 For by the vain glory of men they entered into the world, and therefore shall they come shortly to an end. 15 For a father afflicted with untimely mourning, when he hath made an image of his child soon taken away, now honoured him as a god, which was then a dead man, and delivered to those that were under him lceremonies and lsacrifices. 16 Thus * in process of time an ungodly custom grown strong was kept as a law, and graven images were worshipped by the commandments of * kings. 17 Whom men could not honour * in presence, because they dwelt far off, they took the counterfeit of his visage from far, and made an express image of a king whom they honoured, to the end that by this their mforwardness they might flatter him that was absent, as if he were present. 18 Also the singular diligence of the artificer did help to set forward the ignorant to more nsuperstition. 19 For he, peradventure willing to please one in authority, forced all his skill to make the resemblance * of the best fashion. 20 And so the multitude, allured by the grace of the work, took him now for a ogod, which a little before was but honoured as a man. 21 And this was pan occasion to deceive the world: for men, serving either calamity or tyranny, did ascribe unto stones and stocks qthe incommunicable * name.

22 Moreover this was not enough for them, that they erred in the knowledge of God; but whereas they lived in the great war of ignorance, those so great plagues called they peace. 23 For whilst rthey slew their children in lsacrifices, or used secret lceremonies, or made srevellings of strange rites; 24 they kept neither lives nor marriages any longer undefiled: but either one slew another traiterously, or grieved him by adultery. 25 tSo that there reigned in all men * without exception blood, manslaughter, theft, and dissimulation, corruption, unfaithfulness, tumults, perjury, 26 disquieting of good men, uforgetfulness of good turns, defiling of souls, changing of * kind, disorder in marriages, vadultery, and wshameless uncleanness. 27 xFor the nworshipping of idols * not to be named is the beginning, the cause, and the end, of all evil. 28 For either they are mad when they be merry, or yprophesy lies, or live unjustly, or else lightly forswear themselves. 29 For zinsomuch as their trust is in idols, which have no life; though they swear falsely, yet they look not to be hurt. 30 Howbeit for both causes shall they be justly punished: both because they thought not well of God, * giving heed unto idols, and also unjustly swore in deceit, despising holiness. 31 For it is not the power of them by whom they swear: but it is the just vengeance of sinners, that punisheth always the offence of the ungodly.