TESTIMONIES AGAINST THE JEWS. 99 TESTIMONIES. 1. That ChrististheFirst-born,and thatHe istheWisdom of God, by whom allthingswere made. In Solomon in the Proverbs: " The Lord establishedme in the beginning of His ways, into His works : before the world He founded me. In the beginning,beforeHe made the earth,and before He appointedthe abysses,before the fountainsof watersgushed forth,beforethe mountains were settled,before allthe hills,the Lord begot me. He made the countries,and the uninhabitableplaces,and the unin habitablebounds under heaven. When He prepared the heaven, I was presentwith Him ; and when He setapartHis seat. When He made the strongcloudsabove thewinds,and when He placed the strengthenedfountainsunder heaven, when He made themighty foundationsof the earth,I was by His side,orderingthem : I was He in whom He delighted: moreover,I dailyrejoicedbefore His facein alltime,when He rejoicedin the perfectedearth."1 Also in the same in Ecclesiasticus: " I went forthout of the mouth of the Most High, first-bornbeforeevery creature: I made the unweary ing lighttoriseinthe heavens,and I coveredthewhole earth with a cloud: I dwelt in the high places,and my throne in the pillarof the cloud: I compassed thecircleof heaven,and I penetratedintothe depth of the abyss,and I walked on the waves of the sea,and I stood in allthe earth; and in every • peopleand in every nation I had the pre-eminence,and by my own strengthI have trodden the heartsof allthe excel lent and the humble : in me is allhope of lifeand virtue: pass over to me, allye who desireme."2 Also in the eighty- eighth Psalm : " And I will establishHim as my first born, the highestamong the kingsof the earth. I willkeep my mercy for Him for ever,and my faithfulcovenant for Him ; and I will establishhis seed for ever and ever. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judg ments ; if they profane my judgments,and do not observe my precepts,I willvisittheirwickednesseswith a rod,and 1 Prov.viii.22-31. 3 Ecclus.xxiv.3-7.