the antiquities of the jews-1- 第44部分

The　Polity　Settled　By　Moses；　And　How　He　Disappeared　From　Among
Mankind。

1。　When　forty　years　were　completed；　within　thirty　days；　Moses
gathered　the　congregation　together　near　Jordan；　where　the　city
Abila　now　stands；　a　place　full　of　palm…trees；　and　all　the　people
being　come　together；　he　spake　thus　to　them：　…　

2。　〃O　you　Israelites　and　fellow　soldiers；　who　have　been　partners
with　me　in　this　long　and　uneasy　journey；　since　it　is　now　the　will
of　God；　and　the　course　of　old　age；　at　a　hundred　and　twenty；
requires　it　that　I　should　depart　out　of　this　life；　and　since　God
has　forbidden　me　to　be　a　patron　or　an　assistant　to　you　in　what
remains　to　be　done　beyond　Jordan；　I　thought　it　reasonable　not　to
leave　off　my　endeavors　even　now　for　your　happiness；　but　to　do　my
utmost　to　procure　for　you　the　eternal　enjoyment　of　good　things；
and　a　memorial　for　myself；　when　you　shall　be　in　the　fruition　of
great　plenty　and　prosperity。　Come；　therefore；　let　me　suggest　to
you　by　what　means　you　may　he　happy；　and　may　leave　an　eternal
prosperous　possession　thereof　to　your　children　after　you；　and
then　let　me　thus　go　out　of　the　world；　and　I　cannot　but　deserve　to
be　believed　by　you；　both　on　account　of　the　great　things　I　have
already　done　for　you；　and　because；　when　souls　are　about　to　leave
the　body；　they　speak　with　the　sincerest　freedom。　O　children　of
Israel！　there　is　but　one　source　of　happiness　for　all　mankind；　the
favor　of　God　（15）　for　he　alone　is　able　to　give　good　things　to
those　that　deserve　them；　and　to　deprive　those　of　them　that　sin
against　him；　towards　whom；　if　you　behave　yourselves　according　to
his　will；　and　according　to　what　I；　who　well　understand　his　mind；
do　exhort　you　to；　you　will　both　be　esteemed　blessed；　and　will　be
admired　by　all　men；　and　will　never　come　into　misfortunes；　nor
cease　to　be　happy：　you　will　then　preserve　the　possession　of　the
good　things　you　already　have；　and　will　quickly　obtain　those　that
you　are　at　present　in　want　of；　…　only　do　you　be　obedient　to　those
whom　God　would　have　you　to　follow。　Nor　do　you　prefer　any　other
constitution　of　government　before　the　laws　now　given　you；　neither
do　you　disregard　that　way　of　Divine　worship　which　you　now　have；
nor　change　it　for　any　other　form：　and　if　you　do　this；　you　will　be
the　most　courageous　of　all　men；　in　undergoing　the　fatigues　of
war；　and　will　not　be　easily　conquered　by　any　of　your　enemies；　for
while　God　is　present　with　you　to　assist　you；　it　is　to　be　expected
that　you　will　be　able　to　despise　the　opposition　of　all　mankind；
and　great　rewards　of　virtue　are　proposed　for　you；　if　you　preserve
that　virtue　through　your　whole　lives。　Virtue　itself　is　indeed　the
principal　and　the　first　reward；　and　after　that　it　bestows
abundance　of　others；　so　that　your　exercise　of　virtue　towards
other　men　will　make　your　own　lives　happy；　and　render　you　more
glorious　than　foreigners　can　be；　and　procure　you　an　undisputed
reputation　with　posterity。　These　blessings　you　will　be　able　to
obtain；　in　case　you　hearken　to　and　observe　those　laws　which；　by
Divine　revelation；　I　have　ordained　for　you；　that　is；　in　case　you
withal　meditate　upon　the　wisdom　that　is　in　them。　I　am　going　from
you　myself；　rejoicing　in　the　good　things　you　enjoy；　and　I
recommend　you　to　the　wise　conduct　of　your　law；　to　the　becoming
order　of　your　polity；　and　to　the　virtues　of　your　commanders；　who
will　take　care　of　what　is　for　your　advantage。　And　that　God；　who
has　been　till　now　your　Leader；　and　by　whose　goodwill　I　have
myself　been　useful　to　you；　will　not　put　a　period　now　to　his
providence　over　you；　but　as　long　as　you　desire　to　have　him　your
Protector　in　your　pursuits　after　virtue；　so　long　will　you　enjoy
his　care　over　you。　Your　high　priest　also　Eleazar；　as　well　as
Joshua；　with　the　senate；　and　chief　of　your　tribes；　will　go　before
you；　and　suggest　the　best　advices　to　you；　by　following　which
advices　you　will　continue　to　be　happy：　to　whom　do　you　give　ear
without　reluctance；　as　sensible　that　all　such　as　know　well　how　to
be　governed；　will　also　know　how　to　govern；　if　they　be　promoted　to
that　authority　themselves。　And　do　not　you　esteem　liberty　to
consist　in　opposing　such　directions　as　your　governors　think　fit
to　give　you　for　your　practice；　…　as　at　present　indeed　you　place
your　liberty　in　nothing　else　but　abusing　your　benefactors；　which
error　if　you　can　avoid　for　the　time　to　come；　your　affairs　will　be
in　a　better　condition　than　they　have　hitherto　been。　Nor　do　you
ever　indulge　such　a　degree　of　passion　in　these　matters；　as　you
have　oftentimes　done　when　you　have　been　very　angry　at　me；　for　you
know　that　I　have　been　oftener　in　danger　of　death　from　you　than
from　our　enemies。　What　I　now　put　you　in　mind　of；　is　not　done　in
order　to　reproach　you；　for　I　do　not　think　it　proper；　now　I　am
going　out　of　the　world；　to　bring　this　to　your　remembrance；　in
order　to　leave　you　offended　at　me；　since；　at　the　time　when　I
underwent　those　hardships　from　you；　I　was　not　angry　at　you；　but　I
do　it　in　order　to　make　you　wiser　hereafter；　and　to　teach　you　that
this　will　be　for　your　security；　I　mean；　that　you　never　be
injurious　to　those　that　preside　over　you；　even　when　you　are
become　rich；　as　you　will　he　to　a　great　degree　when　you　have
passed　over　Jordan；　and　are　in　possession　of　the　land　of　Canaan。
Since；　when　you　shall　have　once　proceeded　so　far　by　your　wealth；
as　to　a　contempt　and　disregard　of　virtue；　you　will　also　forfeit
the　favor　of　God；　and　when　you　have　made　him　your　enemy；　you　will
be　beaten　in　war；　and　will　have　the　land　which　you　possess　taken
away　again　from　you　by　your　enemies；　and　this　with　great
reproaches　upon　your　conduct。　You　will　be　scattered　over　the
whole　world；　and　will；　as　slaves；　entirely　fill　both　sea　and
land；　and　when　once　you　have　had　the　experience　of　what　I　now
say；　you　will　repent；　and　remember　the　laws　you　have　broken；　when
it　is　too　late。　Whence　I　would　advise　you；　if　you　intend　to
preserve　these　laws；　to　leave　none　of　your　enemies　alive　when　you
have　conquered　them；　but　to　look　upon　it　as　for　your　advantage　to
destroy　them　all；　lest；　if　you　permit　them　to　live；　you　taste　of
their　manners；　and　thereby　corrupt　your　own　proper　institutions。
I　also　do　further　exhort　you；　to　overthrow　their　altars；　and
their　groves；　and　whatsoever　temples　they　have　among　them；　and　to
burn　all　such；　their　nation；　and　their　very　memory　with　fire；　for
by　this　means　alone　the　safety　of　your　own　happy　constitution　can
be　firmly　secured　to　you。　And　in　order　to　prevent　your　ignorance
of　virtue；　and　the　degeneracy　of　your　nature　into　vice；　I　have
also　ordained　you　laws；　by　Divine　suggestion；　and　a　form　of
government；　which　are　so　good；　that　if　you　regularly　observe
them；　you　will　be　esteemed　of　all　men　the　most　happy。〃

3。　When　he　had　spoken　thus；　he　gave　them　the　laws　and　the
constitution　of　government　written　in　a　book。　Upon　which　the
people　fell　into　tears；　and　appeared　already　touched　with　the
sense　that　they　should　have　a　great　want　of　their　conductor；
because　they　remembered　what　a　number　of　dangers　he　had　passed
through；　and　what　care　he　had　taken　of　their　preservation：　they
desponded　about　what　would　come　upon　them　after　he　was　dead；　and
thought　they　should　never　have　another　governor　like　him；　and
feared　that　God　would　then　take　less　care　of　them　when　Moses　was
gone；　who　used　to　intercede　for　them。　They　also　repented　of　what
they　had　said　to　him　in　the　wilderness　when　they　were　angry；　and
were　in　grief　on　those　accounts；　insomuch　that　the　whole　body　of
the　people　fell　into　tears　with　such　bitterness；　that　it　was　past
the　power　of　words　to　comfort　them　in　their　affliction。　However；
Moses　gave　them　some　consolation；　and　by　calling　them　off　the
thought　how　worthy　he　was　of　their　weeping　for　him；　he　exhorted
them　to　keep　to　that　form　of　government　he　had　given　them；　and
then　the　congregation　was　dissolved　at　that　time。

4。　Accordingly；　I　shall　now　first　describe　this　form　of
government　which　was　agreeable　to　the　dignity　and　virtue　of
Moses；　and　shall　thereby　inform　those　that　read　these
Antiquities；　what　our　original　settlements　were；　and　shall　then
proceed　to　the　remaining　histories。　Now　those　settlements　are　all
still　in　writing；　as　he　left　them；　and　we　shall　add　nothing　by
way　of　ornament；　nor　any　thing　besides　what　Moses　left　us；　only
we　shall　so　far　innovate；　as　to　digest　the　several　kinds　of　laws
into　a　regular　system；　for　they　were　by　him　left　in　writing　as
they　were　accidentally　scattered　in　their　delivery；　and　as　he
upon　inquiry　had　learned　them　of　God。　On　which　account　I　have
thought　it　necessary　to　premise　this　observation　beforehand；　lest
any　of　my　own　countrymen　should　blame　me；　as　having　been　guilty
of　an　offense　herein。　Now　part　of　our　constitution　will　include
the　laws　that　belong　to　our　political　state。　As　for　those　laws
which　Moses　left　concerning　our　common　conversation　and
intercourse　one　with　another；　I　have　reserved　that　for　a
discourse　concerning　our　manner　of　life；　and　the　occasions　of
those　laws；　which　I　propose　to　myself；　with　God's　assistance；　to
write；　after　I　have　finished　the　work　I　am　now　upon。

5。　When　you　have　possessed　yourselves　of　the　land　of　Canaan；　and
have　leisure　to　enjoy　the　good　things　of　it；　and　when　you　have
afterward　determined　to　build　cities；　if　you　will　do　what　is
pleasing　to　God；　you　will　have　a　secure　state　of　happiness。　Let
there　be　then　one　city　of　the　land　of　Canaan；　and　this　situate　in
the　most　agreeable　place　for　its　goodness；　and　very　eminent　in
itself；　and　let　it　be　that　which　God　shall　choose　for　himself　by
prophetic　revelation。　Let　there　also　be　one　temple　therein；　and
one　altar；　not　reared　of　hewn　stones；　but　of　such　as　you　gather
together　at　random；　which　stones；　when　they　are　whited　over　with
mortar；　will　have　a　handsome　appearance；　and　be　beautiful　to　the
sight。　Let　the　ascent　to　it　be　not　by　steps　（16）　but　by　an
acclivity　of　raised　earth。　And　let　there　be　neither　an　altar　nor
a　temple　in　any　other　city；　for　God　is　but　one；　and　the　nation　of
the　Hebrews　is　but　one。

6。　He　that　blasphemeth　God；　let　him　be　stoned；　and　let　him　hang
upon　a　tree　all　that　day；　and　then　let　him　be　buried　in　an
ignominious　and　obscure　manner。

7。　Let　those　that　live　as　remote　as　the　bounds　of　the　land　which
the　Hebrews　s