the antiquities of the jews-1-第56章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



7。　Let　those　that　live　as　remote　as　the　bounds　of　the　land　which
the　Hebrews　shall　possess；　come　to　that　city　where　the　temple
shall　be；　and　this　three　times　in　a　year；　that　they　may　give
thanks　to　God　for　his　former　benefits；　and　may　entreat　him　for
those　they　shall　want　hereafter；　and　let　them；　by　this　means；
maintain　a　friendly　correspondence　with　one　another　by　such
meetings　and　feastings　together；　for　it　is　a　good　thing　for　those
that　are　of　the　same　stock；　and　under　the　same　institution　of
laws；　not　to　be　unacquainted　with　each　other；　which　acquaintance
will　be　maintained　by　thus　conversing　together；　and　by　seeing　and
talking　with　one　another；　and　so　renewing　the　memorials　of　this
union；　for　if　they　do　not　thus　converse　together　continually；
they　will　appear　like　mere　strangers　to　one　another。

8。　Let　there　be　taken　out　of　your　fruits　a　tenth；　besides　that
which　you　have　allotted　to　give　to　the　priests　and　Levites。　This
you　may　indeed　sell　in　the　country；　but　it　is　to　be　used　in　those
feasts　and　sacrifices　that　are　to　be　celebrated　in　the　holy　city；
for　it　is　fit　that　you　should　enjoy　those　fruits　of　the　earth
which　God　gives　you　to　possess；　so　as　may　be　to　the　honor　of　the
donor。

9。　You　are　not　to　offer　sacrifices　out　of　the　hire　of　a　woman　who
is　a　harlot　（17）　for　the　Deity　is　not　pleased　with　any　thing　that
arises　from　such　abuses　of　nature；　of　which　sort　none　can　be
worse　than　this　prostitution　of　the　body。　In　like　manner　no　one
may　take　the　price　of　the　covering　of　a　bitch；　either　of　one　that
is　used　in　hunting；　or　in　keeping　of　sheep；　and　thence　sacrifice
to　God。

10。　Let　no　one　blaspheme　those　gods　which　other　cities　esteem
such；　（18）　nor　may　any　one　steal　what　belongs　to　strange　temples；
nor　take　away　the　gifts　that　are　dedicated　to　any　god。

11。　Let　not　any　one　of　you　wear　a　garment　made　of　woolen　and
linen；　for　that　is　appointed　to　be　for　the　priests　alone。

12。　When　the　multitude　are　assembled　together　unto　the　holy　city
for　sacrificing　every　seventh　year；　at　the　feast　of　tabernacles；
let　the　high　priest　stand　upon　a　high　desk；　whence　he　may　be
heard；　and　let　him　read　the　laws　to　all　the　people；　and　let
neither　the　women　nor　the　children　be　hindered　from　hearing；　no；
nor　the　servants　neither；　for　it　is　a　good　thing　that　those　laws
should　be　engraven　in　their　souls；　and　preserved　in　their
memories；　that　so　it　may　not　be　possible　to　blot　them　out；　for　by
this　means　they　will　not　be　guilty　of　sin；　when　they　cannot　plead
ignorance　of　what　the　laws　have　enjoined　them。　The　laws　also　will
have　a　greater　authority　among　them；　as　foretelling　what　they
will　suffer　if　they　break　them；　and　imprinting　in　their　souls　by
this　hearing　what　they　command　them　to　do；　that　so　there　may
always　be　within　their　minds　that　intention　of　the　laws　which
they　have　despised　and　broken；　and　have　thereby　been　the　causes
of　their　own　mischief。　Let　the　children　also　learn　the　laws；　as
the　first　thing　they　are　taught；　which　will　be　the　best　thing
they　can　be　taught；　and　will　be　the　cause　of　their　future
felicity。

13。　Let　every　one　commemorate　before　God　the　benefits　which　he
bestowed　upon　them　at　their　deliverance　out　of　the　land　of　Egypt；
and　this　twice　every　day；　both　when　the　day　begins　and　when　the
hour　of　sleep　comes　on；　gratitude　being　in　its　own　nature　a　just
thing；　and　serving　not　only　by　way　of　return　for　past；　but　also
by　way　of　invitation　of　future　favors。　They　are　also　to　inscribe
the　principal　blessings　they　have　received　from　God　upon　their
doors；　and　show　the　same　remembrance　of　them　upon　their　arms；　as
also　they　are　to　bear　on　their　forehead　and　their　arm　those
wonders　which　declare　the　power　of　God；　and　his　good…will　towards
them；　that　God's　readiness　to　bless　them　may　appear　every　where
conspicuous　about　them。　（19）

14。　Let　there　be　seven　men　to　judge　in　every　city；　（20）　and　these
such　as　have　been　before　most　zealous　in　the　exercise　of　virtue
and　righteousness。　Let　every　judge　have　two　officers　allotted　him
out　of　the　tribe　of　Levi。　Let　those　that　are　chosen　to　judge　in
the　several　cities　be　had　in　great　honor；　and　let　none　be
permitted　to　revile　any　others　when　these　are　present；　nor　to
carry　themselves　in　an　insolent　manner　to　them；　it　being　natural
that　reverence　towards　those　in　high　offices　among　men　should
procure　men's　fear　and　reverence　towards　God。　Let　those　that
judge　be　permitted　to　determine　according　as　they　think　to　be
right；　unless　any　one　can　show　that　they　have　taken　bribes；　to
the　perversion　of　justice；　or　can　allege　any　other　accusation
against　them；　whereby　it　may　appear　that　they　have　passed　an
unjust　sentence；　for　it　is　not　fit　that　causes　should　be　openly
determined　out　of　regard　to　gain；　or　to　the　dignity　of　the
suitors；　but　that　the　judges　should　esteem　what　is　right　before
all　other　things；　otherwise　God　will　by　that　means　be　despised；
and　esteemed　inferior　to　those；　the　dread　of　whose　power　has
occasioned　the　unjust　sentence；　for　justice　is　the　power　of　God。
He　therefore　that　gratifies　those　in　great　dignity；　supposes　them
more　potent　than　God　himself。　But　if　these　judges　be　unable　to
give　a　just　sentence　about　the　causes　that　come　before　them；
（which　case　is　not　unfrequent　in　human　affairs；）　let　them　send
the　cause　undetermined　to　the　holy　city；　and　there　let　the　high
priest；　the　prophet；　and　the　sanhedrim；　determine　as　it　shall
seem　good　to　them。

15。　But　let　not　a　single　witness　be　credited；　but　three；　or　two
at　the　least；　and　those　such　whose　testimony　is　confirmed　by
their　good　lives。　But　let　not　the　testimony　of　women　be　admitted；
on　account　of　the　levity　and　boldness　of　their　sex　（21）　Nor　let
servants　be　admitted　to　give　testimony；　on　account　of　the
ignobility　of　their　soul；　since　it　is　probable　that　they　may　not
speak　truth；　either　out　of　hope　of　gain；　or　fear　of　punishment。
But　if　any　one　be　believed　to　have　borne　false　witness；　let　him；
when　he　is　convicted；　suffer　all　the　very　same　punishments　which
he　against　whom　he　bore　witness　was　to　have　suffered。

16。　If　a　murder　be　committed　in　any　place；　and　he　that　did　it　be
not　found；　nor　is　there　any　suspicion　upon　one　as　if　he　had　hated
the　man；　and　so　had　killed　him；　let　there　be　a　very　diligent
inquiry　made　after　the　man；　and　rewards　proposed　to　any　one　who
will　discover　him；　but　if　still　no　information　can　be　procured；
let　the　magistrates　and　senate　of　those　cities　that　lie　near　the
place　in　which　the　murder　was　committed；　assemble　together；　and
measure　the　distance　from　the　place　where　the　dead　body　lies；
then　let　the　magistrates　of　the　nearest　city　thereto　purchase　a
heifer；　and　bring　it　to　a　valley；　and　to　a　place　therein　where
there　is　no　land　ploughed　or　trees　planted；　and　let　them　cut　the
sinews　of　the　heifer；　then　the　priests　and　Levites；　and　the
senate　of　that　city；　shall　take　water　and　wash　their　hands　over
the　head　of　the　heifer；　and　they　shall　openly　declare　that　their
hands　are　innocent　of　this　murder；　and　that　they　have　neither
done　it　themselves；　nor　been　assisting　to　any　that　did　it。　They
shall　also　beseech　God　to　be　merciful　to　them；　that　no　such
horrid　act　may　any　more　be　done　in　that　land。

17。　Aristocracy；　and　the　way　of　living　under　it；　is　the　best
constitution：　and　may　you　never　have　any　inclination　to　any　other
form　of　government；　and　may　you　always　love　that　form；　and　have
the　laws　for　your　governors；　and　govern　all　your　actions
according　to　them；　for　you　need　no　supreme　governor　but　God。　But
if　you　shall　desire　a　king；　let　him　be　one　of　your　own　nation；
let　him　be　always　careful　of　justice　and　other　virtues
perpetually；　let　him　submit　to　the　laws；　and　esteem　God's
commands　to　be　his　highest　wisdom；　but　let　him　do　nothing　without
the　high　priest　and　the　votes　of　the　senators：　let　him　not　have　a
great　number　of　wives；　nor　pursue　after　abundance　of　riches；　nor
a　multitude　of　horses；　whereby　he　may　grow　too　proud　to　submit　to
the　laws。　And　if　he　affect　any　such　things；　let　him　be
restrained；　lest　he　become　so　potent　that　his　state　be
inconsistent　with　your　welfare。

18。　Let　it　not　be　esteemed　lawful　to　remove　boundaries；　neither
our　own；　nor　of　those　with　whom　we　are　at　peace。　Have