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[18]
But because almost all our constitution depends on the wisdom of
Moses, our legislator, I cannot avoid saying somewhat concerning him beforehand,
though I shall do it briefly; I mean, because otherwise those that read
my book may wonder how it comes to pass, that my discourse, which promises
an account of laws and historical facts, contains so much of philosophy.
The reader is therefore to know, that Moses deemed it exceeding necessary,
that he who would conduct his own life well, and give laws to others, in
the first place should consider the Divine nature; and, upon the contemplation
of God's operations, should thereby imitate the best of all patterns, so
far as it is possible for human nature to do, and to endeavor to follow
after it: neither could the legislator himself have a right mind without
such a contemplation; nor would any thing he should write tend to the promotion
of virtue in his readers; I mean, unless they be taught first of all, that
God is the Father and Lord of all things, and sees all things, and that
thence he bestows a happy life upon those that follow him; but plunges
such as do not walk in the paths of virtue into inevitable miseries. Now
when Moses was desirous to teach this lesson to his countrymen, he did
not begin the establishment of his laws after the same manner that other
legislators did; I mean, upon contracts and other rights between one man
and another, but by raising their minds upwards to regard God, and his
creation of the world; and by persuading them, that we men are the most
excellent of the creatures of God upon earth. Now when once he had brought
them to submit to religion, he easily persuaded them to submit in all other
things: for as to other legislators, they followed fables, and by their
discourses transferred the most reproachful of human vices unto the gods,
and afforded wicked men the most plausible excuses for their crimes; but
as for our legislator, when he had once demonstrated that God was possessed
of perfect virtue, he supposed that men also ought to strive after the
participation of it; and on those who did not so think, and so believe,
he inflicted the severest punishments. I exhort, therefore, my readers
to examine this whole undertaking in that view; for thereby it will appear
to them, that there is nothing therein disagreeable either to the majesty
of God, or to his love to mankind; for all things have here a reference
to the nature of the universe; while our legislator speaks some things
wisely, but enigmatically, and others under a decent allegory, but still
explains such things as required a direct explication plainly and expressly.
However, those that have a mind to know the reasons of every thing, may
find here a very curious philosophical theory, which I now indeed shall
wave the explication of; but if God afford me time for it, I will set about
writing it 1
after I have finished the present work. I shall now betake myself to the
history before me, after I have first mentioned what Moses says of the
creation of the world, which I find described in the sacred books after
the manner following.
2
1 As to this intended work of Josephus concerning the reasons of many of the Jewish laws, and what philosophical or allegorical sense they would bear, the loss of which work is by some of the learned not much regretted, I am inclinable, in part, to Fabricius's opinion, ap. Havercamp, p. 63, 61, That "we need not doubt but that, among some vain and frigid conjectures derived from Jewish imaginations, Josephus would have taught us a greater number of excellent and useful things, which perhaps nobody, neither among the Jews, nor among the Christians, can now inform us of; so that I would give a great deal to find it still extant."
2 THE CONSTITUTION OF THE WORLD AND THE DISPOSITION OF THE ELEMENTS.
Flavius Josephus. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by. William Whiston, A.M. Auburn and Buffalo. John E. Beardsley. 1895.
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