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[174]
I have been obliged to set down these decree because the present
history of our own acts will go generally among the Greeks; and I have
hereby demonstrated to them that we have formerly been in great esteem,
and have not been prohibited by those governors we were under from keeping
any of the laws of our forefathers; nay, that we have been supported by
them, while we followed our own religion, and the worship we paid to God;
and I frequently make mention of these decrees, in order to reconcile other
people to us, and to take away the causes of that hatred which unreasonable
men bear to us. As for our customs 1
there is no nation which always makes use of the same, and in every city
almost we meet with them different from one another; but natural justice
is most agreeable to the advantage of all men equally, both Greeks and
barbarians, to which our laws have the greatest regard, and thereby render
us, if we abide in them after a pure manner, benevolent and friendly to
all men; on which account we have reason to expect the like return from
others, and to inform them that they ought not to esteem difference of
positive institutions a sufficient cause of alienation, but [join with
us in] the pursuit of virtue and probity, for this belongs to all men in
common, and of itself alone is sufficient for the preservation of human
life. I now return to the thread of my history.
2
1 The remaining part of this chapter is remarkable, as justly distinguishing natural justice, religion, and morality, from positive institutions in all countries, and evidently preferring the former before the latter, as did the true prophets of God always under the Old Testament, and Christ and his New; whence Josephus seems to have been at this time nearer Christianity than were the Scribes and Pharisees of his age; who, as we know from the New Testament, were entirely of a different opinion and practice.
2 HOW, UPON HEROD'S GOING DOWN INTO DAVID'S SEPULCHER, THE SEDITION IN HIS FAMILY GREATLY INCREASED.
Flavius Josephus. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by. William Whiston, A.M. Auburn and Buffalo. John E. Beardsley. 1895.
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