the antiquities of the jews-1-第66章

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according　to　his　command；　it　is　but　just；　now　all　our
difficulties　are　over；　that　you　should　be　permitted　to　enjoy
rest；　and　that　we　should　trespass　on　your　alacrity　to　help　us　no
longer；　that　so；　if　we　should　again　stand　in　need　of　it；　we　may
readily　have　it　on　any　future　emergency；　and　not　tire　you　out　so
much　now　as　may　make　you　slower　in　assisting　us　another　thee。　We；
therefore；　return　you　our　thanks　for　the　dangers　you　have
undergone　with　us；　and　we　do　it　not　at　this　thee　only；　but　we
shall　always　be　thus　disposed；　and　be　so　good　as　to　remember　our
friends；　and　to　preserve　in　mind　what　advantages　we　have　had　from
them；　and　how　you　have　put　off　the　enjoyments　of　your　own
happiness　for　our　sakes；　and　have　labored　for　what　we　have　now；
by　the　goodwill　of　God；　obtained；　and　resolved　not　to　enjoy　your
own　prosperity　till　you　had　afforded　us　that　assistance。　However；
you　have；　by　joining　your　labor　with　ours；　gotten　great　plenty　of
riches；　and　will　carry　home　with　you　much　prey；　with　gold　and
silver；　and；　what　is　more　than　all　these；　our　good…will　towards
you；　and　a　mind　willingly　disposed　to　make　a　requital　of　your
kindness　to　us；　in　what　case　soever　you　shall　desire　it；　for　you
have　not　omitted　any　thing　which　Moses　beforehand　required　of
you；　nor　have　you　despised　him　because　he　was　dead　and　gone　from
you；　so　that　there　is　nothing　to　diminish　that　gratitude　which　we
owe　to　you。　We　therefore　dismiss　you　joyful　to　your　own
inheritances；　and　we　entreat　you　to　suppose；　that　there　is　no
limit　to　be　set　to　the　intimate　relation　that　is　between　us；　and
that　you　will　not　imagine；　because　this　river　is　interposed
between　us；　that　you　are　of　a　different　race　from　us；　and　not
Hebrews；　for　we　are　all　the　posterity　of　Abraham；　both　we　that
inhabit　here；　and　you　that　inhabit　there；　and　it　is　the　same　God
that　brought　our　forefathers　and　yours　into　the　world；　whose
worship　and　form　of　government　we　are　to　take　care　of；　which　he
has　ordained；　and　are　most　carefully　to　observe；　because　while
you　continue　in　those　laws；　God　will　also　show　himself　merciful
and　assisting　to　you；　but　if　you　imitate　the　other　nations；　and
forsake　those　laws；　he　will　reject　your　nation。〃　When　Joshua　had
spoken　thus；　and　saluted　them　all；　both　those　in　authority　one　by
one；　and　the　whole　multitude　in　common；　he　himself　staid　where　he
was；　but　the　people　conducted　those　tribes　on　their　journey；　and
that　not　without　tears　in　their　eyes；　and　indeed　they　hardly　knew
how　to　part　one　from　the　other。

26。　Now　when　the　tribe　of　Reuben；　and　that　of　Gad；　and　as　many　of
the　Manassites　as　followed　them；　were　passed　over　the　river；　they
built　an　altar　on　the　banks　of　Jordan；　as　a　monument　to
posterity；　and　a　sign　of　their　relation　to　those　that　should
inhabit　on　the　other　side。　But　when　those　on　the　other　side　heard
that　those　who　had　been　dismissed　had　built　an　altar；　but　did　not
hear　with　what　intention　they　built　it；　but　supposed　it　to　be　by
way　of　innovation；　and　for　the　introduction　of　strange　gods；　they
did　not　incline　to　disbelieve　it；　but　thinking　this　defamatory
report；　as　if　it　were　built　for　divine　worship；　was　credible；
they　appeared　in　arms；　as　though　they　would　avenge　themselves　on
those　that　built　the　altar；　and　they　were　about　to　pass　over　the
river；　and　to　punish　them　for　their　subversion　of　the　laws　of
their　country；　for　they　did　not　think　it　fit　to　regard　them　on
account　of　their　kindred　or　the　dignity　of　those　that　had　given
the　occasion；　but　to　regard　the　will　of　God；　and　the　manner
wherein　he　desired　to　be　worshipped；　so　these　men　put　themselves
in　array　for　war。　But　Joshua；　and　Eleazar　the　high　priest；　and
the　senate；　restrained　them；　and　persuaded　them　first　to　make
trial　by　words　of　their　intention；　and　afterwards；　if　they　found
that　their　intention　was　evil；　then　only　to　proceed　to　make　war
upon　them。　Accordingly；　they　sent　as　ambassadors　to　them　Phineas
the　son　of　Eleazar；　and　ten　more　persons　that　were　in　esteem
among　the　Hebrews；　to　learn　of　them　what　was　in　their　mind；　when；
upon　passing　over　the　river；　they　had　built　an　altar　upon　its
banks。　And　as　soon　as　these　ambassadors　were　passed　over；　and
were　come　to　them；　and　a　congregation　was　assembled；　Phineas
stood　up　and　said；　That　the　offense　they　had　been　guilty　of　was
of　too　heinous　a　nature　to　be　punished　by　words　alone；　or　by　them
only　to　be　amended　for　the　future；　yet　that　they　did　not　so　look
at　the　heinousness　of　their　transgression　as　to　have　recourse　to
arms；　and　to　a　battle　for　their　punishment　immediately；　but　that；
on　account　of　their　kindred；　and　the　probability　there　was　that
they　might　be　reclaimed；　they　took　this　method　of　sending　an
ambassage　to　them：　〃That　when　we　have　learned　the　true　reasons　by
which　you　have　been　moved　to　build　this　altar；　we　may　neither
seem　to　have　been　too　rash　in　assaulting　you　by　our　weapons　of
war；　if　it　prove　that　you　made　the　altar　for　justifiable　reasons；
and　may　then　justly　punish　you　if　the　accusation　prove　true；　for
we　can　hardly
hardly　suppose　that　you；　have　been　acquainted　with　the　will　of
God　and　have　been　hearers　of　those　laws　which　he　himself　hath
given　us；　now　you　are　separated　from　us；　and　gone　to　that
patrimony　of　yours；　which　you；　through　the　grace　of　God；　and　that
providence　which　he　exercises　over　you；　have　obtained　by　lot；　can
forget　him；　and　can　leave　that　ark　and　that　altar　which　is
peculiar　to　us；　and　can　introduce　strange　gods；　and　imitate　the
wicked　practices　of　the　Canaanites。　Now　this　will　appear　to　have
been　a　small　crime　if　you　repent　now；　and　proceed　no　further　in
your　madness；　but　pay　a　due　reverence　to；　and　keep　in　mind　the
laws　of　your　country；　but　if　you　persist　in　your　sins；　we　will
not　grudge　our　pains　to　preserve　our　laws；　but　we　will　pass　over
Jordan　and　defend　them；　and　defend　God　also；　and　shall　esteem　of
you　as　of　men　no　way　differing　from　the　Canaanites；　but　shall
destroy　you　in　the　like　manner　as　we　destroyed　them；　for　do　not
you　imagine　that；　because　you　are　got　over　the　river；　you　are　got
out　of　the　reach　of　God's　power；　you　are　every　where　in　places
that　belong　to　him；　and　impossible　it　is　to　overrun　his　power；
and　the　punishment　he　will　bring　on　men　thereby：　but　if　you　think
that　your　settlement　here　will　be　any　obstruction　to　your
conversion　to　what　is　good；　nothing　need　hinder　us　from　dividing
the　land　anew；　and　leaving　this　old　land　to　be　for　the　feeding　of
sheep；　but　you　will　do　well　to　return　to　your　duty；　and　to　leave
off　these　new　crimes；　and　we　beseech　you；　by　your　children　and
wives；　not　to　force　us　to　punish　you。　Take　therefore　such
measures　in　this　assembly；　as　supposing　that　your　own　safety；　and
the　safety　of　those　that　are　dearest　to　you；　is　therein
concerned；　and　believe　that　it　is　better　for　you　to　be　conquered
by　words；　than　to　continue　in　your　purpose；　and　to　experience
deeds　and　war　therefore。〃

27。　When　Phineas　had　discoursed　thus；　the　governors　of　the
assembly；　and　the　whole　multitude；　began　to　make　an　apology　for
themselves；　concerning　what　they　were　accused　of；　and　they　said；
That　they　neither　would　depart　from　the　relation　they　bare　to
them；　nor　had　they　built　the　altar　by　way　of　innovation；　that
they　owned　one　and　the　same　common　God　with　all　the　Hebrews；　and
that　brazen　altar　which　was　before　the　tabernacle；　on　which　they
would　offer　their　sacrifices；　that　as　to　the　altar　they　had
raised；　on　account　of　which　they　were　thus　suspected；　it　was　not
built　for　worship；　〃but　that　it　might　be　a　sign　and　a　monument　of
our　relation　to　you　for　ever；　and　a　necessary　caution　to　us　to
act　wisely；　and　to　continue　in　the　laws　of　our　country；　but　not　a
handle　for　transgressing　them；　as　you　suspect：　and　let　God　be　our
authentic　witness；　that　this　was　the　occasion　of　our　building
this　altar：　whence　we　beg　you　will　have　a　better　opinion　of　us；
and　do　not　impute　such　a　thing　to　us　as　would　render　any　of　the
posterity　of　Abraham　well　worthy　of　perdition；　in　case　they
attempt　to　bring　in　new　rites；　and　such　as　are　different　from　our
usual　practices。〃

28。　When　they　had　made　this　answer；　and　Phineas　had　commended
them　for　it；　he　came　to　Joshua；　and　explained　before　the　people
what　answer