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　　instruction；　or　that　which　best　pleased　every　one　of　them；　　　neglected　the　other。　Thus　did　the　Lacedemonians　and　the　　　Cretians　teach　by　practical　exercises；　but　not　by　words；　while　　　the　Athenians；　and　almost　all　the　other　Grecians；　made　laws　　　about　what　was　to　be　done；　or　left　undone；　but　had　no　regard　　　to　the　exercising　them　thereto　in　practice。　　　　　　18。　But　for　our　legislator；　he　very　carefully　joined　these　two　　　methods　of　instruction　together；　for　he　neither　left　these　　　practical　exercises　to　go　on　without　verbal　instruction；　nor　did　　　he　permit　the　hearing　of　the　law　to　proceed　without　the　　　exercises　for　practice；　but　beginning　immediately　from　the　　　earliest　infancy；　and　the　appointment　of　every　one's　diet；　he　　　left　nothing　of　the　very　smallest　consequence　to　be　done　at　　　the　pleasure　and　disposal　of　the　person　himself。　Accordingly；　　　he　made　a　fixed　rule　of　law　what　sorts　of　food　they　should　　　abstain　from；　and　what　sorts　they　should　make　use　of；　as　also；　　　what　communion　they　should　have　with　others　what　great　　　diligence　they　should　use　in　their　occupations；　and　what　times　　　of　rest　should　be　interposed；　that；　by　living　under　that　law　as　　　under　a　father　and　a　master；　we　might　be　guilty　of　no　sin；　　　neither　voluntary　nor　out　of　ignorance；　for　he　did　not　suffer　　　the　guilt　of　ignorance　to　go　on　without　punishment；　but　　　demonstrated　the　law　to　be　the　best　and　the　most　necessary　　　instruction　of　all　others；　permitting　the　people　to　leave　off　　　their　other　employments；　and　to　assemble　together　for　the　　　hearing　of　the　law；　and　learning　it　exactly；　and　this　not　once　　　or　twice；　or　oftener；　but　every　week；　which　thing　all　the　other　　　legislators　seem　to　have　neglected。　　　　　　19。　And　indeed　the　greatest　part　of　mankind　are　so　far　from　　　living　according　to　their　own　laws；　that　they　hardly　know　　　them；　but　when　they　have　sinned；　they　learn　from　others　that　　　they　have　transgressed　the　law。　Those　also　who　are　in　the　　　highest　and　principal　posts　of　the　government；　confess　they　　　are　not　acquainted　with　those　laws；　and　are　obliged　to　take　　　such　persons　for　their　assessors　in　public　administrations　as　　　profess　to　have　skill　in　those　laws；　but　for　our　people；　if　any　　　body　do　but　ask　any　one　of　them　about　our　laws；　he　will　　　more　readily　tell　them　all　than　he　will　tell　his　own　name；　and　　　this　in　consequence　of　our　having　learned　them　immediately　　　as　soon　as　ever　we　became　sensible　of　any　thing；　and　of　our　　　having　them　as　it　were　engraven　on　our　souls。　Our　　　transgressors　of　them　are　but　few；　and　it　is　impossible；　when　　　any　do　offend；　to　escape　punishment。　　　　　　20。　And　this　very　thing　it　is　that　principally　creates　such　a　　　wonderful　agreement　of　minds　amongst　us　all；　for　this　entire　　　agreement　of　ours　in　all　our　notions　concerning　God；　and　our　　　having　no　difference　in　our　course　of　life　and　manners；　　　procures　among　us　the　most　excellent　concord　of　these　our　　　manners　that　is　any　where　among　mankind；　for　no　other　　　people　but　the　Jews　have　avoided　all　discourses　about　God　　　that　any　way　contradict　one　another；　which　yet　are　frequent　　　among　other　nations；　and　this　is　true　not　only　among　　　ordinary　persons；　according　as　every　one　is　affected；　but　some　　　of　the　philosophers　have　been　insolent　enough　to　indulge　　　such　contradictions；　while　some　of　them　have　undertaken　to　　　use　such　words　as　entirely　take　away　the　nature　of　God；　as　　　others　of　them　have　taken　away　his　providence　over　mankind。　　　Nor　can　any　one　perceive　amongst　us　any　difference　in　the　　　conduct　of　our　lives；　but　all　our　works　are　common　to　us　all。　　　We　have　one　sort　of　discourse　concerning　God；　which　is　　　conformable　to　our　law；　and　affirms　that　he　sees　all　things；　as　　　also　we　have　but　one　way　of　speaking　concerning　the　conduct　　　of　our　lives；　that　all　other　things　ought　to　have　piety　for　their　　　end；　and　this　any　body　may　hear　from　our　women；　and　　　servants　themselves。　　　　　　21。　And；　indeed；　hence　hath　arisen　that　accusation　which　　　some　make　against　us；　that　we　have　not　produced　men　that　　　have　been　the　inventors　of　new　operations；　or　of　new　ways　of　　　speaking；　for　others　think　it　a　fine　thing　to　persevere　in　　　nothing　that　has　been　delivered　down　from　their　forefathers；　　　and　these　testify　it　to　be　an　instance　of　the　sharpest　wisdom　　　when　these　men　venture　to　transgress　those　traditions；　　　whereas　we；　on　the　contrary；　suppose　it　to　be　our　only　　　wisdom　and　virtue　to　admit　no　actions　nor　supposals　that　are　　　contrary　to　our　original　laws；　which　procedure　of　ours　is　a　　　just　and　sure　sign　that　our　law　is　admirably　constituted；　for　　　such　laws　as　are　not　thus　well　made　are　convicted　upon　trial　　　to　want　amendment。　　　　　　22。　But　while　we　are　ourselves　persuaded　that　our　law　was　　　made　agreeably　to　the　will　of　God；　it　would　be　impious　for　us　　　not　to　observe　the　same；　for　what　is　there　in　it　that　any　body　　　would　change？　and　what　can　be　invented　that　is　better？　or　　　what　can　we　take　out　of　other　people's　laws　that　will　exceed　　　it？　Perhaps　some　would　have　the　entire　settlement　of　our　　　government　altered。　And　where　shall　we　find　a　better　or　　　more　righteous　constitution　than　ours；　while　this　makes　us　　　esteem　God　to　be　the　Governor　of　the　universe；　and　permits　　　the　priests　in　general　to　be　the　administrators　of　the　principal　　　affairs；　and　withal　intrusts　the　government　over　the　other　　　priests　to　the　chief　high　priest　himself？　which　priests　our　　　legislator；　at　their　first　appointment；　did　not　advance　to　that　　　dignity　for　their　riches；　or　any　abundance　of　other　　　possessions；　or　any　plenty　they　had　as　the　gifts　of　fortune；　but　　　he　intrusted　the　principal　management　of　Divine　worship　to　　　those　that　exceeded　others　in　an　ability　to　persuade　men；　and　　　in　prudence　of　conduct。　These　men　had　the　main　care　of　the　　　law　and　of　the　other　parts　of　the　people's　conduct　committed　　　to　them；　for　they　were　the　priests　who　were　ordained　to　be　　　the　inspectors　of　all；　and　the　judges　in　doubtful　cases；　and　the　　　punishers　of　those　that　were　condemned　to　suffer　　　punishment。　　　　　　23。　What　form　of　government　then　can　be　more　holy　than　　　this？　what　more　worthy　kind　of　worship　can　be　paid　to　God　　　than　we　pay；　where　the　entire　body　of　the　people　are　　　prepared　for　religion；　where　an　extraordinary　degree　of　care　　　is　required　in　the　priests；　and　where　the　whole　polity　is　so　　　ordered　as　if　it　were　a　certain　religious　solemnity？　For　what　　　things　foreigners；　when　they　solemnize　such　festivals；　are　not　　　able　to　observe　for　a　few　days'　time；　and　call　them　Mysteries　　　and　Sacred　Ceremonies；　we　observe　with　great　pleasure　and　　　an　unshaken　resolution　during　our　whole　lives。　What　are　the　　　things　then　that　we　are　commanded　or　forbidden？　They　are　　　simple；　and　easily　known。　The　first　command　is　concerning　　　God；　and　affirms　that　God　contains　all　things；　and　is　a　Being　　　every　way　perfect　and　happy；　self…sufficient；　and　supplying　all　　　other　beings；　the　beginning；　the　middle；　and　the　end　of　all　　　things。　He　is　manifest　in　his　works　and　benefits；　and　more　　　conspicuous　than　any　other　being　whatsoever；　but　as　to　his　　　form　and　magnitude；　he　is　most　obscure。　All　materials；　let　　　them　be　ever　so　costly；　are　unworthy　to　compose　an　image　　　for　him；　and　all　arts　are　unartful　to　express