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or　a　desire　of　following　what　other　nations　have　in　so　great　　　esteem；　been　able　to　withdraw　us　from　our　own　laws；　nor　　　have　we　exerted　our　courage　in　raising　up　wars　to　increase　　　our　wealth；　but　only　for　the　observation　of　our　laws；　and　　　when　we　with　patience　bear　other　losses；　yet　when　any　　　persons　would　compel　us　to　break　our　laws；　then　it　is　that　we　　　choose　to　go　to　war；　though　it　be　beyond　our　ability　to　　　pursue　it；　and　bear　the　greatest　calamities　to　the　last　with　　　much　fortitude。　And；　indeed；　what　reason　can　there　be　why　　　we　should　desire　to　imitate　the　laws　of　other　nations；　while　　　we　see　they　are　not　observed　by　their　own　legislators　（27）　　　And　why　do　not　the　Lacedemonians　think　of　abolishing　that　　　form　of　their　government　which　suffers　them　not　to　associate　　　with　any　others；　as　well　as　their　contempt　of　matrimony？　And　　　why　do　not　the　Eleans　and　Thebans　abolish　that　unnatural　　　and　impudent　lust；　which　makes　them　lie　with　males？　For　　　they　will　not　show　a　sufficient　sign　of　their　repentance　of　　　what　they　of　old　thought　to　be　very　excellent；　and　very　　　advantageous　in　their　practices；　unless　they　entirely　avoid　all　　　such　actions　for　the　time　to　come：　nay；　such　things　are　　　inserted　into　the　body　of　their　laws；　and　had　once　such　a　　　power　among　the　Greeks；　that　they　ascribed　these　　　sodomitical　practices　to　the　gods　themselves；　as　a　part　of　　　their　good　character；　and　indeed　it　was　according　to　the　same　　　manner　that　the　gods　married　their　own　sisters。　This　the　　　Greeks　contrived　as　an　apology　for　their　own　absurd　and　　　unnatural　pleasures。　　　　　　39。　I　omit　to　speak　concerning　punishments；　and　how　many　　　ways　of　escaping　them　the　greatest　part　of　the　legislators　　　have　afforded　malefactors；　by　ordaining　that；　for　adulteries；　　　fines　in　money　should　be　allowed；　and　for　corrupting　（28）　　　＇virgins＇　they　need　only　marry　them　as　also　what　excuses　they　　　may　have　in　denying　the　facts；　if　any　one　attempts　to　inquire　　　into　them；　for　amongst　most　other　nations　it　is　a　studied　art　　　how　men　may　transgress　their　laws；　but　no　such　thing　is　　　permitted　amongst　us；　for　though　we　be　deprived　of　our　　　wealth；　of　our　cities；　or　of　the　other　advantages　we　have；　our　　　law　continues　immortal；　nor　can　any　Jew　go　so　far　from　his　　　own　country；　nor　be　so　aftrighted　at　the　severest　lord；　as　not　　　to　be　more　aftrighted　at　the　law　than　at　him。　If；　therefore；　　　this　be　the　disposition　we　are　under；　with　regard　to　the　　　excellency　of　our　laws；　let　our　enemies　make　us　this　　　concession；　that　our　laws　are　most　excellent；　and　if　still　they　　　imagine；　that　though　we　so　firmly　adhere　to　them；　yet　are　　　they　bad　laws　notwithstanding；　what　penalties　then　do　they　　　deserve　to　undergo　who　do　not　observe　their　own　laws；　which　　　they　esteem　so　far　superior　to　them？　Whereas；　therefore；　　　length　of　time　is　esteemed　to　be　the　truest　touchstone　in　all　　　cases；　I　would　make　that　a　testimonial　of　the　excellency　of　　　our　laws；　and　of　that　belief　thereby　delivered　to　us　　　concerning　God。　For　as　there　hath　been　a　very　long　time　for　　　this　comparison；　if　any　one　will　but　compare　its　duration　with　　　the　duration　of　the　laws　made　by　other　legislators；　he　will　　　find　our　legislator　to　have　been　the　ancientest　of　them　all。　　　　　　40。　We　have　already　demonstrated　that　our　laws　have　been　　　such　as　have　always　inspired　admiration　and　imitation　into　all　　　other　men；　nay；　the　earliest　Grecian　philosophers；　though　in　　　appearance　they　observed　the　laws　of　their　own　countries；　yet　　　did　they；　in　their　actions；　and　their　philosophic　doctrines；　　　follow　our　legislator；　and　instructed　men　to　live　sparingly；　and　　　to　have　friendly　communication　one　with　another。　Nay；　　　further；　the　multitude　of　mankind　itself　have　had　a　great　　　inclination　of　a　long　time　to　follow　our　religious　observances；　　　for　there　is　not　any　city　of　the　Grecians；　nor　any　of　the　　　barbarians；　nor　any　nation　whatsoever；　whither　our　custom　of　　　resting　on　the　seventh　day　hath　not　come；　and　by　which　our　　　fasts　and　lighting　up　lamps；　and　many　of　our　prohibitions　as　　　to　our　food；　are　not　observed；　they　also　endeavor　to　imitate　　　our　mutual　concord　with　one　another；　and　the　charitable　　　distribution　of　our　goods；　and　our　diligence　in　our　trades；　and　　　our　fortitude　in　undergoing　the　distresses　we　are　in；　on　　　account　of　our　laws；　and；　what　is　here　matter　of　the　greatest　　　admiration；　our　law　hath　no　bait　of　pleasure　to　allure　men　to　　　it；　but　it　prevails　by　its　own　force；　and　as　God　himself　　　pervades　all　the　world；　so　hath　our　law　passed　through　all　the　　　world　also。　So　that　if　any　one　will　but　reflect　on　his　own　　　country；　and　his　own　family；　he　will　have　reason　to　give　credit　　　to　what　I　say。　It　is　therefore　but　just；　either　to　condemn　all　　　mankind　of　indulging　a　wicked　disposition；　when　they　have　　　been　so　desirous　of　imitating　laws　that　are　to　them　foreign　　　and　evil　in　themselves；　rather　than　following　laws　of　their　　　own　that　are　of　a　better　character；　or　else　our　accusers　must　　　leave　off　their　spite　against　us。　Nor　are　we　guilty　of　any　　　envious　behavior　towards　them；　when　we　honor　our　own　　　legislator；　and　believe　what　he；　by　his　prophetic　authority；　　　hath　taught　us　concerning　God。　For　though　we　should　not　be　　　able　ourselves　to　understand　the　excellency　of　our　own　laws；　　　yet　would　the　great　multitude　of　those　that　desire　to　imitate　　　them；　justify　us；　in　greatly　valuing　ourselves　upon　them。　　　　　　41。　But　as　for　the　＇distinct＇　political　laws　by　which　we　are　　　governed；　I　have　delivered　them　accurately　in　my　books　of　　　Antiquities；　and　have　only　mentioned　them　now；　so　far　as　　　was　necessary　to　my　present　purpose；　without　proposing　to　　　myself　either　to　blame　the　laws　of　other　nations；　or　to　make　　　an　encomium　upon　our　own；　but　in　order　to　convict　those　　　that　have　written　about　us　unjustly；　and　in　an　impudent　　　affectation　of　disguising　the　truth。　And　now　I　think　I　have　　　sufficiently　completed　what　I　proposed　in　writing　these　books。　　　For　whereas　our　accusers　have　pretended　that　our　nation　are　　　a　people　of　very　late　original；　I　have　demonstrated　that　they　　　are　exceeding　ancient；　for　I　have　produced　as　witnesses　　　thereto　many　ancient　writers；　who　have　made　mention　of　us　　　in　their　books；　while　they　had　said　that　no　such　writer　had　so　　　done。　Moreover；　they　had　said　that　we　were　sprung　from　the　　　Egyptians；　while　I　have　proved　that　we　came　from　another　　　country　into　Egypt：　while　they　had　told　lies　of　us；　as　if　we　　　were　expelled　thence　on　account　of　diseases　on　our　bodies；　it　　　has　appeared；　on　the　contrary；　that　we　returned　to　our　　　country　by　our　own　choice；　and　with　sound　and　strong　bodies。　　　Those　accusers　reproached　our　legislator　as　a　vile　fellow；　　　whereas　God　in　old　time　bare　witness　to　his　virtuous　conduct；　　　and　since　that　testimony　of　God；　time　itself　hath　been　　　discovered　to　have　borne　witness　to　the　same　thing。　　　　　　42。　As　to　the　laws　themselves；　more　words　are　unnecessary；　　　for　they　are　visible　in　their　own　nature；　and　appear　to　teach　　　not　impiety；　but　the　truest　piety　in　the　world。　They　do　not　　　make　men　hate　one　another；　but　encourage　people　to　　　communicate　what　they　have　to　one　another　freely；　they　are　　　enemies　to　injustice；　they　take　care　of　righteousness；　they　　　banish　i