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ghteous　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　the　notion　we　　　ought　to　have　of　him。　We　can　neither　see　nor　think　of　any　　　thing　like　him；　nor　is　it　agreeable　to　piety　to　form　a　　　resemblance　of　him。　We　see　his　works；　the　light；　the　heaven；　　　the　earth；　the　sun　and　the　moon；　the　waters；　the　generations　　　of　animals；　the　productions　of　fruits。　These　things　hath　God　　　made；　not　with　hands；　nor　with　labor；　nor　as　wanting　the　　　assistance　of　any　to　cooperate　with　him；　but　as　his　will　　　resolved　they　should　be　made　and　be　good　also；　they　were　　　made　and　became　good　immediately。　All　men　ought　to　follow　　　this　Being；　and　to　worship　him　in　the　exercise　of　virtue；　for　　　this　way　of　worship　of　God　is　the　most　holy　of　all　others。　　　　　　24。　There　ought　also　to　be　but　one　temple　for　one　God；　for　　　likeness　is　the　constant　foundation　of　agreement。　This　temple　　　ought　to　be　common　to　all　men；　because　he　is　the　common　　　God　of　all　men。　High　priests　are　to　be　continually　about　his　　　worship；　over　whom　he　that　is　the　first　by　his　birth　is　to　be　　　their　ruler　perpetually。　His　business　must　be　to　offer　　　sacrifices　to　God；　together　with　those　priests　that　are　joined　　　with　him；　to　see　that　the　laws　be　observed；　to　determine　　　controversies；　and　to　punish　those　that　are　convicted　of　　　injustice；　while　he　that　does　not　submit　to　him　shall　be　　　subject　to　the　same　punishment；　as　if　he　had　been　guilty　of　　　impiety　towards　God　himself。　When　we　offer　sacrifices　to　　　him；　we　do　it　not　in　order　to　surfeit　ourselves；　or　to　be　　　drunken；　for　such　excesses　are　against　the　will　of　God；　and　　　would　be　an　occasion　of　injuries　and　of　luxury；　but　by　　　keeping　ourselves　sober；　orderly；　and　ready　for　our　other　　　occupations；　and　being　more　temperate　than　others。　And　for　　　our　duty　at　the　sacrifices　（22）　themselves；　we　ought；　in　the　　　first　place；　to　pray　for　the　common　welfare　of　all；　and　after　　　that　for　our　own；　for　we　are　made　for　fellowship　one　with　　　another；　and　he　who　prefers　the　common　good　before　what　is　　　peculiar　to　himself　is　above　all　acceptable　to　God。　And　let　　　our　prayers　and　supplications　be　made　humbly　to　God；　not　　　＇so　much＇　that　he　would　give　us　what　is　good；　（for　he　hath　　　already　given　that　of　his　own　accord；　and　hath　proposed　the　　　same　publicly　to　all；）　as　that　we　may　duly　receive　it；　and　　　when　we　have　received　it；　may　preserve　it。　Now　the　law　has　　　appointed　several　purifications　at　our　sacrifices；　whereby　we　　　are　cleansed　after　a　funeral；　after　what　sometimes　happens　to　　　us　in　bed；　and　after　accompanying　with　our　wives；　and　upon　　　many　other　occasions；　which　it　would　be　too　long　now　to　set　　　down。　And　this　is　our　doctrine　concerning　God　and　his　　　worship；　and　is　the　same　that　the　law　appoints　for　our　　　practice。　　　　　　25。　But；　then；　what　are　our　laws　about　marriage？　That　law　　　owns　no　other　mixture　of　sexes　but　that　which　nature　hath　　　appointed；　of　a　man　with　his　wife；　and　that　this　be　used　only　　　for　the　procreation　of　children。　But　it　abhors　the　mixture　of　a　　　male　with　a　male；　and　if　any　one　do　that；　death　is　its　　　punishment。　It　commands　us　also；　when　we　marry；　not　to　　　have　regard　to　portion；　nor　to　take　a　woman　by　violence；　nor　　　to　persuade　her　deceitfully　and　knavishly；　but　to　demand　her　　　in　marriage　of　him　who　hath　power　to　dispose　of　her；　and　is　　　fit　to　give　her　away　by　the　nearness　of　his　kindred；　for；　says　　　the　Scripture；　〃A　woman　is　inferior　to　her　husband　in　all　　　things。〃　（23）　Let　her；　therefore；　be　obedient　to　him；　not　so　　　that　he　should　abuse　her；　but　that　she　may　acknowledge　her　　　duty　to　her　husband；　for　God　hath　given　the　authority　to　the　　　husband。　A　husband；　therefore；　is　to　lie　only　with　his　wife　　　whom　he　hath　married；　but　to　have　to　do　with　another　man's　　　wife　is　a　wicked　thing；　which；　if　any　one　ventures　upon；　death　　　is　inevitably　his　punishment：　no　more　can　he　avoid　the　same　　　who　forces　a　virgin　betrothed　to　another　man；　or　entices　　　another　man's　wife。　The　law；　moreover；　enjoins　us　to　bring　　　up　all　our　offspring；　and　forbids　women　to　cause　abortion　of　　　what　is　begotten；　or　to　destroy　it　afterward；　and　if　any　woman　　　appears　to　have　so　done；　she　will　be　a　murderer　of　her　child；　　　by　destroying　a　living　creature；　and　diminishing　human　kind；　　　if　any　one；　therefore；　proceeds　to　such　fornication　or　murder；　　　he　cannot　be　clean。　Moreover；　the　law　enjoins；　that　after　the　　　man　and　wife　have　lain　together　in　a　regular　way；　they　shall　　　bathe　themselves；　for　there　is　a　defilement　contracted　　　thereby；　both　in　soul　and　body；　as　if　they　had　gone　into　　　another　country；　for　indeed　the　soul；　by　being　united　to　the　　　body；　is　subject　to　miseries；　and　is　not　freed　therefrom　again　　　but　by　death；　on　which　account　the　law　requires　this　　　purification　to　be　entirely　performed。　　　　　　26。　Nay；　indeed；　the　law　does　not　permit　us　to　make　festivals　　　at　the　births　of　our　children；　and　thereby　afford　occasion　of　　　drinking　to　excess；　but　it　ordains　that　the　very　beginning　of　　　our　education　should　be　immediately　directed　to　sobriety。　It　　　also　commands　us　to　bring　those　children　up　in　learning；　and　　　to　exercise　them　in　the　laws；　and　make　them　acquainted　with　　　the　acts　of　their　predecessors；　in　order　to　their　imitation　of　　　them；　and　that　they　might　be　nourished　up　in　the　laws　from　　　their　infancy；　and　might　neither　transgress　them；　nor　have　　　any　pretense　for　their　ignorance　of　them。　　　　　　27。　Our　law　hath　also　taken　care　of　the　decent　burial　of　the　　　dead；　but　without　any　extravagant　expenses　for　their　funerals；　　　and　without　the　erection　of　any　illustrious　monuments　for　　　them；　but　hath　ordered　that　their　nearest　relations　should　　　perform　their　obsequies；　and　hath　showed　it　to　be　regular；　　　that　all　who　pass　by　when　any　one　is　buried　should　　　accompany　the　funeral；　and　join　in　the　lamentation。　It　also　　　ordains　that　the　house　and　its　inhabitants　should　be　purified　　　after　the　funeral　is　over；　that　every　one　may　thence　learn　to　　　keep　at　a　great　distance　from　the　thoughts　of　being　pure；　if　　　he　hath　been　once　guilty　of　murder。　　　　　　28。　The　law　ordains　also；　that　parents　should　be　honored　　　immediately　after　God　himself；　and　delivers　that　son　who　　　does　not　requite　them　for　the　benefits　he　hath　received　from　　　them；　but　is　deficient　on　any　such　occasion；　to　be　stoned。　It　　　also　says　that　the　young　men　should　pay　due　respect　to　every　　　elder；　since　God　is　the　eldest　of　all　beings。　It　does　not　give　　　leave　to　conceal　any　thing　from　our　friends；　because　that　is　　　not　true　friendship　which　will　not　commit　all　things　to　their　　　fidelity：　it　also　forbids　the　revelation　of　secrets；　even　though　　　an　enmity　arise　between　them。　If　any　judge　takes　bribes；　his　　　punishment　is　death：　he　that　overlooks　one　that　offers　him　a　　　petition；　and　this　when　he　is　able　to　relieve　him；　he　is　a　guilty　　　person。　What　is　not　by　any　one　intrusted　to　another　ought　　　not　to　be　required　back　again。　No　one　is　to　touch　another's　　　goods。　He　that　lends　money　must　not　demand　usury　for　its　　　loan。　These；　and　many　more　of　the　like　sort；　are　the　rules　　　that　unite　us　in　the　bands　of　society　one　with　another。　　　　　　29。　It　will　be　also　worth　our　while　to　see　what　equity　our　　　legislator　would　have　us　exercise　in