o been. Nor do you ever indulge such a
degree of passion in these matters, as you have oftentimes done when
you have been very angry at me; for you know that I have been oftener
in danger of death from you than from our enemies. What I now put you
in mind of, is not done in order to reproach you; for I do not think
it proper, now I am going out of the world, to bring this to your
remembrance, in order to leave you offended at me, since, at the time
when I underwent those hardships from you, I was not angry at you; but
I do it in order to make you wiser hereafter, and to teach you that this
will be for your security; I mean, that you never be injurious to those
that preside over you, even when you are become rich, as you will be to
a great degree when you have passed over Jordan, and are in possession
of the land of Canaan. Since, when you shall have once proceeded so far
by your wealth, as to a contempt and disregard of virtue, you will also
forfeit the favor of God; and when you have made him your enemy, you
will be beaten in war, and will have the land which you possess taken
away again from you by your enemies, and this with great reproaches upon
your conduct. You will be scattered over the whole world, and will, as
slaves, entirely fill both sea and land; and when once you have had the
experience of what I now say, you will repent, and remember the laws
you have broken, when it is too late. Whence I would advise you, if you
intend to preserve these laws, to leave none of your enemies alive when
you have conquered them, but to look upon it as for your advantage to
destroy them all, lest, if you permit them to live, you taste of their
manners, and thereby corrupt your own proper institutions. I also do
further exhort you, to overthrow their altars, and their groves, and
whatsoever temples they have among them, and to burn all such, their
nation, and their very memory with fire; for by this means alone the
safety of your own happy constitution can be firmly secured to you. And
in order to prevent your ignorance of virtue, and the degeneracy of your
nature into vice, I have also ordained you laws, by Divine suggestion,
and a form of government, which are so good, that if you regularly
observe them, you will be esteemed of all men the most happy."

3. When he had spoken thus, he gave them the laws and the constitution
of government written in a book. Upon which the people fell into tears,
and appeared already touched with