ingly, I thought it became me both to
imitate the generosity of our high priest, and to suppose there might
even now be many lovers of learning like the king; for he did not obtain
all our writings at that time; but those who were sent to Alexandria
as interpreters, gave him only the books of the law, while there were a
vast number of other matters in our sacred books. They, indeed, contain
in them the history of five thousand years; in which time happened
many strange accidents, many chances of war, and great actions of the
commanders, and mutations of the form of our government. Upon the whole,
a man that will peruse this history, may principally learn from it, that
all events succeed well, even to an incredible degree, and the reward
of felicity is proposed by God; but then it is to those that follow his
will, and do not venture to break his excellent laws: and that so far as
men any way apostatize from the accurate observation of them, what was
practical before becomes impracticable [5] and whatsoever they set about
as a good thing, is converted into an incurable calamity. And now I
exhort all those that peruse these books, to apply their minds to
God; and to examine the mind of our legislator, whether he hath not
understood his nature in a manner worthy of him; and hath not ever
ascribed to him such operations as become his power, and hath not
preserved his writings from those indecent fables which others have
framed, although, by the great distance of time when he lived, he might
have securely forged such lies; for he lived two thousand years ago; at
which vast distance of ages the poets themselves have not been so hardy
as to fix even the generations of their gods, much less the actions
of their men, or their own laws. As I proceed, therefore, I shall
accurately describe what is contained in our records, in the order
of time that belongs to them; for I have already promised so to do
throughout this undertaking; and this without adding any thing to what
is therein contained, or taking away any thing therefrom.

4. But because almost all our constitution depends on the wisdom of
Moses, our legislator, I cannot avoid saying somewhat concerning him
beforehand, though I shall do it briefly; I mean, because otherwise
those that read my book may wonder how it comes to pass, that my
discourse, which promises an account of laws and historical facts,
contains so much of philosophy. The reader is therefore to know, that
Mos