mans full well know the contrary. It is a brave thing to die in war, provided we die according to the laws of war by the hands of the conqueror. If, therefore, I avoid death from the sword of the Romans, I truly deserve to meet it from my own sword and my own hand. But if they, from compassion spare an enemy, how much more ought we in mercy to spare ourselves? It is folly to inflict on ourselves those things, to avoid which we are at variance with them. To die for liberty, I grant, is honourable; but death is honourable only in war, when inflicted by those who would take away our liberty. In the present case our enemies neither fight nor destroy us. He is equally a coward who is unwilling to die when it is necessary, and he who is willing to die without necessity. What are we afraid of when we refuse to face the Romans? Is it not death? And shall we inflict with certainty on ourselves what we dread, if we but apprehend it from our enemies? But you will say, we must become slaves. And are we at present decidedly in a state of liberty? You may farther think it a manly act in one to kill himself. On the contrary, I think it a very unmanly action, as I should deem that pilot both a fool and a coward who would of his own accord sink his ship to avoid a storm. Selfmurder is a crime repugnant to the feelings of every living creature, and an impious offence against God our creator. For this reason no instance occurs of animals dying by means of their own contrivance; for the love of live is naturally implanted in all. Accordingly we deem those to be enemies, who openly take away our lives; and those who do it by treachery are punished for so doing. And do you not think that God is angry with that man, who throws away the favour which he has bestowed on him? For it is from him that we have received our being; and we ought to leave to his disposal the time and manner of taking it away. The bodies of men are indeed mortal as composed of corruptible matbut the soul being a portion of the divinity dwelling within us, can never die. Besides, if a person destroys or abuse a thing received in trust from a man like himself, he is esteemed unjust and treacherous; and can we suppose that he who has received the highest trust from God, will be able to elude his notice and resentment. Moreover, the slaves who run away from their masters, though they may have proved an unjust master to them, are punished by our laws. And shall we attempt to run away from God, who is the best of all masters, and not think ourselves guilty of impiety? Do not you know that those who depart this life, and in conformity to the law of nature, restore the deposit received from God, when it pleases him to recal it, enjoy eternal ter; fame; that their abodes and posterity are blessed; that their souls are pure and obedient, obtaining a most holy place in heaven, where, after the revolution of ages, they shall again be reunited with incorruptible bodies*; while the souls of those who madly lift their hands against themselves, are received by the darkest place in hades. And because this crime is hated by God, it is punished by our most wise legislator: the the bodies of those who destroy themselves being exposed unburied till sun-set, while our laws allow even enemies the rite of burial. The laws of other nations enjoin that the self-murderer, when dead, should have his hand cut off, which he had used, when alive, in destroying himself, indicating, that as the hand is thus violently alienated from the body, so the body has been violently alienated from the soul. Let us, therefore, my friends, follow reason, and not add to the calamities, which men bring upon us, impiety towards God. Reason and nature call upon us to⚫ preserve ourselves. Nor is it in any wise inglorious to be preserved by those our enemies, to * Here Josephus clearly expresses his belief in the resur rection of the body, as taught in the gospel. Kalagai de και επήκοος μενουσιν αι ψυχαι, χωρου ουρανου λαχούσαι τον άγιωτατον, ενθεν εκ περιτροπης αιώνων αντενοικίζονται TWμBow. J. W. lib. 3. c. 8, 5. whom we have given so many proofs of our courage. At least, if we be determined to die, it is fit that we die by the hands of those who have conquered us." "Thus did Josephus use every argument to dissuade them from destroying themselves. But despair had closed their ears against reason; and, as though they had already been devoted to death, they became more obstinately bent upon dying. Surrounding him with their naked swords, they rushed upon him, each branding him as a coward, and in an attitude to stab him. But Josephus addressed one by name, threw on another the looks of a commander, took a third by the hand, softened a fourth by supplication, and thus, though distracted by various emotions, he disarmed them all, and averted the fatal blow, directing his attention as a wild beast, when encircled by assailing crowds, principally to the man who pressed him closest. Even in this extremity the assailants still revered him as their general; and some of them, as if their right hands became palsied, dropt the uplifted sword, while many of them, unsolicited, suspended the blow with which they aimed to fell him." "In this awful crisis Josephus was not forsaken by his usual presence of mind: but committing to God the protection of his life, he added, "Since you are resolved to die, let us de termine our mutual slaughter by lot; and let the first allotted fall by him, whose lot will come next to die. Thus we shall all perish in succession, without the guilt of self-destruction, except the survivor, who with justice may preserve himself. The proposal met their approbation; and Josephus committed his lot with theirs. The person. whose lot was first drawn, readily exposed his breast to the man that was next to succeed him; for he thought death itself sweeter than life, as Josephus was to die after him. Yet Josephus, whether we should ascribe it to chance, or to divine providence, was left with another to the last: and as he was anxious neither to fall by the lot, nor if he were the survivor, to stain his hands with a kindred's blood, he persuaded him to confide in the Romans and live. "And thus," adds our author, "Josephus having survived the war with the Romans, and this war with his friends, was conducted to Vespasian, who commanded, that he should be closely guarded, in order to be sent to the emperor Nero. When Josephus heard this command, he thus accosted Vespasian, Thou expected, O general, to find a mere captive in Josephus. But I approach thee as the herald of great tidings; and if I had not been sent of God, I should have died, as a general ought to die who knows the Jewish laws. Why shouldst thou send me to Nero? He is no more. The empire |