the wars of the jews-第65章

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　And　now　the　multitude　were　going　to　rise　against　them　already；　for　Ananus；　the　ancientest　of　the　high　priests；　persuaded　them　to　it。　He　was　a　very　prudent　man；　and　had　perhaps　saved　the　city　if　he　could　but　have　escaped　the　hands　of　those　that　plotted　against　him。　These　men　made　the　　　temple　of　God　a　strong　hold　for　them；　and　a　place　whither　they　might　resort；　in　order　to　avoid　the　troubles　they　feared　from　the　people；　the　sanctuary　was　now　become　a　refuge；　　　and　a　shop　of　tyranny。　They　also　mixed　jesting　among　the　miseries　they　introduced；　which　was　more　intolerable　than　what　they　did；　for　in　order　to　try　what　surprise　the　people　would　be　under；　and　how　far　their　own　power　extended；　they　undertook　to　dispose　of　the　high　priesthood　by　casting　lots　for　it；　whereas；　as　we　have　said　already；　it　was　to　descend　by　succession　in　a　family。　The　pretense　they　made　for　this　　　strange　attempt　was　an　ancient　practice；　while　they　said　that　of　old　it　was　determined　by　lot；　but　in　truth；　it　was　no　better　than　a　dissolution　of　an　undeniable　law；　and　a　cunning　　　contrivance　to　seize　upon　the　government；　derived　from　those　that　presumed　to　appoint　governors　as　they　themselves　　　pleased。　　　　　　8。　Hereupon　they　sent　for　one　of　the　pontifical　tribes；　which　is　called　Eniachim；　（5）　and　cast　lots　which　of　it　should　be　the　high　priest。　By　fortune　the　lot　so　fell　as　to　demonstrate　their　iniquity　after　the　plainest　manner；　for　it　fell　upon　one　whose　name　was　Phannias；　the　son　of　Samuel；　of　the　village　Aphtha。　He　was　a　man　not　only　unworthy　of　the　high　priesthood；　but　that　did　not　well　know　what　the　high　priesthood　was；　such　a　mere　rustic　was　he　！　yet　did　they　hail　this　man；　without　his　own　consent；　out　of　the　country；　as　if　they　were　acting　a　play　upon　the　stage；　and　adorned　him　with　a　counterfeit　thee；　they　also　put　upon　him　the　sacred　garments；　and　upon　every　occasion　instructed　him　what　he　was　to　do。　This　horrid　piece　of　wickedness　was　sport　and　pastime　with　them；　but　　　occasioned　the　other　priests；　who　at　a　distance　saw　their　law　made　a　jest　of；　to　shed　tears；　and　sorely　lament　the　　　dissolution　of　such　a　sacred　dignity。　　　　　　9。　And　now　the　people　could　no　longer　bear　the　insolence　of　this　procedure；　but　did　all　together　run　zealously；　in　order　to　overthrow　that　tyranny；　and　indeed　they　were　Gorion　the　son　of　Josephus；　and　Symeon　the　son　of　Gamaliel；　（6）　who　　　encouraged　them；　by　going　up　and　down　when　they　were　　　assembled　together　in　crowds；　and　as　they　saw　them　alone；　to　bear　no　longer；　but　to　inflict　punishment　upon　these　pests　and　plagues　of　their　freedom；　and　to　purge　the　temple　of　these　bloody　polluters　of　it。　The　best　esteemed　also　of　the　high　priests；　Jesus　the　son　of　Gamalas；　and　Ananus　the　son　of　Ananus　when　they　were　at　their　assemblies；　bitterly　　　reproached　the　people　for　their　sloth；　and　excited　them　　　against　the　zealots；　for　that　was　the　name　they　went　by；　as　if　they　were　zealous　in　good　undertakings；　and　were　not　rather　zealous　in　the　worst　actions；　and　extravagant　in　them　beyond　the　example　of　others。　　　　　　10。　And　now；　when　the　multitude　were　gotten　together　to　an　assembly；　and　every　one　was　in　indignation　at　these　men's　seizing　upon　the　sanctuary；　at　their　rapine　and　murders；　but　had　not　yet　begun　their　attacks　upon　them；　（the　reason　of　which　was　this；　that　they　imagined　it　to　be　a　difficult　thing　to　suppress　these　zealots；　as　indeed　the　case　was；）　Ananus　stood　in　the　midst　of　them；　and　casting　his　eyes　frequently　at　the　temple；　and　having　a　flood　of　tears　in　his　eyes；　he　said；　〃Certainly　it　had　been　good　for　me　to　die　before　I　had　seen　the　house　of　God　full　of　so　many　abominations；　or　these　　　sacred　places；　that　ought　not　to　be　trodden　upon　at　random；　filled　with　the　feet　of　these　blood…shedding　villains；　yet　do　I；　who　am　clothed　with　the　vestments　of　the　high　priesthood；　and　am　called　by　that　most　venerable　name　＇of　high　priest＇；　still　live；　and　am　but　too　fond　of　living；　and　cannot　endure　to　undergo　a　death　which　would　be　the　glory　of　my　old　age；　and　if　I　were　the　only　person　concerned；　and　as　it　were　in　a　desert；　I　would　give　up　my　life；　and　that　alone　for　God's　sake；　for　to　what　purpose　is　it　to　live　among　a　people　　　insensible　of　their　calamities；　and　where　there　is　no　notion　remaining　of　any　remedy　for　the　miseries　that　are　upon　　　them？　for　when　you　are　seized　upon；　you　bear　it！　and　when　you　are　beaten；　you　are　silent！　and　when　the　people　are　　　murdered；　nobody　dare　so　much　as　send　out　a　groan　openly！　O　bitter　tyranny　that　we　are　under！　But　why　do　I　complain　of　the　tyrants？　Was　it　not　you；　and　your　sufferance　of　them；　that　have　nourished　them？　Was　it　not　you　that　overlooked　those　that　first　of　all　got　together；　for　they　were　then　but　a　few；　and　by　your　silence　made　them　grow　to　be　many；　and　by　　　conniving　at　them　when　they　took　arms；　in　effect　armed　them　against　yourselves？　You　ought　to　have　then　prevented　their　first　attempts；　when　they　fell　a　reproaching　your　relations；　but　by　neglecting　that　care　in　time；　you　have　encouraged　these　wretches　to　plunder　men。　When　houses　were　pillaged；　nobody　said　a　word；　which　was　the　occasion　why　they　carried　off　the　owners　of　those　houses；　and　when　they　were　drawn　through　the　midst　of　the　city；　nobody　came　to　their　assistance。　They　then　proceeded　to　put　those　whom　you　have　betrayed　into　　　their　hands　into　bonds。　I　do　not　say　how　many　and　of　what　characters　those　men　were　whom　they　thus　served；　but　　　certainly　they　were　such　as　were　accused　by　none；　and　　　condemned　by　none；　and　since　nobody　succored　them　when　　　they　were　put　into　bonds；　the　consequence　was；　that　you　saw　the　same　persons　slain。　We　have　seen　this　also；　so　that　still　the　best　of　the　herd　of　brute　animals；　as　it　were；　have　been　still　led　to　be　sacrificed；　when　yet　nobody　said　one　word；　or　moved　his　right　hand　for　their　preservation。　Will　you　bear；　therefore；　will　you　bear　to　see　your　sanctuary　trampled　on？　and　will　you　lay　steps　for　these　profane　wretches；　upon　which　they　may　mount　to　higher　degrees　of　insolence？　Will　not　you　pluck　them　down　from　their　exaltation？　for　even　by　this　time　they　had　proceeded　to　higher　enormities；　if　they　had　been　able　to　overthrow　any　thing　greater　than　the　sanctuary。　They　have　seized　upon　the　strongest　place　of　the　whole　city；　you　may　call　it　the　temple；　if　you　please；　though　it　be　like　a　citadel　or　fortress。　Now；　while　you　have　tyranny　in　so　great　a　degree　walled　in；　and　see　your　enemies　over　your　heads；　to　what　purpose　is　it　to　take　counsel？　and　what　have　you　to　support　your　minds　withal？　Perhaps　you　wait　for　the　Romans；　that　they　may　protect　our　holy　places：　are　our　matters　then　brought　to　that　pass？　and　are　we　come　to　that　degree　of　　　misery；　that　our　enemies　themselves　are　expected　to　pity　us？　O　wretched　creatures！　will　not　you　rise　up　and　turn　upon　those　that　strike　you？　which　you　may　observe　in　wild　beasts　themselves；　that　they　will　avenge　themselves　on　those　that　strike　them。　Will　you　not　call　to　mind；　every　one　of　you；　the　calamities　you　yourselves　have　suffered？　nor　lay　before　your　eyes　what　afflictions　you　yourselves　have　undergone？　and　will　not　such　things　sharpen　your　souls　to　revenge？　Is　therefore　that　most　honorable　and　most　natural　of　our　passions　utterly　lost；　I　mean　the　desire　of　liberty？　Truly　we　are　in　love　with　slavery；　and　in　love　with　those　that　lord　it　over　us；　as　if　we　had　received　that　principle　of　subjection　from　our　ancestors；　yet　did　they　undergo　many　and　great　wars　for　the　sake　of　liberty；　nor　were　they　so　far　overcome　by　the　power　of　the　Egyptians；　or　the　Medes；　but　that　still　they　did　what　they　thought　fit；　notwithstanding　their　commands　to　the　contrary。　And　what　occasion　is　there　now　for　a　war　with　the　Romans？　（I　meddle　not　with　determining　whether　it　be　an　　　advantageous　and　profitable　war　or　not。）　What　pretense　is　there　for　it？　Is　it　not　that　we　may　enjoy　our　liberty？　Besides；　shall　we　not　bear　the　lords　of　the　habitable　earth　to　be　lords　over　us；　and　yet　bear　tyrants　of　our　own　country？　Although　I　must　say　that　submission　to　foreigners　may　be　borne；　because　fortune　hath　already　doomed　us　to　it；　while　submission　to　wicked　people　of　our　own　nation　is　too　unmanly；　and　brought　upon　us　by　our　own　consent。　However；　since　I　have　had　　　occasion　to　mention　the　Romans；　I　will　not　conceal　a　thing　that；　as　I　am　speaking；　comes　into　my　mind；　and　affects　me　considerably；　it　is　this；　that　though　we　should　be　taken　by　them；　（God　forbid　the　event　should　be　so！）　yet　can　we　　　undergo　nothing　that　will　be　harder　to　be　borne　than　what　these　men　have　already　brought　upon　us。　How　then　can　we　　　avoid　shedding　of　tears；　when　we　see　the　Roman　donations　in　our　temple；　while　we　withal　see　those　of　our　own　nation　taking　our　spoils；　and　plundering　our　glorious　metropolis；　and　slaughtering　our　men；　from　which　enormities　those　Romans　themselves　would　have　abstained？　to　see　those　Romans　never　going　beyond　the　bounds　allotted　to　profane　persons；　nor　venturing　to　break　in　upon　any　of　our　sacred　customs；　nay；　having　a　horror　on　their　minds　when　they　view　at　a　distance　those　sacred　walls；　while　some　that　have　been　born　in　this　very　country；　and　brought　up　in　our　customs；　and　called　Jews；　do　walk　about　in　the　midst　of　the　holy　places；　at　the　very　time　when　their　hands　are　still　warm　with　the　slaughter　of　their　own　countrymen。　Besides；　can　any　one　be　afraid　of　a　war　abroad；　and　that　with　such　as　will　have　comparatively　much　greater　moderation　than　our　own　people　have？　For　　　truly；　if　we　may　suit　our　words　to　the　things　they　represent；　it　is　probable　one　may　hereafter　find　the　Romans　to　be　the　　　supporters　of　our　laws；　and　those　within　ourselves　the　　　subverters　of　them。　And　now　I　am　persuaded　that　every　one　of　you　here　comes　satisfied　before　I　speak　that　these　　　overthrowers　of　our　liberties　deserve　to　be　destroyed；　and　that　nobody　can　so　much　as　devise　a　punishment　that　they　have　not　deserved　by　what　they　have　done；　and　that　you　are　all　provoked　against　them　by　those　their　wicked　actions；　whence　you　have　suffered　so　greatly。　But　perhaps　many　of　you　are　aftrighted　at　the　multitude　of　those　zealots；　and　at　their　audaciousness；　as　well　as　at　the　advantage　they　have　over　us　in　their　being　higher　in　place　than　we　are；　for　these　circumstances；　as　they　have　been　occasioned　by　your　　　negligence；　so　will　they　become　still　greater　by　being　still　longer　neglected；　for　their　multitude　is　every　day　augmented；　by　every　ill　man's　running　away　to　those　that　are　like　to　themselves；　and　their　audaciousness　is　therefore　inflamed；　because　they　meet　with　no　obstruction　to　their　designs。　And　for　their　higher　place；　they　will　make　use　of　it　for　engines　also；　if　we　give　them　time　to　do　so；　but　be　assured　of　this；　that　if　we　go　up　to　fight　them；　they　will　be　made　tamer　by　their　own　consciences；　and　what　advantages　they　have　in　the　height　of　their　situation　they　will　lose　by　the　opposition　of　their　reason；　perhaps　also　God　himself；　who　hath　been　　　affronted　by　them；　will　make　what　they　throw　at　us　return　against　themselves；　and　these　impious　wretches　will　be　killed　by　their　own　darts：　let　us　but　make　our　appearance　before　them；　and　they　will　come　to　nothing。　However；　it　is　a　right　thing；　if　there　should　be　any　danger　in　the　attempt；　to　die　before　these　holy　gates；　and　to　spend　our　very　lives；　if　not　for　the　sake　of　our　children　and　wives；　yet