our laws, and of that belief thereby delivered to us
concerning God. For as there hath been a very long time for
this comparison, if any one will but compare its duration with
the duration of the laws made by other legislators, he will
find our legislator to have been the ancientest of them all.

40. We have already demonstrated that our laws have been
such as have always inspired admiration and imitation into all
other men; nay, the earliest Grecian philosophers, though in
appearance they observed the laws of their own countries, yet
did they, in their actions, and their philosophic doctrines,
follow our legislator, and instructed men to live sparingly,
and
to have friendly communication one with another. Nay,
further, the multitude of mankind itself have had a great
inclination of a long time to follow our religious observances;
for there is not any city of the Grecians, nor any of the
barbarians, nor any nation whatsoever, whither our custom of
resting on the seventh day hath not come, and by which our
fasts and lighting up lamps, and many of our prohibitions as
to our food, are not observed; they also endeavor to imitate
our mutual concord with one another, and the charitable
distribution of our goods, and our diligence in our trades, and
our fortitude in undergoing the distresses we are in, on
account of our laws; and, what is here matter of the greatest
admiration, our law hath no bait of pleasure to allure men to
it, but it prevails by its own force; and as God himself
pervades all the world, so hath our law passed through all the
world also. So that if any one will but reflect on his own
country, and his own family, he will have reason to give credit