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From Flavius, Josephus, War of the Jews B.V. Ch. 12 L'Estrange's
Translation 1702 Folio. p.909
Now Vespasian being so fortunate in all his undertakings
that whatever he did succeeded to his wish, he began to think bethink
himself that such a concurrence of seeming accidents making
for him, looked like a providential disposition of things in
the order of causes and effects than the work of chance, and that
it was the hand of God not fortune that raised him up
to the enterprise. It came then into his head what
strange and prophetical hints and touches he had observed
in the course of his life; and all pointing to the same
end; as a passage particularly of Joseph's; who had
the confidence in the very life of Nero to give Vespasian
the Title of Emperor. This remarkable prediction made such an impression upon Vespasian
(especially from a patron that was yet his prisoner) that
calling Musicians and several of his friends about him
he took occasion to mention the bravery of Joseph, and
how hard he had put them to it at the seige of Jotapata
and so from one thing to another till he came to his predictions;
which, says Vespasian I took to be only pre
inventions to keep himself in a whole skin; till time
and the event of things have now made it evident that
they were inspirations. And what shame is it for me now,
says Vespasian, to treat the minister and messenger of God
that brought are the tidings of my preferment at the scandalous rare stile of a prisoner
He had no sooner passed this reflection, but Joseph
was immediately sent for and set at liberty : from which
generous gratitude his officers took their measures what they
themselves might expect from so gracious a master that were
his faithful friends and servants. Titus being then present
told his father with submission that in barely setting
Joseph at liberty, the work was but half-done; for his
chains ought to be broken as well as taken off, to
pronounce him an innocent and to leave him as he found him;
according to the common practise when men are wrongfully
imprisoned, for otherwise he is only discharged of the
bondage, but the dishonour sticks upon him still. Vespasian
thought it but reasonable and ordered his chains immediately to
be cut to pieces with an ax. So that Joseph did not only get his
freedom but the reputation of a great profit also for what he had foretold, and credit enough to be believed in whatever he shall say for the future.
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Identifier: | JB/139/210/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 139.
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139 |
not paul but jesus |
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210 |
for jug. true or not paul |
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001 |
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collectanea |
1 |
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recto |
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j dickinson & c<…> 1813 |
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a. levy |
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1813 |
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47587 |
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