a　view　of　opposing　the　Christians　than　of　pleasing　God：　for　after　the　first
  destruction　of　the　city；　when　they　were　led　captive　to　Babylon；　not　being
  then；　so　far　as　I　am　aware；　split　up　into　sects；　they　straightway　neglected
  their　rites；　bid　farewell　to　the　Mosaic　law；　buried　their　national　customs
  in　oblivion　as　being　plainly　superfluous；　and　began　to　mingle　with　other
  nations；　as　we　may　abundantly　learn　from　Ezra　and　Nehemiah。　（28）　We　cannot；
  therefore；　doubt　that　they　were　no　more　bound　by　the　law　of　Moses；　after　the
  destruction　of　their　kingdom；　than　they　had　been　before　it　had　been　begun；
  while　they　were　still　living　among　other　peoples　before　the　exodus　from
  Egypt；　and　were　subject　to　no　special　law　beyond　the　natural　law；　and　also；
  doubtless；　the　law　of　the　state　in　which　they　were　living；　in　so　far　as　it
  was　consonant　with　the　Divine　natural　law。
  （29）　As　to　the　fact　that　the　patriarchs　offered　sacrifices；　I　think　they　did
  so　for　the　purpose　of　stimulating　their　piety；　for　their　minds　had　been
  accustomed　from　childhood　to　the　idea　of　sacrifice；　which　we　know　had　been
  universal　from　the　time　of　Enoch；　and　thus　they　found　in　sacrifice　their
  most　powerful　incentive。　（30）　The　patriarchs；　then；　did　not　sacrifice　to　God
  at　the　bidding　of　a　Divine　right；　or　as　taught　by　the　basis　of　the　Divine
  law；　but　simply　in　accordance　with　the　custom　of　the　time；　and；　if　in　so
  doing　they　followed　any　ordinance；　it　was　simply　the　ordinance　of　the
  country　they　were　living　in；　by　which　（as　we　have　seen　before　in　the　case　of
  Melchisedek）　they　were　bound。
  （31）　I　think　that　I　have　now　given　Scriptural　authority　for　my　view：　it
  remains　to　show　why　and　how　the　ceremonial　observances　tended　to　preserve
  and　confirm　the　Hebrew　kingdom；　and　this　I　can　very　briefly　do　on　grounds
  universally　accepted。
  （32）　The　formation　of　society　serves　not　only　for　defensive　purposes；　but　is
  also　very　useful；　and；　indeed；　absolutely　necessary；　as　rendering　possible
  the　division　of　labour。　（33）　If　men　did　not　render　mutual　assistance　to　each
  other；　no　one　would　have　either　the　skill　or　the　time　to　provide　for　his　own
  sustenance　and　preservation：　for　all　men　are　not　equally　apt　for　all　work；
  and　no　one　would　be　capable　of　preparing　all　that　he　individually　stood　in
  need　of。　（34）　Strength　and　time；　I　repeat；　would　fail；　if　every　one　had　in
  person　to　plough；　to　sow；　to　reap；　to　grind　corn；　to　cook；　to　weave；　to
  stitch；　and　perform　the　other　numerous　functions　required　to　keep　life
  going；　to　say　nothing　of　the　arts　and　sciences　which　are　also　entirely
  necessary　to　the　perfection　and　blessedness　of　human　nature。　（35）　We　see
  that　peoples　living；　in　uncivilized　barbarism　lead　a　wretched　and　almost
  animal　life；　and　even　they　would　not　be　able　to　acquire　their　few　rude
  necessaries　without　assisting　one　another　to　a　certain　extent。
  （36）　Now　if　men　were　so　constituted　by　nature　that　they　desired　nothing　but
  what　is　designated　by　true　reason；　society　would　obviously　have　no　need　of
  laws：　it　would　be　sufficient　to　inculcate　true　moral　doctrines；　and　men
  would　freely；　without　hesitation；　act　in　accordance　with　their　true
  interests。　（37）　But　human　nature　is　framed　in　a　different　fashion：　every
  one；　indeed；　seeks　his　own　interest；　but　does　not　do　so　in　accordance　with
  the　dictates　of　sound　reason；　for　most　men's　ideas　of　desirability　and
  usefulness　are　guided　by　their　fleshly　instincts　and　emotions；　which　take　no
  thought　beyond　the　present　and　the　immediate　object。　（38）　Therefore；　no
  society　can　exist　without　government；　and　force；　and　laws　to　restrain　and
  repress　men's　desires　and　immoderate　impulses。　（39）　Still　human　nature　will
  not　submit　to　absolute　repression。　（40）　Violent　governments；　as　Seneca　says；
  never　last　long；　the　moderate　governments　endure。　（41）　So　long　as　men　act
  simply　from　fear　they　act　contrary　to　their　inclinations；　taking　no　thought
  for　the　advantages　or　necessity　of　their　actions；　but　simply　endeavouring　to
  escape　punishment　or　loss　of　life。　（42）　They　must　needs　rejoice　in　any　evil
  which　befalls　their　ruler；　even　if　it　should　involve　themselves；　and　must
  long　for　and　bring　about　such　evil　by　every　means　in　their　power。　（43）
  Again；　men　are　especially　intolerant　of　serving　and　being　ruled　by　their
  equals。　（44）　Lastly；　it　is　exceedingly　difficult　to　revoke　liberties　once
  granted。
  （45）　From　these　considerations　it　follows；　firstly；　that　authority　should
  either　be　vested　in　the　hands　of　the　whole　state　in　common；　so　that　everyone
  should　be　bound　to　serve；　and　yet　not　be　in　subjection　to　his　equals；　or
  else；　if　power　be　in　the　hands　of　a　few；　or　one　man；　that　one　man　should　be
  something　above　average　humanity；　or　should　strive　to　get　himself　accepted
  as　such。　（46）　Secondly；　laws　should　in　every　government　be　so　arranged　that
  people　should　be　kept　in　bounds　by　the　hope　of　some　greatly　desired　good；
  rather　than　by　fear；　for　then　everyone　will　do　his　duty　willingly。
  （47）　Lastly；　as　obedience　consists　in　acting　at　the　bidding　of　external
  authority；　it　would　have　no　place　in　a　state　where　the　government　is　vested
  in　the　whole　people；　and　where　laws　are　made　by　common　consent。　（48）　In　such
  a　society　the　people　would　remain　free；　whether　the　laws　were　added　to　or
  diminished；　inasmuch　as　it　would　not　be　done　on　external　authority；　but
  their　own　free　consent。　（49）　The　reverse　happens　when　the　sovereign　power　is
  vested　in　one　man；　for　all　act　at　his　bidding；　and；　therefore；　unless　they
  had　been　trained　from　the　first　to　depend　on　the　words　of　their　ruler；　the
  latter　would　find　it　difficult；　in　case　of　need；　to　abrogate　liberties　once
  conceded；　and　impose　new　laws。
  （50）　From　these　universal　considerations；　let　us　pass　on　to　the　kingdom　of
  the　Jews。　（51）　The　Jews　when　they　first　came　out　of　Egypt　were　not　bound　by
  any　national　laws；　and　were　therefore　free　to　ratify　any　laws　they　liked；　or
  to　make　new　ones；　and　were　at　liberty　to　set　up　a　government　and　occupy　a
  territory　wherever　they　chose。　（52）　However；　they；　were　entirely　unfit
  to　frame　a　wise　code　of　laws　and　to　keep　the　sovereign　power　vested　in　the
  community；　they　were　all　uncultivated　and　sunk　in　a　wretched　slavery；
  therefore　the　sovereignty　was　bound　to　remain　vested　in　the　hands　of　one　man
  who　would　rule　the　rest　and　keep　them　under　constraint；　make　laws　and
  interpret　them。　（53）　This　sovereignty　was　easily　retained　by　Moses；
  because　he　surpassed　the　rest　in　virtue　and　persuaded　the　people　of　the
  fact；　proving　it　by　many　testimonies　（see　Exod。　chap。　xiv。；　last　verse；　and
  chap。　xix：9）。　（54）　He　then；　by　the　Divine　virtue　he　possessed；　made　laws　and
  ordained　them　for　the　people；　taking　the　greatest　care　that　they　should　be
  obeyed　willingly　and　not　through　fear；　being　specially　induced　to　adopt　this
  course　by　the　obstinate　nature　of　the　Jews；　who　would　not　have　submitted　to
  be　ruled　solely　by　constraint；　and　also　by　the　imminence　of　war；　for　it　is
  always　better　to　inspire　soldiers　with　a　thirst　for　glory　than　to　terrify
  them　with　threats；　each　man　will　then　strive　to　distinguish　himself
  by　valour　and　courage；　instead　of　merely　trying　to　escape　punishment。　（55）
  Moses；　therefore；　by　his　virtue　and　the　Divine　command；　introduced　a
  religion；　so　that　the　people　might　do　their　duty　from　devotion　rather　than
  fear。　（56）　Further；　he　bound　them　over　by　benefits；　and　prophesied
  many　advantages　in　the　future；　nor　were　his　laws　very　severe；　as　anyone　may
  see　for　himself；　especially　if　he　remarks　the　number　of　circumstances
  necessary　in　order　to　procure　the　conviction　of　an　accused　person。
  （57）　Lastly；　in　order　that　the　people　which　could　not　govern　itself　should
  be　entirely　dependent　on　its　ruler；　he　left　nothing　to　the　free　choice　of
  individuals　（who　had　hitherto　been　slaves）；　the　people　could　do　nothing　but
  remember　the　law；　and　follow　the　ordinances　laid　down　at　the　good　pleasure
  of　their　ruler；　they　were　not　allowed　to　plough；　to　sow；　to　reap；　nor　even
  to　eat；　to　clothe　themselves；　to　shave；　to　rejoice；　or　in　fact　to　do
  anything　whatever　as　they　liked；　but　were　bound　to　follow　the　directions
  given　in　the　law；　and　not　only　this；　but　they　were　obliged　to　have　marks　on
  their　door…posts；　on　their　hands；　and　between　their　eyes　to　admonish　them　to
  perpetual　obedience。
  （58）　This；　then；　was　the　object　of　the　ceremonial　law；　that　men　should　do
  nothing　of　their　own　free　will；　but　should　always　act　under　external
  authority；　and　should　continually　confess　by　their　actions　and　thoughts　that
  they　were　not　their　own　masters；　but　were　entirely　under　the　control　of
  others。
  （59）　From　all　these　considerations　it　is　clearer　than　day　that　ceremonies
  have　nothing　to　do　with　a　state　of　blessedness；　and　that　thos