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.
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. 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.

From these universal considerations, let us pass on to the kingdom of
the Jews. 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. 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. 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., verse 9). 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 valor and
courage, instead of merely trying to escape punishment. 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.
Further, he bound them over by benefits, and prophesied many advantages
in the future; nor were his laws very severe, as any one may see for
himself, especially if he re