marks the number of circumstances necessary
in order to procure the conviction of an accused person.

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 plow, 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 doorposts, on their hands, and between
their eyes to admonish them to perpetual obedience.

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.

From all these considerations it is clearer than day that ceremonies
have nothing to do with a state of blessedness, and that those mentioned
in the Old Testament, _i.e._, the whole Mosaic Law, had reference merely
to the government of the Jews, and merely temporal advantages.

As for the Christian rites, such as baptism, the Lord's Supper,
festivals, public prayers, and any other observances which are, and
always have been, common to all Christendom, if they were instituted by
Christ or His Apostles (which is open to doubt), they were instituted as
external signs of the universal church, and not as having anything to do
with blessedness, or possessing any sanctity in themselves. Therefore,
though such ceremonies were not ordained for the sake of upholding a
government, they were ordained for the preservation of a society, and
accordingly he who lives alone is not bound by them: nay, those who live
in a country where the Christian religion is forbidden, are bound to
abstain from such rites, and can none the less live in a state of
blessedness. We have an example of this in Japan, where the Christian
religion is forbidden, and the Dutch who live there are enjoined by
their East India Company not to practice any outward rites of religion.
I need not cite other examples, though it would be easy to prove my
point from the fundamental principles of the New Te