You don't have to be a Calvinist to say Amen to this,
"The characteristic of
a true sovereign is, to acknowledge that, in the administration of his kingdom,
he is a minister of God. He who does not make his reign subservient to the
divine glory, acts the part not of a king, but a robber. He, moreover, deceives
himself who anticipates long prosperity to any kingdom which is not ruled by
the sceptre of God, that is, by his divine word. For the heavenly oracle is
infallible which has declared, that “where there is no vision the people
perish” (Prov. 29:18).”[1]
It should be noted that Calvin wrote this in the
Institutes which were written and addressed to a king. That is based.
“PREFATORY
ADDRESS to
HIS
MOST CHRISTIAN MAJESTY
THE
MOST MIGHTY and
ILLUSTRIOUS
MONARCH
FRANCIS,
KING OF THE FRENCH
HIS SOVEREIGN JOHN CALVIN
PRAYS PEACE AND SALVATION IN CHRIST.
SIRE—When I first engaged in
this work, nothing was farther from my thoughts than to write what should
afterwards be presented to your Majesty. My intention was only to furnish a
kind of rudiments, by which those who feel some interest in religion might be
trained to true godliness. And I toiled at the task chiefly for the sake of my
countrymen the French, multitudes of whom I perceived to be hungering and
thirsting after Christ, while very few seemed to have been duly imbued with
even a slender knowledge of him. That this was the object which I had in view
is apparent from the work itself, which is written in a simple and elementary
form adapted for instruction.
But when I perceived that
the fury of certain bad men had risen to such a height in your realm, that
there was no place in it for sound doctrine, I thought it might be of service
if I were in the same work both to give instruction to my countrymen, and also
lay before your Majesty a Confession, from which you may learn what the
doctrine is that so inflames the rage of those madmen who are this day, with
fire and sword, troubling your kingdom. For I fear not to declare, that what I
have here given may be regarded as a summary of the very doctrine which, they
vociferate, ought to be punished with confiscation, exile, imprisonment, and
flames, as well as exterminated by land and sea.”[2]
Much of the Church has forgotten that to disciple nations
means to call Kings to submit unto Christ and submit their laws unto Christ’s
law. Indeed, many Christians who would say they are Reformed, or Calvinist
(which I am not myself) have forgotten that their most influential and
respected scholar and teacher was willing to do this himself. May the church grow
this courage again. May the weak men who fall down at every chance to do this
be replaced by the kind of men that respect the sovereignty of kings, but the
sovereignty of the King of kings above all others.
[1] Calvin,
John. Institutes of the Christian Religion . Fig. Kindle Edition.
[2] Calvin,
John. Institutes of the Christian Religion . Fig. Kindle Edition.
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