Audio Session 4 – Sections 8-9
Audio for Session #4
Session #4
* Section 8 All forms of government are ordained of God.
* Commentary What would Calvin have thought of the American Revolution?
* Section 9 The duty of magistrates to follow both tablets of the law
* Commentary The state’s responsibility in regulating religion & professing Christ
Calvin’s Institutes – Book 4 – Chapter 20
Section 8
And certainly it were a very idle occupation for private men to discuss what would be the best form of polity in the place where they live, seeing these deliberations cannot have any influence in determining any public matter. Then the thing itself could not be defined absolutely without rashness, since the nature of the discussion depends on circumstances. And if you compare the different states with each other, without regard to circumstances, it is not easy to determine which of these has the advantage in point of utility, so equal are the terms on which they meet. Monarchy is prone to tyranny. In an aristocracy, again, the tendency is not less to the faction of a few, while in popular ascendancy there is the strongest tendency to sedition. When these three forms of government, of which philosophers treat, are considered in themselves, I, for my part, am far from denying that the form which greatly surpasses the others is aristocracy, either pure or modified by popular government, not indeed in itself, but because it very rarely happens that kings so rule themselves as never to dissent from what is just and right, or are possessed of so much acuteness and prudence as always to see correctly. Owing, therefore, to the vices or defects of men, it is safer and more tolerable when several bear rule, that they may thus mutually assist, instruct, and admonish each other, and should any one be disposed to go too far, the others are censors and masters to curb his excess. This has already been proved by experience, and confirmed also by the authority of the Lord himself, when he established an aristocracy bordering on popular government among the Israelites, keeping them under that as the best form, until he exhibited an image of the Messiah in David. And as I willingly admit that there is no kind of government happier than where liberty is framed with becoming moderation, and duly constituted so as to be durable, so I deem those very happy who are permitted to enjoy that form, and I admit that they do nothing at variance with their duty when they strenuously and constantly labor to preserve and maintain it. Nay, even magistrates ought to do their utmost to prevent the liberty, of which they have been appointed guardians, from being impaired, far less violated. If in this they are sluggish or little careful, they are perfidious traitors to their office and their country. But should those to whom the Lord has assigned one form of government, take it upon them anxiously to long for a change, the wish would not only be foolish and superfluous, but very pernicious. If you fix your eyes not on one state merely, but look around the world, or at least direct your view to regions widely separated from each other, you will perceive that Divine Providence has not, without good cause, arranged that different countries should be governed by different forms of polity. For as only elements of unequal temperature adhere together, so in different regions a similar inequality in the form of government is best. All this, however, is said unnecessarily to those to whom the will of God is a sufficient reason. For if it has pleased him to appoint kings over kingdoms, and senates or burgomasters over free states, whatever be the form which he has appointed in the places in which we live, our duty is to obey and submit.
Section 9
The duty of magistrates, its nature, as described by the word of God, and the things in which it consists, I will here indicate in passing. That it extends to both tables of the law, did Scripture not teach, we might learn from profane writers; for no man has discoursed of the duty of magistrates, the enacting of laws, and the common weal, without beginning with religion and divine worship. Thus all have confessed that no polity can be successfully established unless piety be its first care, and that those laws are absurd which disregard the rights of God, and consult only for men. Seeing then that among philosophers religion holds the first place, and that the same thing has always been observed with the universal consent of nations, Christian princes and magistrates may be ashamed of their heartlessness if they make it not their care. We have already shown that this office is specially assigned them by God, and indeed it is right that they exert themselves in asserting and defending the honour of him whose vicegerents they are, and by whose favour they rule. Hence in Scripture holy kings are especially praised for restoring the worship of God when corrupted or overthrown, or for taking care that religion flourished under them in purity and safety. On the other hand, the sacred history sets down anarchy among the vices, when it states that there was no king in Israel, and, therefore, every one did as he pleased (Judges 21:25). This rebukes the folly of those who would neglect the care of divine things, and devote themselves merely to the administration of justice among men; as if God had appointed rulers in his own name to decide earthly controversies, and omitted what was of far greater moment, his own pure worship as prescribed by his law. Such views are adopted by turbulent men, who, in their eagerness to make all kinds of innovations with impunity, would fain get rid of all the vindicators of violated piety. In regard to the second table of the law, Jeremiah addresses rulers, “Thus saith the Lord, Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood” (Jer. 22:3). To the same effect is the exhortation in the Psalm, “Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; rid them out of the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 82:3, 4). Moses also declared to the princes whom he had substituted for himself, “Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great: ye shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God’s” (Deut. 1:16). I say nothing as to such passages as these, “He shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt;” “neither shall he multiply wives to himself; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold;” “he shall write him a copy of this law in a book;” “and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God;” “that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren” (Deut. 17:16–20). In here explaining the duties of magistrates, my exposition is intended not so much for the instruction of magistrates themselves, as to teach others why there are magistrates, and to what end they have been appointed by God. We say, therefore, that they are the ordained guardians and vindicators of public innocence, modesty, honour, and tranquillity, so that it should be their only study to provide for the common peace and safety. Of these things David declares that he will set an example when he shall have ascended the throne. “A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person. Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me” (Psalm 101:4–6). But as rulers cannot do this unless they protect the good against the injuries of the bad, and give aid and protection to the oppressed, they are armed with power to curb manifest evil-doers and criminals, by whose misconduct the public tranquillity is disturbed or harassed. For we have full experience of the truth of Solon’s saying, that all public matters depend on reward and punishment; that where these are wanting, the whole discipline of states totters and falls to pieces. For in the minds of many the love of equity and justice grows cold, if due honour be not paid to virtue, and the licentiousness of the wicked cannot be restrained, without strict discipline and the infliction of punishment. The two things are comprehended by the prophet when he enjoins kings and other rulers to execute “judgment and righteousness” (Jer. 21:12; 22:3). It is righteousness (justice) to take charge of the innocent, to defend and avenge them, and set them free: it is judgment to withstand the audacity of the wicked, to repress their violence, and punish their faults.
John Calvin’s Treatise “On Civil Government”
Study Questions
Session #4
1. Calvin writes that the best form of polity for any nation depends upon _______________.
2. Complete the following from Section 8
* Monarchy is prone to __________.
* Aristocracy is prone to ___________.
* Popular sovereignty is prone to ___________.
3. Which form of government does Calvin believe is the best? ______________________________
4. Israel was a rule by the ___________ as administrated by elders appointed by the people.
5. Was America founded to be a democracy or a republic? __________
6. What is the difference between a democracy and a republic? ___________________________________
7. Calvin says that the best government allows for _________ with moderation
8. Calvin writes, “Whatever be the form which God has appointed in the place in which we live, our duty is to _______________.
9. What would John Calvin have thought of the American Revolution? _____________________________
10. Complete 1 Samuel 26:9-10:
“But David said to Abishai, ‘Do not destroy him [Saul], for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be without ______?’ David also said, ‘As the Lord lives, surely the Lord will _________, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish.’”
11. Many Christians involved themselves in the American Revolution because they felt compelled to follow whom? _________________________________
12. In Section 9 Calvin teaches that the magistrate must enforce both tablets of _______________.
13. Give one example of states following the first four commandments: __________________________
14. Does the magistrate have a duty before God to keep idolatry and false religion out of the land? ____________
15. The magistrates need to make _______ their first care.
16. Laws need to consider not only the rights of man, but also the rights of ____.
17 . Give some examples of how America used to promoted piety: ________________________________
18. According to Deuteronomy 17:18-20, the king was to write for himself a copy of the ___________.
19. When the Word of God is the basis for the law of the land, neither the king nor the people think they are the law. “A government that abandons God soon thinks it is _____.”
20. The duty of the state is to punish whom? _________ (Jeremiah 21:12; 22:3; Psalm 101:4-6; Romans 13:4)
John Calvin’s Treatise “On Civil Government”
Study Answers
Session #4
1. Calvin writes that the best form of polity for any nation depends upon circumstances.
2. Complete the following from Section 8
* Monarchy is prone to tyranny.
* Aristocracy is prone to faction.
* Popular sovereignty is prone to sedition.
3. Which form of government does Calvin believe is the best? Aristocracy either pure or modified
4. Israel was a rule by the Law of God as administrated by elders appointed by the people.
5. Was America founded to be a democracy or a republic? A republic
6. What is the difference between a democracy and a republic? A democracy is a rule by the people. A republic is a rule by God’s higher law as administered by representatives of the people. In a republic the rule of God’s law is over the will of the majority.
7. Calvin says that the best government allows for liberty with moderation
8. Calvin writes, “Whatever be the form which God has appointed in the place in which we live, our duty is to obey and submit.
9. What would John Calvin have thought of the American Revolution? He would not have urged Christians to take up arms against the state, but to wait upon the Lord to be freed from bad government.
10. Complete 1 Samuel 26:9-10:
“But David said to Abishai, ‘Do not destroy him [Saul], for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be without guilt?’ David also said, ‘As the Lord lives, surely the Lord will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish.’”
11. Many Christians involved themselves in the American Revolution because they felt compelled to follow whom? The lower magistrates, the leaders of their states
12. In Section 9 Calvin teaches that the magistrate must enforce both tablets of The Law–The 10 Commandments.
13. Give one example of states following the first four commandments: Blasphemy laws, Blue laws
14. Does the magistrate have a duty before God to keep idolatry and false religion out of the land? Yes, according to Romans 13 and the Scriptural injunctions for kings
15. The magistrates need to make piety their first care.
16. Laws need to consider not only the rights of man, but also the rights of God.
17 . Give some examples of how America used to promoted piety: adding “One nation under God” to the pledge; military chaplaincy, national day of prayer, the year of the Bible
18. According to Deuteronomy 17:18-20, the king was to write for himself a copy of the Law of God.
19. When the Word of God is the basis for the law of the land, neither the king nor the people think they are the law. “A government that abandons God soon thinks it is God.”
20. The duty of the state is to punish whom? Evil doers (Jeremiah 21:12; 22:3; Psalm 101:4-6; Romans 13:4)