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).”
Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion . Fig. Kindle Edition.
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.”
Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion . Fig. Kindle Edition
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.
