Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 2 of 2)
CHAPTER XX.01
On Civil Government - Reading 01
CHAPTER XX.
ON CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
Having already stated that man is the subject of two kinds
of government, and having sufficiently discussed that which
is situated in the soul, or the inner man, and relates to eternal
life,—we are, in this chapter, to say something of the other
kind, which relates to civil justice, and the regulation of the
external conduct. For, though the nature of this argument
seems to have no connection with the spiritual doctrine of faith
which I have undertaken to discuss, the sequel will show that
I have sufficient reason for connecting them together, and, indeed,
that necessity obliges me to it; especially since, on the
one hand, infatuated and barbarous men madly endeavour to
subvert this ordinance established by God; and, on the other
hand, the flatterers of princes, extolling their power beyond all
just bounds, hesitate not to oppose it to the authority of God
himself. Unless both these errors be resisted, the purity of the
faith will be destroyed. Besides, it is of no small importance
for us to know what benevolent provision God has made for
mankind in this instance, that we may be stimulated by a
greater degree of pious zeal to testify our gratitude. In the
first place, before we enter on the subject itself, it is necessary
for us to recur to the distinction which we have already established,
lest we fall into an error very common in the world,
and injudiciously confound together these two things, the
nature of which is altogether different. For some men, when
they hear that the gospel promises a liberty which acknowledges
no king or magistrate among men, but submits to Christ
alone, think they can enjoy no advantage of their liberty,
while they see any power exalted above them. They imagine,
therefore, that nothing will prosper, unless the whole
world be modelled in a new form, without any tribunals, or
laws, or magistrates, or any thing of a similar kind, which they
consider injurious to their liberty. But he who knows how
to distinguish between the body and the soul, between this
present transitory life and the future eternal one, will find no
difficulty in understanding, that the spiritual kingdom of
Christ and civil government are things very different and
remote from each other. Since it is a Jewish folly, therefore,
to seek and include the kingdom of Christ under the elements
of this world, let us, on the contrary, considering what the
Scripture clearly inculcates, that the benefit which is received
from the grace of Christ is spiritual; let us, I say, remember
to confine within its proper limits all this liberty which is
promised and offered to us in him. For why is it that the
same apostle, who, in one place, exhorts to “stand fast in the
liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage,” [1404] [1405] [1406] [1407]
II. Yet this distinction does not lead us to consider the whole system of civil government as a polluted thing, which has nothing to do with Christian men. Some fanatics, who are pleased with nothing but liberty, or rather licentiousness without any restraint, do indeed boast and vociferate, That since we are dead with Christ to the elements of this world, and, being translated into the kingdom of God, sit among the celestials, it is a degradation to us, and far beneath our dignity, to be occupied with those secular and impure cares which relate to things altogether uninteresting to a Christian man. Of what use, they ask, are laws without judgments and tribunals? But what have judgments to do with a Christian man? And if it be unlawful to kill, of what use are laws and judgments to us? But as we have just suggested that this kind of government is distinct from that spiritual and internal reign of Christ, so it ought to be known that they are in no respect at variance with each other. For that spiritual reign, even now upon earth, commences within us some preludes of the heavenly kingdom, and in this mortal and transitory life affords us some prelibations of immortal and incorruptible blessedness; but this civil government is designed, as long as we live in this world, to cherish and support the external worship of God, to preserve the pure doctrine of religion, to defend the constitution of the Church, to regulate our lives in a manner requisite for the society of men, to form our manners to civil justice, to promote our concord with each other, and to establish general peace and tranquillity; all which I confess to be superfluous, if the kingdom of God, as it now exists in us, extinguishes the present life. But if it is the will of God, that while we are aspiring towards our true country, we be pilgrims on the earth, and if such aids are necessary to our pilgrimage, they who take them from man deprive him of his human nature. They plead that there should be so much perfection in the Church of God, that its order would suffice to supply the place of all laws; but they foolishly imagine a perfection which can never be found in any community of men. For since the insolence of the wicked is so great, and their iniquity so obstinate that it can scarcely be restrained by all the severity of the laws, what may we expect they would do, if they found themselves at liberty to perpetrate crimes with impunity, whose outrages even the arm of power cannot altogether prevent?
III. But for speaking of the exercise of civil polity, there will be another place more suitable. At present we only wish it to be understood, that to entertain a thought of its extermination, is inhuman barbarism; it is equally as necessary to mankind as bread and water, light and air, and far more excellent. For it not only tends to secure the accommodations arising from all these things, that men may breathe, eat, drink, and be sustained in life, though it comprehends all these things while it causes them to live together, yet, I say, this is not its only tendency; its objects also are, that idolatry, sacrileges against the name of God, blasphemies against his truth, and other offences against religion, may not openly appear and be disseminated among the people; that the public tranquillity may not be disturbed; that every person may enjoy his property without molestation; that men may transact their business together without fraud or injustice; that integrity and modesty may be cultivated among them; in short, that there may be a public form of religion among Christians, and that humanity may be maintained among men. Nor let any one think it strange that I now refer to human polity the charge of the due maintenance of religion, which I may appear to have placed beyond the jurisdiction of men. For I do not allow men to make laws respecting religion and the worship of God now, any more than I did before; though I approve of civil government, which provides that the true religion which is contained in the law of God, be not violated, and polluted by public blasphemies, with impunity. But the perspicuity of order will assist the readers to attain a clearer understanding of what sentiments ought to be entertained respecting the whole system of civil administration, if we enter on a discussion of each branch of it. These are three: The magistrate, who is the guardian and conservator of the laws: The laws, according to which he governs: The people, who are governed by the laws, and obey the magistrate. Let us, therefore, examine, first, the function of a magistrate, whether it be a legitimate calling and approved by God, the nature of the duty, and the extent of the power; secondly, by what laws Christian government ought to be regulated; and lastly, what advantage the people derive from the laws, and what obedience they owe to the magistrate.