Calvinism a life-system - pagina 110

CALVINISM AND POLITICS.

106 In

system however,

his

a gradual

fundamental

a

to

difference

He

authority.

maintained,

monarchy and an

considers a

of government;

forms

provided

over his fellow- men, unless

and

;

upon

imposed

is

peoples and for to

conditions ozvn

thinks

expressed

the,

not by man, but by

us

who by

persons,

in

And

time.

sense,

answered

divine

of

a

should

God,

most desirable

the

the people

people

the

alike for all

yet he does not hesitate

that

Where such

favour

constitutions;

us the

those

ivhere

exists,

that

a

'"''by

ultimate duty of

the

'

ideal

magistrates.

therein

be laid upon him

to Calvin, be

all

an

in

state,

unchangeably

be

it

are to be clothed with power, are indicated,

according

cannot,

it

therefore,

God Himself. The question how authority

aristocracy,

no one on earth can claim authority

that

grace of God'' obedience,

never

difference, as regards the essence of

democracy, both possible and practicable

as a

well

as

could only amount to

this

in practical excellency, but

itself

condition

chooses

its

exists

he

recognize

gratefully

precisely

as

it

been

has

preamble of more than one of your

the

— ''Grateful to

almighty

God

that

He gave

power to choose our own magistrates."

In

his

Commentary on Samuel, Calvin therefore admonishes "And ye, O peoples, to whom God gave the liberty to choose your own magistrates, see to it, such peoples:

that

—

ye do not

forfeit

this favour,

by

electing to the

positions of highest honour, rascals and enemies of God." I

as

may add

that

the

a matter of course,

where the existing

popular choice gains the day,

where no other

rule falls

away.

rule exists, or

Wherever new

States

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