John Calvin on Principles of Magistracy

Posted at Mint, Anise and the Cumin:

Election Day is approaching at a quick rate. There are many misunderstandings of the Christian and Reformed principles when it comes to Civil Magistracy. There will be false statements circulating claiming “We are not electing a Pastor in Chief” or “Christians should not be involved in politics”, even worse “We should vote for the one person who has a chance of winning even if he is not a Christian or qualified by Scripture.” In other words, we should vote for the lesser of two evils.. None of this is biblical or Reformed. Of course I am a Covenanter dissenter and will not be voting because of the wickedness of our current system but if you are going to vote, hear at least John Calvin on the subject of whom we as Christians are morally responsible for in placing in the seat of civil authority.

§Speaking of New Testament Times Isaiah says,
Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. (Isaiah 49:22-23) 

§John Calvin speaking on Psalm 2 and Isaiah 49:23,
“…without a doubt he is speaking of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus. He admonishes all kings and authorities to be wise and to take heed to themselves. What is this wisdom? What is the lesson He gives them? To abdicate it all? Hardly! But to fear God and give homage to His Son…Furthermore, Isaiah prophesies that the kings will become the foster fathers of the Christian church and that queens will nurse it with their breasts (Isa. 49:23). I beg of you, how do you reconcile the fact that kings will be protectors of the Christian Church if their vocation is inconsistent with Christianity?” -Calvin, Treatises Against the Anabaptists and Libertines, p. 79 Libertines, p. 79 

§John Calvin again speaking on Psalm 2,
“When David says, ‘Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth;” “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry’ (Psalm 2:10, 12), he does not order them to lay aside their authority and return to private life, but to make the power with which they are invested subject to Christ, that he may rule over all.” John Calvin

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