“…I have undertaken to say with what laws a Christian state ought to be governed, what laws can piously be used before God, and be rightly administered among men.…I would have preferred to pass over this matter in utter silence if I were not aware that here many dangerously go astray. For there are some who deny that a commonwealth is duly framed which neglects the political system of Moses, and is ruled by the common laws of nations. Let other men consider how perilous and seditious this notion is; it will be enough for me to have proved it false and foolish.” Calvin, Institutes, IV.XX.14
“The judicial law, given to them for civil government, imparted certain formulas of equity and justice, by which they might live together blamelessly and peaceably… the form of their judicial laws, although it had no other intent than how best to preserve that very love which is enjoined by God’s eternal law, had something distinct from that precept of love. Therefore, as ceremonial laws could be abrogated while piety remained safe and unharmed, so too, when these judicial laws were taken away, the perpetual duties and precepts of love could still remain.…But if this is true, surely every nation is left free to make such laws as it foresees to be profitable for itself…. they indeed vary in form but have the same purpose.” Calvin, Institutes, IV.XX.15
“[After reviewing laws and penalties of various nations] Yet we see how, with such diversity, all laws tend to the same end. For, together with one voice, they pronounce punishment against those crimes which God’s eternal law has condemned, namely, murder, theft, adultery, and false witness. But they do not agree on the manner of punishment. Nor is this either necessary or expedient…. There are ages that demand increasingly harsh penalties…. There are nations inclined to a particular vice, unless it be most sharply repressed. How malicious and hateful toward public welfare would a man be who is offended by such diversity, which is perfectly adapted to maintain the observance of God’s law?” Calvin, Institutes, V.XX.16
From reading these passages although Calvin definitely is different than Thomas Aquinas as he identifed Natural Law with the Decalogue, it does seem that Calvin holds to a Dual Citizenship rather than a Theonomic point of view.
For additional support I recommend reading Dr Clark's "Calvin on the Lex Naturalis" found here http://www.wscal.edu/clark/1998rsclexnat.pdf
I assume there are plenty of you who disagree with this assessment if so what do you do with these statements from John Calvin?
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