Henry Bullinger on submission to the good political laws of men

[Reformed Covenanter]

... The laws of men (for my promise was, that in my second part I would speak of them) are those which are by men ordained and published to the preservation of the common weal and l church of God. Touching these they are of divers kinds. For there are politic laws, there are ecclesiastical laws, and men’s traditions. Politic laws are those which the magistrate, according to the state of times, places, and per sons, doth ordain for the preserving of public peace and civility. Of this sort there are an innumerable company of examples in the civil law and constitutions of the emperors, especially of Justinian. All which ought to come as near as may be to the laws of God and nature, and not to be contrary to them, or to have any smack of impiety or cruel tyranny.

To such laws St Peter willeth us to obey, where he saith: “Submit yourselves unto all manner ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake ; whether it be to the king, as having the pre-eminence, or unto rulers, as they that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, but for the praise of them that do well.” For although the apostle by ordinances, or men’s constitutions, doth inclusively mean the kings and magistrates themselves, as in the second clause of the sentence he doth immediately declare; yet, notwithstanding, he doth bid us therefore obey good laws and just, because by them the magistrates support and rule the commonweal. ...

For more, see Henry Bullinger on submission to the good political laws of men.