Chapter I. On Law

...is the nature of revealed religion original: "religionis revelatæ"; religion based on divine revelation rather than just human reason, that it commands men not only to flee from sins through dogmas concerning the omniscience and omnipresence of God and similar principles and rules of conduct, but also to restrain—with divine help—the internal vicious impulses of the heart, from which external vicious acts proceed. From this, a greater tranquility of the republic original: "reipublicæ"; refers generally to the state or organized political community cannot fail to emerge. Furthermore, God, by His free promise, rewards piety with many prizes, as seen in Deuteronomy 28.

§. XII. The power and duty of a pagan Prince Princeps ethnicus: a non-Christian sovereign who rules by natural right is the same. Nor does such a ruler possess only the right itself, but also its exercise. For although these two things—the right and the exercise of it—can sometimes be separated by the will of the person who holds that right, a right is nonetheless fictitious and void if one is clearly not permitted to exercise it, even if they wish to. Indeed, a ruler even sins if he neglects its exercise. Examples of this matter are read in Daniel 3:29 and 6:25, 26, 27 referring to the decrees of Nebuchadnezzar and Darius regarding the worship of God. Ezra also and Nehemiah did not hesitate, by the order and in the stead of the Kings of the Persians, to restore the temple of God and to organize all religious matters. And even the Holy Spirit commanded Christians to obey the pagan emperor Nero, in Romans 13:1.

§. XIII. This duty a pagan Prince can perceive even from the light of nature original: "naturæ lumine"; the inherent human capacity for reason independent of biblical revelation alone. For just as he ought to investigate the true way of worshipping God and the path of his own salvation—which if he does not do, he is inexcusable, according to Romans 1:20—so also he ought to lead his subjects to the true worship of God