re confirmed by the authority of Paul.
It is not only in respect of ignorance that we conceive the state of
Nature as prior to, and lacking the Divine revealed law and right; but
in respect of freedom also, wherewith all men are born endowed....

It may be insisted that sovereigns are as much bound by the Divine law
as subjects; whereas we have asserted that they retain their natural
rights, and may do whatever they like.

In order to clear up the whole difficulty, which arises rather
concerning the natural right than the natural state, I maintain that
every one is bound, in the state of Nature, to live according to Divine
law, in the same way as he is bound to live according to the dictates of
sound reason; namely, inasmuch as it is to his advantage, and necessary
for his salvation; but, if he will not so live, he may do otherwise at
his own risk. He is thus bound to live according to his own laws, not
according to any one else's, and to recognize no man as a judge, or as a
superior in religion. Such, in my opinion, is the position of a
sovereign, for he may take advice from his fellow men, but he is not
bound to recognize any as a judge, nor any one besides himself as an
arbitrator on any question of right, unless it be a prophet sent
expressly by God and attesting his mission by indisputable signs. Even
then he does not recognize a man, but God Himself as his judge.

If a sovereign refuses to obey God as revealed in His law, he does so at
his own risk and loss, but without violating any civil or natural
right. For the civil right is dependent on his own decree; and natural
right is dependent on the laws of Nature, which latter are not adapted
to religion, whose sole aim is the good of humanity, but to the order of
Nature--that is, to God's eternal decree unknown to us.

This truth seems to be adumbrated in a somewhat obscurer form by those
who maintain that men can sin against God's revelation, but not against
the eternal decree by which He has ordained all things....

FOOTNOTES:

[32] From the _Tr. Th.-P._, ch. xvi, same title.

[33] In the state of social life, where general right determines what is
good or evil, stratagem is rightly distinguished as of two kinds, good
and evil. But in the state of Nature, where every man is his own judge,
possessing the absolute right to lay down laws for himself, to interpret
them as he pleases, or to abrogate them if he thinks it convenient, it
is not conceivable that str