§ II
The Illusion of Royal Exemption
Two probing questions challenge the notion that kings are not bound by the Gospel's call to humility, justice, and mercy, and expose the flattery that leads them to believe they may rule by harsher, deceptive maxims.
Haven't you imagined that the Gospel need not be the rule for kings as it is for their subjects—that politics excuses them from being humble, just, sincere, moderate, compassionate, and ready to forgive wrongs?1 Hasn't some cowardly, corrupt flatterer told you—and haven't you been glad to believe it—that kings, for the sake of their states, need to govern themselves by certain maxims of arrogance, harshness, and deception, setting themselves above the ordinary rules of justice and humanity?2
Read the original French
Ne vous étes-vous point imaginé que l'Evangile ne doit point être la règle des Eois, comme celle de leurs sujets ; que la politique les dispense d'être humbles, justes, sincères, modérés, compatissants, prêts à pardonner les injures ? Quelque lâche et corrompu flatteur ne vous a-til point dit, et n'avez - vous point été bien aise de croire, que les Rois ont besoin de se gouverner, pour leurs Etats, par certaines maximes de hauteur, de dureté, de dissimulation, en s'élevant audessus des règles communes de la justice et de rbumanité ?
Notes
Examen de conscience sur les devoirs de la Royauté companion
A prayer for every moment, already on your phone
Chosen Portion puts a curated historic prayer in front of you each day — so the words are there before the moment arrives.
Chosen Portion is the digital descendant of the carried prayer book: the short daily prayers this collection preserves, delivered one a day to your pocket.
- One short, memorable prayer delivered daily — build your repertoire a card at a time
- Prayers matched to real situations: fear, gratitude, decisions, grief, sleep
- Save favourites into your personal pocket collection you can open anywhere