Quodfides Deo dehita sit cuiuis homini praeferendu
The Hierarchy of Fidelity
True service to earthly authorities is only valid when it is subordinate to the primary faith owed to God.
And it isn't kept for a person unless it's kept for God. It doesn't matter to a faithful person whether they serve a believer or an unbeliever, as long as they serve with their faith intact. We read that the faithful served Diocletian, Julian, and other ungodly men, and that they showed them faith and reverence in the defense of the state, just as they would to any prince. They fought against the enemies of the empire, but they kept the commands of God; yet if they were ordered to violate the law, they put God before man. Princes would sit and accuse them, but they were occupied with the Lord's decrees, speaking and acting out His commands with complete confidence and without shame. David, too, is said to have served Achish and to have fulfilled the faith and reverence of a soldier. This, however, is the rule that must be prescribed and fulfilled for all military service: that the faith owed to God is kept first, and then faith to the prince and the state remains intact. Greater things will always take precedence over lesser ones, because faith is not to be kept to the state or the prince against God, but according to God, just as the very concept of the military oath holds.
The Folly of Unfaithful Alliances
Rulers who trust those who have already betrayed their divine obligations are foolish, as such people lack the integrity to remain loyal to anyone.
That is why I am very surprised if any ruler trusts those he sees failing to keep the faith they owe to their own God—to whom, to say nothing of other things, they are even bound by the oath of their military service. What kind of mental sickness is he suffering from, believing someone will be faithful to him when he sees that person is corrupt and treacherous toward the One to whom he owes the most? He fears his ruler, certainly; but if someone stronger comes along, he'll fear that one too. A ruler might be loved, perhaps; but if someone kinder and more generous appears, he'll be loved even more. There is nowhere for a wicked person to turn who puts a human being before God; someone who makes the first promise void will by no means keep the second.
Read the original Latin
nec seruatur homini nisi Ueo seruetur. Nec refert fideli quis militet an infideli, dum tantum militet fide incolumi. Diocletiano et luliano et aliis impiis leguntur militasse fideles et eis in defensione rei publicae tamquam principibus fidem exhibuisse et reuerentiam. Impugnabant enim hostes imperii, sed mandata Dei seruabant; si uero praecipiebantur temerare legem, Deum homini praeferebant. Sedebant principes et accusabant eos; illi exercebantur in iustificationibus Domini, eonstanter loquentes et agentes sine confusione mandata eius cum omni fiducia. Dauid quoque militasse legitur Achis et fidem et reuerentiam militantis implesse. Haec autem omni militiae formula praescribenda est et implenda ut Deo primum fides debita, deinde principi et rei publicae seruetur incolumis. Et semper maiora praeiudicabunt minoribus, quia nec rei publicae nec principi fides seruanda est contra Deum sed secundum Deum, sicut habet ipsa conceptio militaris sacramenti.
Vnde plurimum miror si quis princeps illis habeat fidem quos uidet Deo suo, cui (ut cetera taceam) etiam sacramento militiae obligati sunt, fidem debitam non seruare. Quonam morbo rationis laborat qui eum sibi fidelem fore credit quem uidet esse corruptum et perfidum in illum cui plurimum debet Sed timet principem; certe, si fortior superuenerit, praetimebit et illum. Amatur forte princeps; at, si benignior et beneficentior apparuerit, et illum praeamabit. Non est quo se non uertat impius qui hominem Deo praefert; nequaquam seruabit fidem secundam qui primam irritam facit.
Policraticus companion
Study the argument weekly; pray the tradition daily
Pair the outline with the Chosen Portion app, which serves short daily portions from the same royal devotional tradition — free on iOS.
John of Salisbury argued that rulers must keep the law of God before their eyes daily; Chosen Portion gives modern readers that same daily discipline in five minutes a morning.
- 8 weeks, one book per week, with the 3-4 key chapters flagged in each
- Discussion questions usable for a reading group from week one
- A daily 5-minute companion portion in the app alongside your weekly study