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← On the Institution of a King (De institutione regia)/Book 1 · De institutione regia
Chapter 6JonasInstReg.1.6

CAPUT IV. Quid sit proprie ministerium regis.

What a King Is For

Jonas defines the royal ministry as governing God's people with justice, defending the Church and the poor, and preparing to answer to God for every judgment.

The royal ministry is above all this: to govern and rule God's people with fairness and justice, and to work to ensure they have peace and concord. For he must first of all be the defender of the Churches and of God's servants. It is also their duty to attend carefully to the welfare and ministry of the priests, and through their arms and protection the Church of Christ should be guarded; widows, orphans, and the rest of the poor, and indeed all who are in need, should be defended from need.12 For his power to inspire fear, and his diligence in such matters, should, as much as possible, be of this kind: first, so that no injustice is done; then, if it does happen, so that he in no way allows it to stand, and leaves no one hope of hiding or boldness to do wrong; but let everyone know that if any evil they have committed comes to his attention, it will by no means remain unreproved or unpunished; rather, the measure of just correction will match the nature of the deed.34 That is why he has been placed on the throne of rule: to carry out just judgments, so that he himself will watch and inquire carefully, lest anyone in judgment turn aside from truth and fairness. He must also know that the cause he handles according to the ministry entrusted to him is not men's but God's — and to God, for the ministry he has taken on, he will have to give an account on the day of the dreadful judgment.5 And so he himself, who is the Judge of judges, must bring the cause of the poor before him and inquire carefully, so that those he has appointed — who should act in his place among the people — do not, through injustice or neglect, allow the poor to suffer oppression.6

Job's Portrait of a Good King

Job appears as the model ruler: he comforts mourners, rescues the poor, clothes himself with justice, and crushes the jaws of the wicked.

Now here's how Job speaks about the king's office: "When I sat as if I were a king, with the army standing around me, I was still the comforter of those who mourn."✦ The ear that heard blessed me, and the eye that saw bore witness about me, that I had set free the poor man crying out, and the orphan who had no helper.✦7 The blessing of the one about to perish came upon me, and I comforted the widow's heart.✦ I clothed myself with justice, and my judgment clothed me like a garment and a diadem.✦ I was an eye to the blind and a foot to the lame.✦ I was a father to the poor, and I investigated with the greatest care any case I didn't know.✦ I crushed the jaws of the wicked man, and from his teeth I snatched away the prey (Job8 29:25).✦9

Proverbs for the King's Throne

A chain of wisdom sayings teaches that a king's justice scatters evil, a wise ruler's discipline is stable, and a just king builds up the land.

Solomon: A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters every evil with his gaze (Prov. 20:8). Again: A wise king scatters the wicked and brings the wheel over them (Ibid.10 v. 26). Again: A wise judge will judge his people, and the rule of a discerning man will stand firm (Eccli.11 10:1). Again: A just king builds up the land, and a greedy man destroys it (Prov. 29:4).

A Solemn Charge to Rulers

The Book of Wisdom summons kings and judges to love justice and remember that God, who gave them power, will hold them to an exacting account.

In the Book of Wisdom: Love justice, you who judge the earth. Think of the Lord in goodness, and seek him in simplicity of heart (Wis. 1:1). And again: Listen, then, you kings, and understand; learn, you judges of the ends of the earth.12 Listen, you who hold multitudes in your power and take pleasure in throngs of nations. For power was given to you by the Lord, and strength from the Most High, who will examine your works and search your thoughts. For when you were ministers of his kingdom, you did not judge rightly, nor keep the law of justice, nor walk according to the will of God. He will appear to you in a terrible and swift way, because the harshest judgment will fall on those who rule. For mercy is granted to the lowly, but the powerful will suffer torments in proportion to their power.13 For God will not show partiality to anyone, nor will he be awed by anyone's greatness, because he himself made both the lowly and the great, and he cares equally for all; but a stronger torment presses upon the stronger (Wis.14 6:2 and following.) .

Isidore on the Church and the Crown

Isidore teaches that earthly rulers receive power within the Church to defend her discipline and peace, and they must answer to God for that stewardship.

Isidore: «The rulers of this world sometimes hold the highest power they have gained within the Church, so that through that same power they may strengthen the Church's discipline. Moreover, there would be no need for powers within the Church except so that what the priest accomplishes through the word of teaching, the civil power may enforce through the terror of discipline.15 Often the heavenly kingdom advances through the earthly kingdom, so that those who stand within the Church yet act against the faith and the Church's discipline may be crushed by the rigor of rulers; so that the ruler's power may lay on the necks of the proud that same discipline which the Church's good is not strong enough to enforce; and so that power may earn reverence, it must impart virtue.16 The rulers of this world should know that they must give an account to God for the Church they receive from Christ to protect. For whether the peace and discipline of the Church are strengthened through faithful rulers or undone, the one who entrusted his Church to their power will demand an account from them. »

The Abundance of Witnesses

Jonas concludes that countless other oracles from both Testaments confirm the king's office, but he stops to avoid prolonging the work.

There are also many other abundant oracles from both Testaments by which it is amply established that a king must exercise and fulfill the office entrusted to him according to the will of God—oracles I pass over here to keep from going on too long.17

Read the original Latin

Regale ministerium specialiter est populum Dei gubernare et regere cum aequitate et justitia, et ut pacem et concordiam habeant studere. Ipse enim debet primo defensor esse Ecclesiarum et servorum Dei. Ipsorum etiamofficium est saluti et ministerio sacerdotum solerter prospicere, eorumque armis et protectione Ecclesia Christi debet tueri: viduarum, orphanorum, caeterorumque pauperum, nec non et omnium indigentium inopia defendi. Ipsius enim terror ac studium hujuscemodi, in quantum possibile est, esse debet: primo ut nulla injustitia fiat; deinde, si evenerit, ut nullo modo eam subsistere permittat, nec spem delitescendi, sive audaciam male agendi cuiquam relinquat; sed sciant omnes quoniam si ad ipsius notitiam pervenerit quidpiam mali quod admiserint, nequaquam incorreptumaut inultum remanebit; sed juxta facti qualitatem erit et modus justae correptionis. Quapropter hoc in throno regiminis positus est ad judicia recta peragenda, ut ipse per se provideat et perquirat, ne in judicio aliquis a veritate et aequitate declinet. Scire etiam debet quod causa, quam juxta ministerium sibi commissum administrat, non hominum sed Dei causa existit, cui pro ministerio quod suscepit, in examinis tremendi die rationem redditurus est. Et ideo oportet ut ipse, qui Judex est judicum, causam pauperum ad se ingredi faciat, et diligenter inquirat, ne forte illi qui ab eo constituti sunt, et vicem ejus agere debent in populo, injuste aut negligenter pauperes oppressionespati permittant.

De ministerio autem regis ita Job loquitur: Cumque sederem quasi rex, circumstante exercitu, eram tamen moerentium consolator. Auris audiens beatificabat me, et oculos videns testimonium reddebat mihi, quod liberassem pauperem vociferantem, et pupillum cui non erat adjutor. Benedictio perituri super me veniebat, et cor viduae consolatus sum. Justitia indutus sum, et vestivit me sicut vestimento et diademate judicium meum. Oculus fuit caeco et pes claudo. Pater eram pauperum, et causam quam nesciebam diligentissime investigabam. Conterebam molas iniqui, et de dentibus illius auferebum praedam (Job. XXIX, 25) .

Salomon: Rex qui sedet in solio judicii, dissipat omne malum in intuitu suo (Prov. XX, 8) . Item: Dissipat impios rex sapiens, et curvat super eos fornicem (Ibid. v. 26) . Item: Judexsapiens judicabit populum suum, et principatus sensati stabilis erit (Eccli. X, 1) . Item: Rex justus erigit terram, et vir avarus destruit eam (Prov.

XXIX, 4) . In libro Sapientiae: Diligite justitiam qui judicatis terram. Sentite de Domino in bonitate, et in simplicitate cordis quaerite illum (Sap. I, 1) . Item ibi: Audite ergo, reges, et intelligite; discite, judices finium terrae. Praebete aures vos qui continetis multitudines, et placetis vobis in turbis nationum. Quoniam data est a Domino potestas vobis, et virtus ab Altissimo, qui interrogabit opera vestra, et cogitationes scrutabitur. Quoniam cum essetis ministri regni illius, non recte judicastis, nec custodistis legem justitiae, neque secundum voluntatem Dei ambulastis.

Horrende et cito apparebit vobis, quoniam judicium durissimum his qui praesunt, fiet. Exiguo enim conceditur misericordia: potentes autem potenter tormenta patientur. Non enim subtrahet personam cujusquam Deus, nec verebitur magnitudinem cujusquam: quoniam pusillum et magnum ipse fecit, et aequaliter cura est illi de omnibus; fortioribus autem fortior instat cruciatio (Sap. VI, 2, seq.) .

Isidorus: « Principes saeculi nonnunquam intra Ecclesiam potestatis adeptae culmina tenent, ut per eamdem potestatem disciplinam ecclesiasticam muniant. Caeterum intra Ecclesiam potestates necessariae non essent, nisi ut quod praevalet sacerdos efficere per doctrinae sermonem, potestas hoc imperet per disciplinae terrorem. Saepe per regnum terrenum coeleste regnum proficit; ut qui intra Ecclesiam positi contra fidem et disciplinam Ecclesiae agunt, rigore principum conterantur; ipsamque disciplinam quam Ecclesiae utilitas exercere non praevalet, cervicibus superborum potestas principalis imponat; et ut venerationem mereatur, virtutem potestas impertiat. Cognoscant principes saeculi Deo se debere reddere rationem, propter Ecclesiam quam a Christo tuendam suscipiunt. Nam sive augeatur pax et disciplina Ecclesiae per fideles principes, sive solvatur, ille ab eis rationem exiget, qui eorum potestati suam Ecclesiam credidit. »

Sunt et alia utriusque Testamenti oracula copiosa, quibusaffatim astruitur quod rex ministerium suum sibi commissum secundum voluntatem Dei exercere et adimplere debet, quae hic ob prolixitatem vitandam praetermittuntur.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Job.29.25 — I chose their way and sat as head, and I dwelt as a king in the army, as one who comforts mourners.
  2. ↩Job.29.11-Job.29.12 — For when the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it bore witness to me. Job.29.12 — because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the orphan who had no one to help him.
  3. ↩Job.29.13 — The blessing of the perishing came upon me, and the heart of the widow I made sing for joy.
  4. ↩Job.29.14 — I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban.
  5. ↩Job.29.15 — I was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame.
  6. ↩Job.29.16 — I was a father to the poor, and the cause I did not know I investigated.
  7. ↩Job.29.25 — I chose their way and sat as head, and I dwelt as a king in the army, as one who comforts mourners.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Normalized source reads etiamofficium; translated as etiam officium ('also [their] duty').
  2. 2 ↩Ipsorum/eorum are plural; rendered as referring to kings holding the royal office (class sense), not a singular addressee only.
  3. 3 ↩Normalized source reads incorreptumaut; translated as incorreptum aut ('unreproved or').
  4. 4 ↩Terror rendered as the fear the king rightly inspires (deterrent authority), not personal panic.
  5. 5 ↩Causa kept as 'cause' (legal/judicial case and the matter he administers), which fits both judicial and accountability senses.
  6. 6 ↩Normalized source reads oppressionespati; translated as oppressiones pati ('to suffer oppressions').
  7. 7 ↩Source reads oculos videns; intended sense is almost certainly oculus videns ('the eye that saw'), matching the Job parallel and the singular verb phrase.
  8. 8 ↩Source auferebum is almost certainly corrupt for auferebam ('I was snatching away / I used to take away'); translated as imperfect narrative action.
  9. 9 ↩Citation close for the preceding Job block. The quoted material spans several Job 29 verses, but the printed reference closes at Job 29:25.
  10. 10 ↩fornicem (fornix) may mean an arch/vault or, in this proverb tradition, the threshing-wheel brought over the wicked; rendered as wheel for sense and natural English.
  11. 11 ↩Source prints Judexsapiens as one word; translated as Judex sapiens, 'a wise judge.'
  12. 12 ↩'Item ibi' points back to the Book of Wisdom, though the following words are from Wisdom 6, not the same chapter as the previous citation.
  13. 13 ↩Latin potentes / potenter is deliberate wordplay: the mighty suffer mightily. Rendered as 'in proportion to their power' to keep that force in natural modern English.
  14. 14 ↩subtrahet personam is judicial biblical idiom for favoritism / respect of persons; rendered 'show partiality' rather than a wooden 'subtract a person.'
  15. 15 ↩potestas here is the secular/ruling power inside the Church, contrasted with sacerdos; rendered as "civil power" to keep that contrast clear.
  16. 16 ↩virtutem potestas impertiat can mean moral excellence or effective force; rendered as "virtue" to keep the moral-theological force of meriting veneration.
  17. 17 ↩Source surface joins quibusaffatim; read as quibus affatim ('by which abundantly').

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