Government, Politics and National Identity

The best form of government is in a state or kingdom wherein one is given the power to preside over all, while under him are others having governing powers. And yet a government of this kind is shared by all, both because all are eligible to govern, and because the rules are chosen by all. For this is the best form of polity, being partly kingdom, since there is one at the head of all; partly aristocracy, in so far as a number of persons are set in authority; partly democracy, i.e., government by the people, in so far as the rulers can be chosen from the people, and the people have the right to choose their rulers.

If those who employ their labour and travail about the public administration of justice follow it only as a trade, with unquenchable and unconscionable thirst of gain, being not in heart persuaded that justice is God’s own work, and themselves his agents in this business, the sentence of right God’s own verdict, and themselves his priests to deliver it; formalities of justice do but serve to smother right, and that which was necessarily ordained for the common good is through shameful abuse made the cause of common misery.

Christians have peace with all men, and altogether abstain from armor; for everyone does that to another which he would wish to have done to himself. But, because all are not so minded, but that many unruly persons, wicked thieves, and oppressors of the poor live and dwell among honest and good-meaning men, as wild beasts among harmless creatures, therefore God from heaven has given the sword into the magistrate’s hand, to be a defense for harmless people against unruly cutthroats.