1. We have already in the foregoing chapters, proved both by reason and testimonies of holy writ, that the estate of nature, that is to say, of absolute liberty, such as is theirs who neither govern nor are governed, is an anarchy or hostile state; that the precepts whereby to avoid this state, are _the laws of nature_; that there can be no civil government without a sovereign; and that they who have gotten this sovereign command, must be obeyed simply, that is to say, in all things which repugn not the commandments of God. There is this one thing only wanting to the complete understanding of all civil duty, and that is, to know which are the laws and commandments of God. For else we cannot tell whether that which the civil power commands us, be against the laws of God, or not; whence it must necessarily happen, that either by too much obedience to the civil authority we become stubborn against the divine Majesty; or for fear of sinning against God we run into disobedience against the civil power. To avoid both these rocks, it is necessary to know the divine laws. Now because the knowledge of the laws depends on the knowledge of the kingdom, we must in what follows speak somewhat concerning the _kingdom of God_. [Sidenote: Over whom God is said to reign:] 2. _The Lord is king, the earth may be glad thereof_; saith the psalmist, (Psalm xcvii. 1). And again the same psalmist, (Psalm xcix. 1): _The Lord is king, be the people never so impatient; he sitteth between the cherubims, be the earth never so unquiet_; to wit, whether men will or not, God is the king over all the earth; nor is he moved from his throne, if there be any who deny either his _existence_ or his _providence_. Now although God govern all men so by his power, that none can do anything which he would not have done: yet this, to speak properly and accurately, is not to reign. For he is said to reign, who rules not by _acting_, but _speaking_, that is to say, by _precepts_ and _threatenings_. And therefore we count not inanimate nor irrational bodies for subjects in the kingdom of God, although they be subordinate to the divine power; because they _understand not the commands and threats_ of God: nor yet the atheists, because they believe not that there is a God; nor yet those who believing there is a God, do not yet believe that he rules these inferior things: for even these, although they be governed by the power of God, yet do they not acknowledge any of his _commands_, nor stand in awe of his _threats_. Those only therefore are supposed to belong to God’s kingdom, who acknowledge him to be the governor of all things, and that he hath given _his commands_ to men, and appointed _punishments_ for the transgressors. The rest we must not call subjects, but enemies of God. [Sidenote: The word of God threefold; reason, revelation, prophesy.]