What responsibility does a king bear before God for the use of his power? In this final section of the Prefatory Address, Calvin appeals directly to King Francis I, urging him to judge the cause of the Reformed churches not by slander or prejudice, but by the Word of God and in the fear of the Lord. Calvin reminds the king that royal authority is ministerial, entrusted by God for the defense of true religion and the restraint of evil, and that all rulers must one day give account before the judgment seat of Christ without regard to rank or status (Romans 14:10–12). Drawing on the examples of David, Jehoshaphat, and Josiah, Calvin presents godly kingship as obedience to God rather than reliance on military strength or political power, and he defines the true treasure of a ruler not as wealth or dominion, but as a clear conscience before God and faithful service to the enduring kingdom of Christ (1 Peter 1:24–25).

John Calvin Prefatory Address to the Most Christian King of France, Francis the First, Part 7 (Final)

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