The following is an excerpt from Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet's Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Holy Scripture (Thinking Like a Historian): "The service of God and the respect for kings are bound together. St. Peter unites these two duties when he says, 'Fear God. Honour the king.' . . . But kings, although their power comes from on high, as has been said, should not regard themselves as masters of that power to use it at their pleasure; . . . they must employ it with fear and self-restraint, as a thing coming from God and of which God will demand an account."
Based on this passage, the historian can conclude that, in Bossuet's view,

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Bossuet argues that kings have power that comes from God and they must use it with fear and self-restraint because they are accountable to God. Therefore, it can be concluded that, in Bossuet's view, kings are accountable to God. The passage does not suggest that kings are accountable to their people, that secular and spiritual authority should be kept separate, or that kingship is the result of a social contract.

The Following Is an Excerpt from Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet's Politics Drawn