It explains that man suffers from insults etc. in the process of obeying civil government. Living as a non-Catholic was something new and Calvin, writing his "Institutes of the Christian Religion" in Catholic Switzerland, was reminding his group of new protest-ants that everything was ordained by God including civil governemnts which Christ has said you must obey. Calvin added unless the civil government required you to do something against God's will.
(from 5 Minutes of Church History.
Calvin on Civil Government | 5 Minutes in Church History )
……..Calvin ends his magnum opus, the Institutes of the Christian Religion, with a discussion of civil government. …..“For although this topic seems by nature alien to the spiritual doctrine of faith, which I have undertaken to discuss, what follows will show that I am right in joining them, in fact, that necessity compels me to do so.” (i.e.) a discussion of civil government ….”is necessary…. It must be there”.
……. They are both ordained by God, ….. the spiritual kingdom or the church and the magistrate (Calvin’s word for civil government)………. even though we need to endure insults and hardships, we also need to be zealous for the public welfare (which is) our natural-law or common-grace principles (that are ensured by having civil government)
Calvin has a lot to say about obedience to the government….. But obedience to man and government must never become disobedience to God. ….. “Let us comfort ourselves with the thought that we are rendering that obedience,(to civil government) which the Lord requires, when we suffer the hardships (of obeying civil government)” …… “God be praised.”
Now compare Calvin's words with the mission statements from various evangelical organizations. They are amazingly similar.