All legal systems treat law as something imposed on people. Either coming from some higher power, an arbitrary authority or ultimately individual human judgement. Even in the most democratic countries the legal system usually has ancient roots and is therefore built on this mentality of fear of punishment rather than positive reinforcement.
And let it be noted here that the Body-politic is not the Government, nor the persons admitted to participate in the functions of Government—but it is the whole body of the persons politically associated. The organic force of the Body-politic, that social power which controls persons and things, for peace, order and the common weal, is what we call Government. The expression of that force is Law.
A Body-politic may then be defined to be the organism in unity of the many human beings, associated by jural bond for the objects of the social state in which is vested all rightful political power over its members for the common good of all.
https://books.google.com/books?id=MWtDAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA2#v=onepage&q&f=false
Also:
We, whose names are underwritten, [...] having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancements of the Christian faith and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, *in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic; for our better ordering, and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.