o need of civil government for their own sake. But the unchristian
portion require another government, even the civil sword, since they
will not be controlled by the word of God. Yet if all were Christians
and followed the Gospel, there would be no more necessity or use for
the civil sword and the exercising of authority; for if there were no
evil-doers there certainly could be no punishment. But since it is
not to be expected that all of us should be righteous, Christ has
ordained magistracy for the wicked, that they may rule as they must
be ruled. But the righteous He keeps for Himself, and rules them by
His mere word.

Therefore christian government is not opposed to the civil, nor is
civil magistracy opposed to Christ. Civil government does not cease
by Christ's ministry; but it is an outward thing, like all other
offices and institutions. And as these exist distinct from Christ's
office, so that an unbeliever may exercise them just as well as a
Christian, so it is also with the exercise of the civil sword, since
it neither makes men Christian or unchristian. But of this I have
spoken often enough elsewhere.--It follows, further:

V. 16. _As free, and not as though ye had your freedom as a cover for
wickedness, but as the servants of God._ This is said especially for
us, who have heard of christian freedom, that we may not go on and
abuse this freedom; that is to say, under the name and show of
christian freedom do all that we lust after, so that from this
freedom shall spring up a shamelessness and carnal recklessness, as
we see even now takes place, and had begun even in the Apostle's
times, as is easily discovered from the epistles of St. Peter and St.
Paul, when men did what the great multitude do now. We have now,
again, through the grace of God, come to the knowledge of the truth,
and we know that that is mere deception which popes, bishops, priests
and monks have hitherto taught, laid down and enforced; and our
conscience is enlightened and has become free from human ordinances
and from all the control which they have had over us, so that we are
no longer obliged to do what they have commanded under peril of our
salvation. To this freedom we must now hold fast, and never suffer
ourselves to be robbed of it; but for this very reason we should be
carefully on our guard not to make this freedom a cloak of our shame.

The Pope has here proceeded unrighteously in aiming to force and
oppress men by his laws. F