/ when
for the defence of Goddes religion / they do resiste and not
obeye theyr wicked commaundementes. Yf any will now thus saye
agaynst me. He that hath the kinglye and supreame auctoritie /
vnto whom by othe I do owe obedience / commaundeth these
thinges / and therfore I must obey. I answer that thou arte not
bound herin to keape any such othe or promis. For when he
commaundeth those thinges whiche are agaynste God / he dothe not
the office of Goddes minister / to him then therin thou dost owe
neyther faith nor obedience. Agayne yf thou wilt aske / By what
righte may these vnder rulars and inferiour magistrates / thus
sett them selues agaynst the hygher princes / which haue the
verye supreame right and poure to defende pure and godlye
Religion / and the true faithe. I aunswere. That the electours
of the Empire / and the Princes of Germanie / and the fre
cityes / do it by the Imperiall poure and righte / whiche is
committed vnto them: And that the Magistrates and Rulars whiche
are in kingdoms / they do and darre do it / by the Kinglye poure
and right lykewyse committed vnto them. For Emperours and
Kinges / and such hygher poures / haue therfor chosen and taked
these vnder Rulars and officers / as it were into a parte of
theyr Rule / to be theyr helpers / in administringe and ordering
theyr businesses and charge / to the ende that Iustice might
florishe so muche the more. And euen so from the begynninge
poure and Rule was gyuen vnto these / that they shulde rule the
common wealthe / for that part therof / whiche was committed
vnto them / iustlye / vprightlye / and godlye. Wherof the
Emprour in the Code doth saye / that yf he shulde commaunde anye
thinge agaynste righte / he wolde not that any suche decree of
his shulde auayle in iudgementes. The very same thinge is to be
sayde / where a kinge or suche which do retayne the supreame
auctoritie / do commaunde or determyne anye thynge againste
right. Not vnworthy is Traianus the Emperour therfore
commended / who when he delyuered the sworde to a Rular in his
Empire / sayde: If I do commaunde Iuste thinges / vse this for
me / but yf I do require vniust things / vse it against me. But
on the contrary part / Gregorie the great / Byshopp of Rome /
can not in this behalfe be praysed / but dispraysed / and
accused: Who seinge that the lawe whiche Mauritius the Emperour
had made was vniuste / which was / That no man entangled with
the matters of the common wealth / or which w