d to the princes as
his ambassadors, and to all the ordinances of the worldly power."
But it is the work of the temporal power to protect its subjects,
and to punish thievery, robbery, and adultery, as St. Paul says,
Romans xiii: "It beareth not the sword in vain; it serves God
with it, to the terror of evil doers, and to the protection of
the good." [Rom. 13:4]

Here men sin in two ways. First, if they lie to the government,
deceive it, and are disloyal, neither obey nor do as it has
ordered and commanded, whether with their bodies or their
possessions. For even if the government does injustice, as the
King of Babylon did to the people of Israel, yet God would have
it obeyed, without treachery and deception. Secondly, when men
speak evil of the government and curse it, and when a man cannot
revenge himself and abuses the government with grumbling and evil
words, publicly or secretly.

In all this we are to regard that which St. Peter bids us regard,
namely, that its power, whether it do right or wrong, cannot harm
the soul, but only the body and property; unless indeed it should
try openly to compel us to do wrong against God or men; [1 Pet.
2:19 ff.] as in former days when the magistrates were not yet
Christians, and as the Turk is now said to do. For to suffer
wrong destroys no one's soul, nay, it improves the soul, although
it inflicts loss upon the body and property; but to do wrong,
that destroys the soul, although it should gain all the world's
wealth.

[Sidenote: Why Temporal Authority Dare not, though Spiritual
Authority Must, be Resisted]

XIII. This also is the reason why there is not such great danger
in the temporal power as la the spiritual, when it does wrong.
For the temporal power can do no harm, since it has nothing to do
with preaching and faith and the first three Commandments. But
the spiritual power does harm not only when it does wrong, but
also when it neglects its duty and busies itself with other
things, even if they were better than the very best works of the
temporal power. Therefore, we must resist it when it does not do
right, and not resist the temporal power although it does wrong.
For the poor people believe and do as they see the spiritual
power believing and doing; if they are not set an example and are
not taught, then they also believe nothing and do nothing; since
this power is instituted for no other reason than to lead the
people in faith to God. All this is not found in t