A Brief and Pithy Sum of the Christian Faith

15 The Papists be manifestly culpable of rebellion against the magistrate.

The impudency of those which burden us to be rebels against kings, Princes, or other Magistrates, is to much, and to extreme. For concerning our doctrine, it is clean contrary, as we have declared in the sixth point. And for experience, we make Judges (with our Princes and Lords) all the whole world, yea even our cruel persecutors. But if there be Anabaptists & libertines, which do •owe abroad the contrary to defame the verity of the gospel, be we in the fault? It is we only that at this day do strive & inveigh against them, more firmly and ⟨image 194⟩lively then all the rest of the world. But what need is it in this case to attribute it to the Anabaptists? For there be no people in all the world less subjects to kings and princes, then those which burden us falsely and against the truth. For who is he that abaseth & bringeth down kings and Emperors under his feet? And namely, is there ever so villain a Monk, or so wicked a Priest in the world that is not exempt from the jurisdiction of the secular magistrate, as they call him? Let those here answer us, in stead to accuse us: For consider what we say and maintain, forasmuch as Jesus Christ himself hath practised (although he were exempt being the son of God) ^aand the Apostle expressly command that ^bevery person shall be subject to the superior powers with a threat, that he which resisteth them, resisteth God. Also S. Peter ^chath ordained & declared largely as foreseeing that which those should do, which falsely would be called his successors. From whence think ye doth come their exemptions which they call ecclesiastical, & these ⟨p. 181⟩