The New Living Way Prepared by Christ

so I would have reflected nothing on the Royal Order, since I was certainly assured of the divine will and command to go here and to strengthen myself with the brothers in faith.

5. Is it then contrary to the will of God that the high state authorities make good orders and laws in outward divine worship? R. No, it would certainly be in accordance with the good will of God, and their duty requires that they keep all godless animal-men, who still live securely in their brutish pride, anger, and lusts, in outward order and bounds through good and wholesome orders and laws, and as taskmasters drive such to Christ through outward coercion. For otherwise, by such animal-men—disordered in their inward being—everything in the kingdom of nature would be overturned, and everything in spiritual matters perverted where such spiritless teachers rule. As God’s word and daily experience teach sufficiently. Psalm 12. But as regards the sincerely pious who, through true repentance, have died to the dominion of their animal lusts and the coercion of the law, and have brought their hearts and minds into right order with God’s good, well-pleasing, and perfect will through the Spirit of judgment and love, and who, through the obedience of faith, let Christ reign, live, and rule in them as their only Lord, Master, Teacher, Lawgiver, and Interpreter of His laws; such people no longer need such sticks, bridles, and bits: because the triune God now writes His perfect law daily into their hearts, so that they can rightly distinguish the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God through the spirit of discernment, and consequently nothing but what is orderly and wholesome can come from them and happen; for everything they do turns out well. Psalm 1.

6. May all Christians now live freely and not obey the authorities? R. Far from it: The sincerely pious Christians and children of God are the very best subjects of the authorities, and the most obedient. Because they are not forced, but give to the authorities in civil matters, with pleasure and joy, what is due to them, and also show all love to their neighbors in deed, which they owe them. They give therefore gladly and willingly