At first sight this question may appear to be altogether superfluous and pointless, since it seems to call into doubt – as if there were still room for argument – what is assuredly the most certain axiom held by Christians, proven by so many testimonies in Holy Scripture, by so many examples from different ages and so many pyres of pious martyrs. For whence, you may say, have arisen so many great tribulations of the pious, if not from this single cause: that they have always considered that God should be obeyed simply and absolutely, but kings only in so far as they command nothing against the law of God? Why otherwise the opinion of the apostles, /2/ that God should be obeyed rather than men? Again, since the sole will of the one God is forever just, but that of others can frequently be unjust, who may doubt that the former alone should be obeyed without any reservation, but the latter always with some reservation?

But clearly today many princes exist who, although professing the name of Christ, boldly arrogate to themselves immense power which is not derived from God; and there are many obsequious flatterers who worship them as if they were earthly gods.