It is indeed written that Christ will do battle in his kingdom. But if this is to be understood to mean that no one should do anything about the tares, then the preachers could preach nothing against them and ordinary Christians could not pray or cry out to God against them. But Christ does battle particularly when preachers cry out and Christians pray against the tares.
It is also written that almighty God rules in heaven and on earth. I suppose that one might conclude from this that secular government has no right to rule. That would be splendid logic! The truth is that when the preachers combat lies with the word of God and the secular government employs suitable means to combat all disorder, immorality, and dissension, then one can truly say that especially then Christ is doing battle and that almighty God is ruling through the preachers and the government as his appointed instruments.
It is true that Daniel says that the Antichrist will be destroyed “without hand.” [Dan 8:25] But does he also write that therefore a Christian government must allow Antichrist’s preaching or assembly to enter or move into its territory? No, he writes no such thing. So if a secular government refuses to permit any new preaching office or false faith to enter its territory, it does [not] thereby venture to destroy the Antichrist; it ventures, rather, to maintain quiet, peaceable, and harmonious conduct [1 Tim. 2:2.] among its subjects.
The Jews are also a part of the Antichrist. And because the Antichrist will be destroyed without hand, we are told that secular governments everywhere must admit the Jews and permit them to establish their synagogues and preaching office. But who would wish to compel them to do that? It is true that to take in the Jews is a work of mercy, but to grant them their own synagogue and teaching office, that is something that no one can impose or press upon the conscience of any government.
And further, it is true that certain words of Christ—those that he uttered to the man who asked him to make his brother divide an inheritance with him, and also those spoken to his disciples and to Pilate—prove that the two kingdoms must be distinguished. [Luke 12:13-14, John 18:36, Luke 22:25-26]. However, for the reasons cited above, one cannot conclude from this that a secular government must permit Sacramentarians,* Anabaptists, Jews, Turks, or others of that nature to enter its territory and establish, among subjects living in external unity of faith, a new assembly and teaching office.
Moreover, a secular government must curb not only those things that by their nature cause tumult but also those that cause public scandal and offence. For example: to take two or three wives causes no tumult, as one can see among the Turks, who have many wives, and as we know from the Jews, who before the advent of Christ also had many wives. Should a government on that account not punish someone who takes two or three wives? And cursing: “[God’s] power and strength,” “Valentine and wounds,”** as it is the custom to swear, these bring no public tumult either; should they on that account not be punished by the government? Therefore, even though the teaching office and the assembly of a false faith bring no tumult, they nevertheless cause confusion and disorder, as well as a discordant spirit, among Christians. Therefore, quod non possit illorum affectus esse fidus quorum diversa est fides,*** why should the government not be entitled to intervene in the matter?
The author of the memorandum believes that it would be appropriate for a secular government confidently to follow the advice of Gamaliel, who in Acts 5[:38-39] says: “If this undertaking is of men, it will fail; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it” etc.38 That would perhaps be good, prudent, rational advice for a government that did not know which pot the barley was in and what the true and best faith was, and that also wanted to proceed too tyrannically. This was the case when Gamaliel spoke these words, for the scribes, overcome by the great miracles of the apostles, were filled with self-doubt and wanted only to slay and hang them. [Acts 4:13-16, 5:12-33] But in the case of a Christian government that has a faith well grounded in holy scripture, this would be dubious advice and would awaken the impression that it still vacillated in faith and was at loose ends.
* i.e., Zwinglians.
** i.e., “May St. Valentine’s plague [epilepsy] and [also] wounds befall you!”
*** “Because those who are divided in faith cannot have a faithful spirit.”
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