Seventh, nobody can deny that with the ancient church we hold and teach that one should honor and not curse the temporal powers and should not compel them to kiss the pope’s feet. This is also not something which we have newly devised, for St. Peter in II Peter 2 [:10] curses those who would invent and in the future do such new things. And St. Paul is with us in Romans 13 [:1–7], as is the whole of ancient Christendom, so that in this we are not, nor may we be called, innovators—as the papists call us, thereby not only slandering us, but God himself. But we are and belong to the ancient, holy, and apostolic church, as its true children and members. For we have always most faithfully taught obedience to our temporal authority, be it emperor or princes. We ourselves have lived accordingly and prayed for them with all our heart. (Luther’s Works, v.41, p.196-197)
Picture: Listening to the children play the organ at History Trinity Lutheran Church, Souland Market, St. Louis MO