Genesis 21:22-23 "22. At that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham: God is with you in all that you do; 23. now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but as I have dealt loyally with you, you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.
"Today this will continue to increase the power of the priests. For while the princes hunt, feast, play, dance, and do not want to settle cases, discipline must eventually be in the care of the parish priests. But if they have been burdened with a variety of secular affairs, they of necessity put aside the Bible and the study of sacred matters; for they cannot serve the state and the church at the same time.
Meanwhile, to be sure, we diligently teach that those two offices, the civil and the ecclesiastical, should be kept separate; but we do so to no avail. Therefore the fact that priests are exalted and thrive is the fault not only of the ambitious bishops but also of the lazy magistrates, who indeed want to have glory and honor, as is proper, but do not want to work. Accordingly, when the very men who have been called for this purpose are unwilling to do their duty, and failures or diseases are perpetual in governments and require a physician, if the pastors of the churches then undertake the care of governmental affairs, they will eventually arrive at pontifical honor by this road."
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