FromthisconsolidationoftherightpoliticandecclesiasticinChristiansovereigns，itisevidenttheyhaveallmannerofpowerovertheirsubjectsthatcanbegiventomanforthegovernmentofmen’sexternalactions，bothinpolicyandreligion，andmaymakesuchlawsasthemselvesshalljudgefittest，forthegovernmentoftheirownsubjects，bothastheyaretheCommonwealthandastheyaretheChurch：forbothStateandChurcharethesamemen。
Iftheyplease，therefore，theymay，asmanyChristiankingsnowdo，committhegovernmentoftheirsubjectsinmattersofreligiontothePope；butthenthePopeisinthatpointsubordinatetothem，andexerciseththatchargeinanother’sdominionjurecivili，intherightofthecivilsovereign；notjuredivino，inGod’sright；andmaythereforebedischargedofthatofficewhenthesovereignforthegoodofhissubjectsshallthinkitnecessary。Theymayalso，iftheyplease，committhecareofreligiontoonesupremepastor，ortoanassemblyofpastors，andgivethemwhatpowerovertheChurch，oroneoveranother，theythinkmostconvenient；andwhattitlesofhonor，asofbishops，archbishops，priests，orpresbyters，theywill；andmakesuchlawsfortheirmaintenance，eitherbytithesorotherwise，astheyplease，sotheydoitoutofasincereconscience，ofwhichGodonlyisthejudge。Itisthecivilsovereignthatistoappointjudgesandinterpretersofthecanonicalscriptures；foritishethatmakeththemlaws。Itishealsothatgivethstrengthtoexcommunications；whichbutforsuchlawsandpunishmentsasmayhumbleobstinatelibertines，andreducethemtounionwiththerestoftheChurch，wouldbecontemned。Insum，hehaththesupremepowerinallcauses，aswellecclesiasticalascivil，asfarasconcernethactionsandwords，forthoseonlyareknownandmaybeaccused；andofthatwhichcannotbeaccused，thereisnojudgeatall，butGod，thatknoweththeheart。Andtheserightsareincidenttoallsovereigns，whethermonarchsorassemblies：fortheythataretherepresentantsofaChristianpeoplearerepresentantsoftheChurch：foraChurchandaCommonwealthofChristianpeoplearethesamething。
ThoughthisthatIhaveheresaid，andinotherplacesofthisbook，seemclearenoughfortheassertingofthesupremeecclesiasticalpowertoChristiansovereigns，yetbecausethePopeofRome’schallengetothatpoweruniversallyhathbeenmaintainedchiefly，andIthinkasstronglyasispossible，byCardinalBellarmineinhiscontroversyDeSummoPontifice，Ihavethoughtitnecessary，asbrieflyasIcan，toexaminethegroundsandstrengthofhisdiscourse。
Offivebookshehathwrittenofthissubject，thefirstcontaineththreequestions：one，whichissimplythebestgovernment，monarchy，aristocracy，ordemocracy，andconcludethforneither，butforagovernmentmixedofallthree；another，whichoftheseisthebestgovernmentoftheChurch，andconcludethforthemixed，butwhichshouldmostparticipateofmonarchy；thethird，whetherinthismixedmonarchy，St。Peterhadtheplaceofmonarch。
Concerninghisfirstconclusion，IhavealreadysufficientlyprovedChaptereighteenthatallgovernments，whichmenareboundtoobey，aresimpleandabsolute。Inmonarchythereisbutonemansupreme，andallothermenthathaveanykindofpowerinthestatehaveitbyhiscommission，duringhispleasure，andexecuteitinhisname；andinaristocracyanddemocracy，butonesupremeassembly，withthesamepowerthatinmonarchybelongethtothemonarch，whichisnotamixed，butanabsolutesovereignty。Andofthethreesorts，whichisthebestisnottobedisputedwhereanyoneofthemisalreadyestablished；butthepresentoughtalwaystobepreferred，maintained，andaccountedbest，becauseitisagainstboththelawofnatureandthedivinepositivelawtodoanythingtendingtothesubversionthereof。Besides，itmakethnothingtothepowerofanypastorunlesshehavethecivilsovereigntywhatkindofgovernmentisthebest，becausetheircallingisnottogovernmenbycommandment，buttoteachthemandpersuadethembyarguments，andleaveittothemtoconsiderwhethertheyshallembraceorrejectthedoctrinetaught。Formonarchy，aristocracy，anddemocracydomarkoutuntousthreesortsofsovereigns，notofpastors；or，aswemaysay，threesortsofmastersoffamilies，notthreesortsofschoolmastersfortheirchildren。
Andthereforethesecondconclusion，concerningthebestformofgovernmentoftheChurch，isnothingtothequestionofthePope’spowerwithouthisowndominions：forinallotherCommonwealthshispower，ifhehaveanyatall，isthatoftheschoolmasteronly，andnotofthemasterofthefamily。
Forthethirdconclusion，whichisthatSt。PeterwasmonarchoftheChurch，hebringethforhischiefargumenttheplaceofSt。Matthew，“ThouartPeter，anduponthisrockIwillbuildmychurch，“etc。“AndIwillgivetheethekeysofheaven；whatsoeverthoushaltbindonearthshallbeboundinheaven，andwhatsoeverthoushaltlooseonearthshallbeloosedinheaven。“*Whichplace，wellconsidered，provethnomorebutthattheChurchofChristhathforfoundationoneonlyarticle；namely，thatwhichPeter，inthenameofalltheApostlesprofessing，gaveoccasiontoourSaviourtospeakthewordsherecited。Whichthatwemayclearlyunderstand，wearetoconsider，thatourSaviourpreachedbyhimself，byJohnBaptist，andbyhisApostles，nothingbutthisarticleoffaith，“thathewastheChrist“；allotherarticlesrequiringfaithnootherwisethanasfoundedonthat。Johnbeganfirst，preachingonlythis，“ThekingdomofGodisathand。“*2ThenourSaviourhimselfpreachedthesame：*3andtohistwelveApostles，whenhegavethemtheircommission，thereisnomentionofpreachinganyotherarticlebutthat。*4Thiswasthefundamentalarticle，thatisthefoundationoftheChurch’sfaith。AfterwardstheApostlesbeingreturnedtohim，heaskeththemall，notPeteronly，whomensaidhewas；andtheyansweredthatsomesaidhewasJohntheBaptist，someElias，andothersJeremias，oroneoftheProphets；*5thenheaskedthemallagain，notPeteronly，“WhomsayyethatIam？“*6ThereforeSt。
Peteransweredforthemall，“ThouartChrist，theSonofthelivingGod“；whichIsaidisthefoundationofthefaithofthewholeChurch；
fromwhichourSaviourtakestheoccasionofsaying，“uponthisstoneIwillbuildmyChurch“：bywhichitismanifestthatbythefoundation-stoneoftheChurchwasmeantthefundamentalarticleoftheChurch’sfaith。Butwhythen，willsomeobject，dothourSaviourinterposethesewords，“ThouartPeter“？Iftheoriginalofthistexthadbeenrigidlythereasonwouldeasilyhaveappeared。WearethereforetoconsiderthattheApostleSimonwassurnamedStonewhichisthesignificationoftheSyriacwordcephas，andoftheGreekwordpetrus。OurSaviourthereforeaftertheconfessionofthatfundamentalarticle，alludingtohisname，saidasifitwereinEnglishthus，“ThouartStone，anduponthisStoneIwillbuildmyChurch“：whichisasmuchastosay，“Thisarticle，thatIamtheChrist，isthefoundationofallthefaithIrequireinthosethataretobemembersmyChurch。“Neitheristhisallusiontoanameanunusualthingincommonspeech：butithadbeenastrangeandobscurespeech，ifourSaviour，intendingtobuildhisChurchonthepersonofSt。Peter，hadsaid，“Thouartastone，anduponthisstoneIwillbuildmyChurch，“whenitwassoobvious，withoutambiguity，tohavesaid，“IwillbuildmyChurchonthee“；andyettherehadbeenstillthesameallusiontohisname。
Andforthefollowingwords，“Iwillgivetheethekeysofheaven，“etc。，itisnomorethanwhatourSaviourgavealsotoalltherestofhisDisciples，“Whatsoeveryeshallbindonearthshallbeboundinheaven。Andwhatsoeveryeshalllooseonearthshallbeloosedinheaven。“*Buthowsoeverthisbeinterpreted，thereisnodoubtbutthepowerheregrantedbelongstoallsupremepastors；
suchasareallChristiancivilsovereignsintheirowndominions。
InsomuchasifSt。Peter，orourSaviourhimself，hadconvertedanyofthemtobelievehimandtoacknowledgehiskingdom；yetbecausehiskingdomisnotofthisworld，hehadleftthesupremecareofconvertinghissubjectstononebuthim；orelsehemusthavedeprivedhimofthesovereigntytowhichtherightofteachingisinseparablyannexed。Andthusmuchinrefutationofhisfirstbook，whereinhewouldproveSt。PetertohavebeenthemonarchuniversaloftheChurch，thatistosay，ofalltheChristiansintheworld。
*Matthew，18。18
Thesecondbookhathtwoconclusions：one，thatSt。PeterwasBishopofRome，andtheredied；theother，thatthePopesofRomearehissuccessors；bothwhichhavebeendisputedbyothers。Butsupposingthemtrue；yetifbyBishopofRomebeunderstoodeitherthemonarchoftheChurch，orthesupremepastorofit，notSilvester，butConstantinewhowasthefirstChristianemperorwasthatbishop；andasConstantine，soallotherChristianemperorswereofrightsupremebishopsoftheRomanEmpire。Isay，oftheRomanEmpire，notofallChristendom，forotherChristiansovereignshadthesamerightintheirseveralterritories，astoanofficeessentiallyadherenttotheirsovereignty：whichshallserveforanswertohissecondbook。
InthethirdbookhehandleththequestionwhetherthePopebeAntichrist。Formypart，Iseenoargumentthatprovesheisso，inthatsensetheScriptureuseththename：norwillItakeanyargumentfromthequalityofAntichristtocontradicttheauthorityheexerciseth，orhathheretoforeexercised，inthedominionsofanyotherprinceorstate。
ItisevidentthattheprophetsoftheOldTestamentforetold，andtheJewsexpected，aMessiah，thatis，aChrist，thatshouldre-establishamongstthemthekingdomofGod，whichhadbeenrejectedbytheminthetimeofSamuelwhentheyrequiredakingafterthemannerofothernations。Thisexpectationoftheirsmadethemobnoxioustotheimpostureofallsuchashadboththeambitiontoattempttheattainingofthekingdom，andthearttodeceivethepeoplebycounterfeitmiracles，byhypocriticallife，orbyorationsanddoctrineplausible。OurSaviourtherefore，andhisApostles，forewarnedmenoffalseprophetsandoffalseChrists。FalseChristsaresuchaspretendtobetheChrist，butarenot，andarecalledproperlyAntichrists，insuchsenseaswhentherehappenethaschismintheChurchbytheelectionoftwoPopes，theonetheonecalleththeotherAntipapa，orthefalsePope。AndthereforeAntichristinthepropersignificationhathtwoessentialmarks：one，thathedeniethJesustobeChrist；andanotherthatheprofessethhimselftobeChrist。ThefirstmarkissetdownbySt。JohninhisfirstEpistle，4。3，“EveryspiritthatconfessethnotthatJesusChristiscomeinthefleshisnotofGod；andthisisthespiritofAntichrist。“TheothermarkisexpressedinthewordsofourSaviour，“Manyshallcomeinmyname，saying，IamChrist“；*andagain，“Ifanymanshallsayuntoyou，Lo，hereisChrist，thereisChrist，believeitnot。“
AndthereforeAntichristmustbeafalseChrist；thatis，someoneofthemthatshallpretendthemselvestobeChrist。Andoutofthesetwomarks，todenyJesustobetheChristandtoaffirmhimselftobetheChrist，itfolloweththathemustalsobeanadversaryofJesusthetrueChrist，whichisanotherusualsignificationofthewordAntichrist。ButofthesemanyAntichrists，thereisonespecialone，oAntichristos，theAntichrist，orAntichristdefinitely，asonecertainperson；notindefinitelyanAntichrist。NowseeingthePopeofRomeneitherpretendethhimself，nordeniethJesustobetheChrist，I
perceivenothowhecanbecalledAntichrist；bywhichwordisnotmeantonethatfalselypretendethtobehislieutenant，orvicargeneral，buttobeHe。ThereisalsosomemarkofthetimeofthisspecialAntichrist，aswhenthatabominabledestroyer，spokenofbyDaniel，*2shallstandintheholyplace，*3andsuchtribulationaswasnotsincethebeginningoftheworld，norevershallbeagain，insomuchasifitweretolastlong，nofleshcouldbesaved；butfortheelect’ssakethosedaysshallbeshortened，“*4madefewer。
Butthattribulationisnotyetcome；foritistobefollowedimmediatelybyadarkeningofthesunandmoon，afallingofthestars，aconcussionoftheheavens，andthegloriouscomingagainofourSaviourintheclouds。*5AndthereforetheAntichristisnotyetcome；whereasmanyPopesarebothcomeandgone。Itistrue，thePope，intakinguponhimtogivelawstoallChristiankingsandnations，usurpethakingdominthisworld，whichChristtooknotonhim：buthedothitnotasChrist，butasforChrist，whereinthereisnothingoftheAntichrist。