Inthefourthbook，toprovethePopetobethesupremejudgeinallquestionsoffaithandmanners，whichisasmuchastobetheabsolutemonarchofallChristiansintheworld，hebringeththreepropositions：thefirst，thathisjudgementsareinfallible；thesecond，thathecanmakeverylaws，andpunishthosethatobservethemnot；thethird，thatourSaviourconferredalljurisdictionecclesiasticalonthePopeofRome。
Fortheinfallibilityofhisjudgements，heallegeththeScriptures：
thefirst，thatofLuke，22。31，“Simon，Simon，Satanhathdesiredyouthathemaysiftyouaswheat；butIhaveprayedforthee，thatthyfaithfailnot；andwhenthouartconverted，strengthenthybrethren。“
This，accordingtoBellarmine’sexposition，isthatChristgaveheretoSimonPetertwoprivileges：one，thatneitherhisfaithshouldfail，northefaithofanyofhissuccessors；theother，thatneitherhenoranyofhissuccessorsshouldeverdefineanypointconcerningfaithormannerserroneously，orcontrarytothedefinitionofaformerPope：whichisastrangeandverymuchstrainedinterpretation。ButhethatwithattentionreadeththatchaptershallfindthereisnoplaceinthewholeScripturethatmakethmoreagainstthePope’sauthoritythanthisveryplace。Thepriestsandscribes，seekingtokillourSaviouratthePassover，andJudaspossessedwitharesolutiontobetrayhim，andthedayofkillingthePassoverbeingcome，ourSaviourcelebratedthesamewithhisApostles，whichhesaid，tillthekingdomofGodwascomehewoulddonomore，andwithaltoldthemthatoneofthemwastobetrayhim。
Hereupontheyquestionedwhichofthemitshouldbe；andwithal，seeingthenextPassovertheirmasterwouldcelebrateshouldbewhenhewasking，enteredintoacontentionwhoshouldthenbethegreatestman。OurSaviourthereforetoldthemthatthekingsofthenationshaddominionovertheirsubjects，andarecalledbyanameinHebrewthatsignifiesbountiful；“butIcannotbesotoyou；youmustendeavourtoserveoneanother；Iordainyouakingdom，butitissuchasmyFatherhathordainedme；akingdomthatIamnowtopurchasewithmyblood，andnottopossesstillmysecondcoming；thenyeshalleatanddrinkatmytable，andsitonthrones，judgingthetwelvetribesofIsrael。“AndthenaddressinghimselftoSt。Peter，hesaith，“Simon，Simon，Satanseeks，bysuggestingapresentdomination，toweakenyourfaithofthefuture；butIhaveprayedforthee，thatthyfaithshallnotfail；thouthereforenotethis：beingconverted，andunderstandingmykingdomasofanotherworld，confirmthesamefaithinthybrethren。“TowhichSt。Peteransweredasonethatnomoreexpectedanyauthorityinthisworld，“Lord，Iamreadytogowiththee，notonlytoprison，buttodeath。“Wherebyitismanifest，St。Peterhadnotonlynojurisdictiongivenhiminthisworld，butachargetoteachalltheotherApostlesthattheyalsoshouldhavenone。AndfortheinfallibilityofSt。Peter’ssentencedefinitiveinmatteroffaith，thereisnomoretobeattributedtoitoutofthistextthanthatPetershouldcontinueinthebeliefofthispoint，namely，thatChristshouldcomeagainandpossessthekingdomatthedayofjudgement；whichwasnotgivenbythistexttoallhissuccessors；forweseetheyclaimitintheworldthatnowis。
ThesecondplaceisthatofMatthew16。18，“ThouartPeter，anduponthisrockIwillbuildmyChurch，andthegatesofhellshallnotprevailagainstit。“Bywhich，asIhavealreadyshowninthischapter，isprovednomorethanthatthegatesofhellshallnotprevailagainsttheconfessionofPeter，whichgaveoccasiontothatspeech；namelythis，thatJesusisChristtheSonofGod。
ThethirdtextisJohn，21。16，17，“Feedmysheep“；whichcontainsnomorebutacommissionofteaching。AndifwegranttherestoftheApostlestobecontainedinthatnameofsheep，thenitisthesupremepowerofteaching：butitwasonlyforthetimethattherewerenoChristiansovereignsalreadypossessedofthatsupremacy。
ButIhavealreadyprovedthatChristiansovereignsareintheirowndominionsthesupremepastors，andinstitutedtheretobyvirtueoftheirbeingbaptized，thoughwithoutotherimpositionofhands。Forsuchimposition，beingaceremonyofdesigningtheperson，isneedlesswhenheisalreadydesignedtothepowerofteachingwhatdoctrinehewill，byhisinstitutiontoanabsolutepoweroverhissubjects。
ForasIhaveprovedbefore，sovereignsaresupremeteachers，ingeneral，bytheiroffice，andthereforeobligethemselves，bytheirbaptism，toteachthedoctrineofChrist：andwhentheysufferotherstoteachtheirpeople，theydoitattheperiloftheirownsouls；foritisatthehandsoftheheadsoffamiliesthatGodwillrequiretheaccountoftheinstructionofHischildrenandservants。
ItisofAbrahamhimself，notofahireling，thatGodsaith，“Iknowhimthathewillcommandhischildren，andhishouseholdafterhim，thattheykeepthewayoftheLord，anddojusticeandjudgement。“*
*Genesis，18。19
ThefourthplaceisthatofExodus，28。30，“Thoushaltputinthebreastplateofjudgement，theUrimandtheThummim“：whichhesaithisinterpretedbytheSeptuagint，delosinkaialetheian，thatis，evidenceandtruth：andthenceconcludeth，Godhathgivenevidenceandtruth，whichisalmostinfallibility，tothehighpriest。Butbeitevidenceandtruthitselfthatwasgiven；orbeitbutadmonitiontothepriesttoendeavourtoinformhimselfclearly，andgivejudgementuprightly；yetinthatitwasgiventothehighpriest，itwasgiventothecivilsovereignforsuchnextunderGodwasthehighpriestintheCommonwealthofIsrael，andisanargumentforevidenceandtruth，thatis，fortheecclesiasticalsupremacyofcivilsovereignsovertheirownsubjects，againstthepretendedpowerofthePope。TheseareallthetextshebringethfortheinfallibilityofthejudgementofthePope，inpointoffaith。
Fortheinfallibilityofhisjudgementconcerningmanners，hebringethonetext，whichisthatofJohn，16。13，“WhentheSpiritoftruthiscome，hewillleadyouintoalltruth“：where，saithhe，byalltruthismeant，atleast，alltruthnecessarytosalvation。Butwiththismitigation，heattributethnomoreinfallibilitytothePopethantoanymanthatprofessethChristianity，andisnottobedamned：
forifanymanerrinanypoint，whereinnottoerrisnecessarytosalvation，itisimpossibleheshouldbesaved；forthatonlyisnecessarytosalvationwithoutwhichtobesavedisimpossible。WhatpointstheseareIshalldeclareoutoftheScriptureinthechapterfollowing。InthisplaceIsaynomorebutthatthoughitweregrantedthePopecouldnotpossiblyteachanyerroratall，yetdothnotthisentitlehimtoanyjurisdictioninthedominionsofanotherprince，unlessweshallalsosayamanisobligedinconsciencetosetonworkuponalloccasionsthebestworkman，eventhenalsowhenhehathformerlypromisedhisworktoanother。
Besidesthetext，hearguethfromreason，thus。IfthePopecoulderrinnecessaries，thenChristhathnotsufficientlyprovidedfortheChurch’ssalvation，becausehehathcommandedhertofollowthePope’sdirections。Butthisreasonisinvalid，unlessheshowwhenandwhereChristcommandedthat，ortookatallanynoticeofaPope。Nay，grantingwhatsoeverwasgiventoSt。PeterwasgiventothePope，yetseeingthereisintheScripturenocommandtoanymantoobeyethhimwhenhiscommandsarecontrarytothoseofhislawfulsovereign。
Lastly，ithathnotbeendeclaredbytheChurch，norbythePopehimself，thatheisthecivilofalltheChristiansintheworld；
andthereforeallChristiansarenotboundtoacknowledgehisjurisdictioninpointofmanners。Forthecivilsovereignty，andsupremejudicatureincontroversiesofmanners，arethesamething：
andthemakersofcivillawsarenotonlydeclarers，butalsomakersofthejusticeandinjusticeofactions；therebeingnothinginmen’smannersthatmakesthemrighteousorunrighteous，buttheirconformitywiththelawofthesovereign。AndthereforewhenthePopechallengethsupremacyincontroversiesofmanners，heteachethmentodisobeythecivilsovereign；whichisanerroneousdoctrine，contrarytothemanypreceptsofourSaviourandhisApostlesdeliveredtousintheScripture。
ToprovethePopehaspowertomakelaws，heallegethmanyplaces；
asfirst，Deuteronomy，17。12，“Themanthatwilldopresumptuously，andwillnothearkenuntothepriest，thatstandethtoministertherebeforetheLordthyGod，oruntothejudge，eventhatmanshalldie，andthoushaltputawaytheevilfromIsrael。“Foranswerwhereuntowearetorememberthatthehighpriest，nextandimmediatelyunderGod，wasthecivilsovereign；andalljudgesweretobeconstitutedbyhim。Thewordsallegedsoundthereforethus，“Themanthatwillpresumetodisobeythecivilsovereignforthetimebeing，oranyofhisofficers，intheexecutionoftheirplaces，thatmanshalldie，“etc。，whichisclearlyforthecivilsovereignty，againsttheuniversalpowerofthePope。
Secondly，heallegeththatofMatthew，16，“Whatsoeveryeshallbind，“etc。，andinterpretethitforsuchbindingasisattributedtotheScribesandPharisees，“Theybindheavyburdens，andgrievoustobeborne，andlaythemonmen’sshoulders“；*bywhichismeant，hesays，makingoflaws；andconcludesthencethatthePopecanmakelaws。Butthisalsomakethonlyforthelegislativepowerofcivilsovereigns：fortheScribesandPhariseessatinMoses’chair，butMosesnextunderGodwassovereignofthepeopleofIsrael：andthereforeourSaviourcommandedthemtodoallthattheyshouldsay，butnotallthattheyshoulddo；thatis，toobeytheirlaws，butnotfollowtheirexample。
*Matthew，23。4
ThethirdplaceisJohn，21。16，“Feedmysheep“；whichisnotapowertomakelaws，butacommandtoteach。Makinglawsbelongstothelordofthefamily，whobyhisowndiscretionchoosethhischaplain，asalsoaschoolmastertoteachhischildren。
Thefourthplace，John，20。21，isagainsthim。Thewordsare，“AsmyFathersentme，sosendIyou。“ButourSaviourwassenttoredeembyhisdeathsuchasshouldbelieve；andbyhisownandhisApostles’preachingtopreparethemfortheirentranceintohiskingdom；whichhehimselfsaithisnotofthisworld，andhathtaughtustoprayforthecomingofithereafter，thoughherefusedtotellhisApostleswhenitshouldcome；*andinwhich，whenitcomes，thetwelveApostlesshallsitontwelvethroneseveryoneperhapsashighasthatofSt。Peter，tojudgethetwelvetribesofIsrael。
SeeingthenGodtheFathersentnotourSaviourtomakelawsinthispresentworld，wemayconcludefromthetextthatneitherdidourSavioursendSt。Petertomakelawshere，buttopersuadementoexpecthissecondcomingwithasteadfastfaith；andinthemeantime，ifsubjects，toobeytheirprinces；andifprinces，bothtobelieveitthemselvesandtodotheirbesttomaketheirsubjectsdothesame，whichistheofficeofabishop。Thereforethisplacemakethmoststronglyforthejoiningoftheecclesiasticalsupremacytothecivilsovereignty，contrarytothatwhichCardinalBellarmineallegethitfor。