Thereforerepentanceandbaptism，thatis，believingthatJesusistheChrist，isallthatisnecessarytosalvation。Again，ourSaviourbeingaskedbyacertainruler，“WhatshallIdotoinheriteternallife？“*3answered，“Thouknowestthecommandments，Donotcommitadultery，Donotkill，Donotsteal，Donotbearfalsewitness，Honourthyfatherandthymother“：*4whichwhenhesaidhehadobserved，ourSaviouradded，“Sellallthouhast，giveittothepoor，andcomeandfollowme“：whichwasasmuchastosay，relyonmethatamtheking。Thereforetofulfilthelaw，andtobelievethatJesusistheking，isallthatisrequiredtobringamantoeternallife。
Thirdly，St。Paulsaith，“Thejustshalllivebyfaith“；*5noteveryone，butthejust；thereforefaithandjusticethatis，thewilltobejust，orrepentanceareallthatisnecessarytolifeeternal。AndourSaviourpreached，saying，“Thetimeisfulfilled，andthekingdomofGodisathand；repentandbelievetheEvangel，“*6thatis，thegoodnewsthattheChristwascome。Thereforetorepent，andtobelievethatJesusistheChrist，isallthatisrequiredtosalvation。
Seeingthenitisnecessarythatfaithandobedienceimpliedinthewordrepentancedobothconcurtooursalvation，thequestionbywhichofthetwowearejustifiedisimpertinentlydisputed。
Nevertheless，itwillnotbeimpertinenttomakemanifestinwhatmannereachofthemcontributesthereunto，andinwhatsenseitissaidthatwearetobejustifiedbytheoneandbytheother。Andfirst，ifbyrighteousnessbeunderstoodthejusticeoftheworksthemselves，thereisnomanthatcanbesaved；forthereisnonethathathnottransgressedthelawofGod。Andthereforewhenwearesaidtobejustifiedbyworks，itistobeunderstoodofthewill，whichGoddothalwaysacceptfortheworkitself，aswellingoodasinevilmen。Andinthissenseonlyitisthatamaniscalledjust，orunjust；andthathisjusticejustifieshim，thatis，giveshimthetitle，inGod’sacceptationofjust，andrendershimcapableoflivingbyhisfaith，whichbeforehewasnot。Sothatjusticejustifiesinthatsenseinwhichtojustifyisthesameasthattodenominateamanjust；andnotinthesignificationofdischargingthelaw，wherebythepunishmentofhissinsshouldbeunjust。
Butamanisthenalsosaidtobejustifiedwhenhisplea，thoughinitselfinsufficient，isaccepted；aswhenwepleadourwill，ourendeavourtofulfilthelaw，andrepentusofourfailings，andGodacceptethitfortheperformanceitself。AndbecauseGodacceptethnotthewillforthedeed，butonlyinthefaithful，itistherefore，faiththatmakesgoodourplea；andinthissenseitisthatfaithonlyjustifies：sothatfaithandobediencearebothnecessarytosalvation，yetinseveralsenseseachofthemissaidtojustify。
Havingthusshownwhatisnecessarytosalvation，itisnothardtoreconcileourobediencetoGodwithourobediencetothecivilsovereign，whoiseitherChristianorinfidel。IfhebeaChristian，healloweththebeliefofthisarticle，thatJesusistheChrist；
andofallthearticlesthatarecontainedin，orarebyevidentconsequencededucedfromit：whichisallthefaithnecessarytosalvation。Andbecauseheisasovereign，herequirethobediencetoallhisown，thatis，toallthecivillaws；inwhichalsoarecontainedallthelawsofnature，thatis，allthelawsofGod：forbesidesthelawsofnature，andthelawsoftheChurch，whicharepartofthecivillawfortheChurchthatcanmakelawsistheCommonwealth，therebenootherlawsdivine。WhosoeverthereforeobeyethhisChristiansovereignisnottherebyhinderedneitherfrombelievingnorfromobeyingGod。ButsupposethataChristiankingshouldfromthisfoundation，JesusistheChrist，drawsomefalseconsequences，thatistosay，makesomesuperstructionsofhayorstubble，andcommandtheteachingofthesame；yetseeingSt。Paulsaysheshallbesaved；muchmoreshallhebesavedthatteacheththembyhiscommand；andmuchmoreyet，hethatteachesnot，butonlybelieveshislawfulteacher。Andincaseasubjectbeforbiddenbythecivilsovereigntoprofesssomeofthosehisopinions，uponwhatjustgroundcanhedisobey？Christiankingsmayerrindeducingaconsequence，butwhoshalljudge？Shallaprivatemanjudge，whenthequestionisofhisownobedience？OrshallanymanjudgebuthethatisappointedtheretobytheChurch，thatis，bythecivilsovereignthatrepresentethit？OrifthePopeoranApostlejudge，mayhenoterrindeducingofaconsequence？Didnotoneofthetwo，St。PeterorSt。Paul，errinasuperstructure，whenSt。PaulwithstoodSt。Petertohisface？TherecanthereforebenocontradictionbetweenthelawsofGodandthelawsofaChristianCommonwealth。
Andwhenthecivilsovereignisaninfidel，everyoneofhisownsubjectsthatresistethhimsinnethagainstthelawsofGodforsucharethelawsofnature，andrejecteththecounseloftheApostlesthatadmonishethallChristianstoobeytheirprinces，andallchildrenandservantstoobeytheirparentsandmastersinallthings。Andfortheirfaith，itisinternalandinvisible；theyhavethelicensethatNaamanhad，andneednotputthemselvesintodangerforit。Butiftheydo，theyoughttoexpecttheirrewardinheaven，andnotcomplainoftheirlawfulsovereign，muchlessmakewaruponhim。Forhethatisnotgladofanyjustoccasionofmartyrdomhasnotthefaithheprofesseth，butpretendsitonly，tosetsomecolouruponhisowncontumacy。Butwhatinfidelkingissounreasonableas，knowinghehasasubjectthatwaitethforthesecondcomingofChrist，afterthepresentworldshallbeburnt，andintendeththentoobeyHimwhichistheintentofbelievingthatJesusistheChrist，andinthemeantimethinkethhimselfboundtoobeythelawsofthatinfidelking，whichallChristiansareobligedinconsciencetodo，toputtodeathortopersecutesuchasubject？
Andthusmuchshallsuffice，concerningthekingdomofGodandpolicyecclesiastical。WhereinIpretendnottoadvanceanypositionofmyown，butonlytoshowwhataretheconsequencesthatseemtomededuciblefromtheprinciplesofChristianpoliticswhicharetheHolyScriptures，inconfirmationofthepowerofcivilsovereignsandthedutyoftheirsubjects。AndintheallegationofScripture，Ihaveendeavouredtoavoidsuchtextsasareofobscureorcontrovertedinterpretation，andtoallegenonebutinsuchsenseasismostplainandagreeabletotheharmonyandscopeofthewholeBible，whichwaswrittenforthere-establishmentofthekingdomofGodinChrist。
Foritisnotthebarewords，butthescopeofthewriter，thatgiveththetruelightbywhichanywritingistobeinterpreted；andtheythatinsistuponsingletexts，withoutconsideringthemaindesign，canderivenothingfromthemclearly；butrather，bycastingatomsofScriptureasdustbeforemen’seyes，makeeverythingmoreobscurethanitis，anordinaryartificeofthosethatseeknotthetruth，buttheirownadvantage。
Besidesthesesovereignpowers，divineandhuman，ofwhichIhavehithertodiscoursed，thereismentioninScriptureofanotherpower，namely，thatof“therulersofthedarknessofthisworld，“*“thekingdomofSatan，“*2and“theprincipalityofBeelzebuboverdemons，“*3thatistosay，overphantasmsthatappearintheair：
forwhichcauseSatanisalsocalled“theprinceofthepoweroftheair“；*4and，becauseherulethinthedarknessofthisworld，“theprinceofthisworld“：*5andinconsequencehereunto，theywhoareunderhisdominion，inoppositiontothefaithful，whoarethe“childrenofthelight，“arecalledthe“childrenofdarkness。“ForseeingBeelzebubisprinceofphantasms，inhabitantsofhisdominionofairanddarkness，thechildrenofdarkness，andthesedemons，phantasms，orspiritsofillusion，signifyallegoricallythesamething。Thisconsidered，thekingdomofdarkness，asitissetforthintheseandotherplacesoftheScripture，isnothingelsebutaconfederacyofdeceiversthat，toobtaindominionovermeninthispresentworld，endeavour，bydarkanderroneousdoctrines，toextinguishinthemthelight，bothofnatureandofthegospel；andsotodispreparethemforthekingdomofGodtocome。
Asmenthatareutterlydeprivedfromtheirnativityofthelightofthebodilyeyehavenoideaatallofanysuchlight；andnomanconceivesinhisimaginationanygreaterlightthanhehathatsometimeorotherperceivedbyhisoutwardsenses：soalsoisitofthelightofthegospel，andofthelightoftheunderstanding，thatnomancanconceivethereisanygreaterdegreeofitthanthatwhichhehathalreadyattainedunto。Andfromhenceitcomestopassthatmenhavenoothermeanstoacknowledgetheirowndarknessbutonlybyreasoningfromtheunforeseenmischancesthatbefallthemintheirways。ThedarkestpartofthekingdomofSatanisthatwhichiswithouttheChurchofGod；thatistosay，amongstthemthatbelievenotinJesusChrist。ButwecannotsaythatthereforetheChurchenjoyeth，asthelandofGoshen，allthelightwhichtotheperformanceoftheworkenjoinedusbyGodisnecessary。WhencecomesitthatinChristendomtherehasbeen，almostfromthetimeoftheApostles，suchjostlingofoneanotheroutoftheirplaces，bothbyforeignandcivilwar；suchstumblingateverylittleasperityoftheirownfortune，andeverylittleeminenceofthatofothermen；andsuchdiversityofwaysinrunningtothesamemark，felicity，ifitbenotnightamongstus，oratleastamist？Wearethereforeyetinthedark。
Theenemyhasbeenhereinthenightofournaturalignorance，andsownthetaresofspiritualerrors；andthat，first，byabusingandputtingoutthelightoftheScriptures：forweerr，notknowingtheScriptures。Secondly，byintroducingthedemonologyoftheheathenpoets，thatistosay，theirfabulousdoctrineconcerningdemons，whicharebutidols，orphantasmsofthebrain，withoutanyrealnatureoftheirown，distinctfromhumanfancy；suchasaredeadmen’sghosts，andfairies，andothermatterofoldwives’tales。Thirdly，bymixingwiththeScripturediverserelicsofthereligion，andmuchofthevainanderroneousphilosophyoftheGreeks，especiallyofAristotle。Fourthly，byminglingwithboththese，falseoruncertaintraditions，andfeignedoruncertainhistory。Andsowecometoerr，bygivingheedtoseducingspirits，andthedemonologyofsuchasspeakliesinhypocrisy，or，asitisintheoriginal，“ofthosethatplaythepartofliars，“*withasearedconscience，thatis，contrarytotheirownknowledge。Concerningthefirstofthese，whichistheseducingofmenbyabuseofScripture，Iintendtospeakbrieflyinthischapter。
ThegreatestandmainabuseofScripture，andtowhichalmostalltherestareeitherconsequentorsubservient，isthewrestingofittoprovethatthekingdomofGod，mentionedsooftenintheScripture，isthepresentChurch，ormultitudeofChristianmennowliving，orthat，beingdead，aretoriseagainatthelastday：whereasthekingdomofGodwasfirstinstitutedbytheministryofMoses，overtheJewsonly；whowerethereforecalledhispeculiarpeople；andceasedafterward，intheelectionofSaul，whentheyrefusedtobegovernedbyGodanymore，anddemandedakingafterthemannerofthenations；whichGodHimselfconsentedunto，asIhavemoreatlargeprovedbefore，inthethirty-fifthChapter。Afterthattime，therewasnootherkingdomofGodintheworld，byanypactorotherwise，thanHeeverwas，is，andshallbekingofallmenandofallcreatures，asgoverningaccordingtoHiswill，byHisinfinitepower。
Nevertheless，HepromisedbyHisprophetstorestorethisHisgovernmenttothemagain，whenthetimeHehathinHissecretcounselappointedforitshallbefullycome，andwhentheyshallturnuntoHimbyrepentanceandamendmentoflife。Andnotonlyso，butHeinvitedalsotheGentilestocomein，andenjoythehappinessofHisreign，onthesameconditionsofconversionandrepentance。AndHepromisedalsotosendHisSonintotheworld，toexpiatethesinsofthemallbyhisdeath，andtopreparethembyhisdoctrinetoreceivehimathissecondcoming：whichsecondcomingnotyetbeing，thekingdomofGodisnotyetcome，andwearenotnowunderanyotherkingsbypactbutourcivilsovereigns；savingonlythatChristianmenarealreadyinthekingdomofgrace，inasmuchastheyhavealreadythepromiseofbeingreceivedathiscomingagain。
Consequenttothiserror，thatthepresentChurchisChrist’skingdom，thereoughttobesomeoneman，orassembly，bywhosemouthourSaviour，nowinheaven，speaketh，givethlaw，andwhichrepresentethhispersontoallChristians；ordiversemen，ordiverseassembliesthatdothesametodiversepartsofChristendom。
ThispowerregalunderChristbeingchallengeduniversallybythePope，andinparticularCommonwealthsbyassembliesofthepastorsoftheplacewhentheScripturegivesittononebuttocivilsovereigns，comestobesopassionatelydisputedthatitputtethoutthelightofnature，andcausethsogreatadarknessinmen’sunderstandingthattheyseenotwhoitistowhomtheyhaveengagedtheirobedience。
ConsequenttothisclaimofthePopetovicargeneralofChristinthepresentChurchsupposedtobethatkingdomofhistowhichweareaddressedinthegospelisthedoctrinethatitisnecessaryforaChristiankingtoreceivehiscrownbyabishop；asifitwerefromthatceremonythathederivestheclauseofDeigratiainhistitle；