Tothese，iftheysufficednot，mightbeaddedotheroftheirdarkdoctrines，theprofitwhereofredoundethmanifestlytothesettingupofanunlawfulpoweroverthelawfulsovereignsofChristianpeople；orforthesustainingofthesamewhenitissetup；ortotheworldlyriches，honour，andauthorityofthosethatsustainit。Andthereforebytheaforesaidruleofcuibono，wemayjustlypronouncefortheauthorsofallthisspiritualdarkness，thePope，andRomanclergy，andallthosebesidesthatendeavourtosettleinthemindsofmenthiserroneousdoctrine，thattheChurchnowonearthisthatkingdomofGodmentionedintheOldandNewTestament。
Buttheemperors，andotherChristiansovereigns，underwhosegovernmenttheseerrorsandthelikeencroachmentsofecclesiasticsupontheirofficeatfirstcreptin，tothedisturbanceoftheirpossessionsandofthetranquillityoftheirsubjects，thoughtheysufferedthesameforwantofforesightofthesequel，andofinsightintothedesignsoftheirteachers，mayneverthelessbeesteemedaccessariestotheirownandthepublicdamage。Forwithouttheirauthoritytherecouldatfirstnoseditiousdoctrinehavebeenpubliclypreached。Isaytheymighthavehinderedthesameinthebeginning：butwhenthepeoplewereoncepossessedbythosespiritualmen，therewasnohumanremedytobeappliedthatanymancouldinvent。AndfortheremediesthatGodshouldprovide，whoneverfailethinHisgoodtimetodestroyallthemachinationsofmenagainstthetruth，wearetoattendHisgoodpleasurethatsufferethmanytimestheprosperityofHisenemies，togetherwiththeirambition，togrowtosuchaheightastheviolencethereofopeneththeeyes，whichthewarinessoftheirpredecessorshadbeforesealedup，andmakesmenbytoomuchgraspingletgoall，asPeter’snetwasbrokenbythestrugglingoftoogreatamultitudeoffishes；whereastheimpatienceofthosethatstrivetoresistsuchencroachment，beforetheirsubjects’eyeswereopened，didbutincreasethepowertheyresisted。IdonotthereforeblametheEmperorFrederickforholdingthestirruptoourcountrymanPopeAdrian；forsuchwasthedispositionofhissubjectsthen，asifhehadnotdoneit，hewasnotlikelytohavesucceededintheempire。ButIblamethosethat，inthebeginning，whentheirpowerwasentire，bysufferingsuchdoctrinestobeforgedintheuniversitiesoftheirowndominions，haveheldthestirruptoallthesucceedingpopes，whilsttheymountedintothethronesofallChristiansovereigns，torideandtireboththemandtheirpeople，attheirpleasure。
Butastheinventionsofmenarewoven，soalsoaretheyravelledout；thewayisthesame，buttheorderisinverted。Thewebbeginsatthefirstelementsofpower，whicharewisdom，humility，sincerity，andothervirtuesoftheApostles，whomthepeople，converted，obeyedoutofreverence，notbyobligation。Theirconscienceswerefree，andtheirwordsandactionssubjecttononebutthecivilpower。
Afterwardsthepresbyters，astheflocksofChristincreased，assemblingtoconsiderwhattheyshouldteach，andtherebyobligingthemselvestoteachnothingagainstthedecreesoftheirassemblies，madeittobethoughtthepeopleweretherebyobligedtofollowtheirdoctrine，and，whentheyrefused，refusedtokeepthemcompanythatwasthencalledexcommunication，notasbeinginfidels，butasbeingdisobedient：andthiswasthefirstknotupontheirliberty。Andthenumberofpresbytersincreasing，thepresbytersofthechiefcityorprovincegotthemselvesanauthorityovertheparochialpresbyters，andappropriatedtothemselvesthenamesofbishops：andthiswasasecondknotonChristianliberty。Lastly，thebishopofRome，inregardoftheImperialCity，tookuponhimanauthoritypartlybythewillsoftheemperorsthemselves，andbythetitleofPontifexMaximus，andatlastwhentheemperorsweregrownweak，bytheprivilegesofSt。PeteroverallotherbishopsoftheEmpire：whichwasthethirdandlastknot，andthewholesynthesisandconstructionofthepontificalpower。
Andthereforetheanalysisorresolutionisbythesameway，butbeginnethwiththeknotthatwaslasttied；aswemayseeinthedissolutionofthepreterpoliticalChurchgovernmentinEngland。
First，thepowerofthepopeswasdissolvedtotallybyQueenElizabeth；andthebishops，whobeforeexercisedtheirfunctionsinrightofthePope，didafterwardsexercisethesameinrightoftheQueenandhersuccessors；thoughbyretainingthephraseofjuredivinotheywerethoughttodemanditbyimmediaterightfromGod：andsowasuntiedthefirstknot。Afterthis，thePresbyterianslatelyinEnglandobtainedtheputtingdownofEpiscopacy：andsowasthesecondknotdissolved。Andalmostatthesametime，thepowerwastakenalsofromthePresbyterians：andsowearereducedtotheindependencyoftheprimitiveChristianstofollowPaul，orCephas，orApollos，everymanashelikethbest：whichifitbewithoutcontention，andwithoutmeasuringthedoctrineofChristbyouraffectiontothepersonofhisministerthefaultwhichtheApostlereprehendedintheCorinthians，isperhapsthebest：first，becausethereoughttobenopowerovertheconsciencesofmen，butoftheworditself，workingfaithineveryone，notalwaysaccordingtothepurposeofthemthatplantandwater，butofGodHimself，thatgiveththeincrease。Andsecondly，becauseitisunreasonableinthem，whoteachthereissuchdangerineverylittleerror，torequireofamanenduedwithreasonofhisowntofollowthereasonofanyotherman，orofthemostvoicesofmanyothermen，whichislittlebetterthantoventurehissalvationatcrossandpile。Noroughtthoseteacherstobedispleasedwiththislossoftheirancientauthority：forthereisnoneshouldknowbetterthantheythatpowerispreservedbythesamevirtuesbywhichitisacquired；thatistosay，bywisdom，humility，clearnessofdoctrine，andsincerityofconversation；andnotbysuppressionofthenaturalsciences，andofthemoralityofnaturalreason；norbyobscurelanguage；norbyarrogatingtothemselvesmoreknowledgethantheymakeappear；norbypiousfrauds；norbysuchotherfaultsasinthepastorsofGod’sChurcharenotonlyfaults，butalsoscandals，apttomakemenstumbleonetimeorotheruponthesuppressionoftheirauthority。
Butafterthisdoctrine，thattheChurchnowmilitantisthekingdomofGodspokenofintheOldandNewTestament，wasreceivedintheworld，theambitionandcanvassingfortheofficesthatbelongthereunto，andespeciallyforthatgreatofficeofbeingChrist’slieutenant，andthepompofthemthatobtainedthereintheprincipalpubliccharges，becamebydegreessoevidentthattheylosttheinwardreverenceduetothepastoralfunction：insomuchasthewisestmenofthemthathadanypowerinthecivilstateneedednothingbuttheauthorityoftheirprincestodenythemanyfurtherobedience。For，fromthetimethattheBishopofRomehadgottentobeacknowledgedforbishopuniversal，bypretenceofsuccessiontoSt。Peter，theirwholehierarchy，orkingdomofdarkness，maybecomparednotunfitlytothekingdomoffairies；thatis，totheoldwives’fablesinEnglandconcerningghostsandspirits，andthefeatstheyplayinthenight。Andifamanconsidertheoriginalofthisgreatecclesiasticaldominion，hewilleasilyperceivethatthepapacyisnootherthantheghostofthedeceasedRomanEmpire，sittingcrowneduponthegravethereof：forsodidthepapacystartuponasuddenoutoftheruinsofthatheathenpower。
Thelanguagealsowhichtheyuse，bothinthechurchesandintheirpublicacts，beingLatin，whichisnotcommonlyusedbyanynationnowintheworld，whatisitbuttheghostoftheoldRomanlanguage？
Thefairiesinwhatnationsoevertheyconversehavebutoneuniversalking，whichsomepoetsofourscallKingOberon；buttheScripturecallsBeelzebub，princeofdemons。Theecclesiasticslikewise，inwhosedominionssoevertheybefound，acknowledgebutoneuniversalking，thePope。
Theecclesiasticsarespiritualmenandghostlyfathers。Thefairiesarespiritsandghosts。Fairiesandghostsinhabitdarkness，solitudes，andgraves。Theecclesiasticswalkinobscurityofdoctrine，inmonasteries，churches，andchurchyards。
Theecclesiasticshavetheircathedralchurches，which，inwhattownsoevertheybeerected，byvirtueofholywater，andcertaincharmscalledexorcisms，havethepowertomakethosetowns，cities，thatistosay，seatsofempire。Thefairiesalsohavetheirenchantedcastles，andcertaingiganticghosts，thatdomineerovertheregionsroundaboutthem。
Thefairiesarenottobeseizedon，andbroughttoanswerforthehurttheydo。Soalsotheecclesiasticsvanishawayfromthetribunalsofciviljustice。
Theecclesiasticstakefromyoungmentheuseofreason，bycertaincharmscompoundedofmetaphysics，andmiracles，andtraditions，andabusedScripture，wherebytheyaregoodfornothingelsebuttoexecutewhattheycommandthem。Thefairieslikewisearesaidtotakeyoungchildrenoutoftheircradles，andtochangethemintonaturalfools，whichcommonpeopledothereforecallelves，andareapttomischief。
Inwhatshoporoperatorythefairiesmaketheirenchantment，theoldwiveshavenotdetermined。Buttheoperatoriesoftheclergyarewellenoughknowntobetheuniversities，thatreceivedtheirdisciplinefromauthoritypontifical。
Whenthefairiesaredispleasedwithanybody，theyaresaidtosendtheirelvestopinchthem。Theecclesiastics，whentheyaredispleasedwithanycivilstate，makealsotheirelves，thatis，superstitious，enchantedsubjects，topinchtheirprinces，bypreachingsedition；oroneprince，enchantedwithpromises，topinchanother。
Thefairiesmarrynot；buttherebeamongstthemincubithathavecopulationwithfleshandblood。Thepriestsalsomarrynot。
Theecclesiasticstakethecreamoftheland，bydonationsofignorantmenthatstandinaweofthem，andbytithes：soalsoitisinthefableoffairies，thattheyenterintothedairies，andfeastuponthecream，whichtheyskimfromthemilk。
Whatkindofmoneyiscurrentinthekingdomoffairiesisnotrecordedinthestory。Buttheecclesiasticsintheirreceiptsacceptofthesamemoneythatwedo；thoughwhentheyaretomakeanypayment，itisincanonizations，indulgences，andmasses。
Tothisandsuchlikeresemblancesbetweenthepapacyandthekingdomoffairiesmaybeaddedthis，thatasthefairieshavenoexistencebutinthefanciesofignorantpeople，risingfromthetraditionsofoldwivesoroldpoets：sothespiritualpowerofthePopewithouttheboundsofhisowncivildominionconsistethonlyinthefearthatseducedpeoplestandinoftheirexcommunications，uponhearingoffalsemiracles，falsetraditions，andfalseinterpretationsoftheScripture。
ItwasnotthereforeaverydifficultmatterforHenrytheEighthbyhisexorcism；norforQueenElizabethbyhers，tocastthemout。ButwhoknowsthatthisspiritofRome，nowgoneout，andwalkingbymissionsthroughthedryplacesofChina，Japan，andtheIndies，thatyieldhimlittlefruit，maynotreturn；orrather，anassemblyofspiritsworsethanheenterandinhabitthisclean-swepthouse，andmaketheendthereofworsethanthebeginning？ForitisnottheRomanclergyonlythatpretendsthekingdomofGodtobeofthisworld，andtherebytohaveapowertherein，distinctfromthatofthecivilstate。AndthisisallIhadadesigntosay，concerningthedoctrineofthePOLITICS。Which，whenIhavereviewed，Ishallwillinglyexposeittothecensureofmycountry。