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。