St. Peter), over all other bishops of the empire: which was the third and last knot, and the whole “synthesis” and “construction” of the pontifical power.

And therefore the “analysis,” or “resolution,” is by the same way; but beginneth with the knot that was last tied; as we may see in the dissolution of the praeterpolitical Church government in England. First, the power of the Popes was dissolved totally by Queen Elizabeth; and the bishops, who before exercised their functions in right of the Pope, did afterwards exercise the same in right of the Queen and her successors; though by retaining the phrase of jure divino