3. The gospels teach that no temporal punishment or penalty should be used to compel observance of divine commandments. 4. It is necessary to salvation to obey the commandments of the new divine law [the New Testament] and the conclusions that follow necessarily from it and the precepts of reason; but it is not necessary to salvation to obey all the commandments of the ancient law [the Old Testament]. 5. No mortal has the right to dispense with the commands or prohibitions of the new divine law; but the general council and the Christian "legislator"{79} alone have the right to prohibit things which are permitted by the new law, under penalties in this world or the next, and no partial council or single person of any position has that right. 6. The whole body of citizens or its majority alone is the human "legislator." 7. Decretals and decrees of the bishop of Rome, or of any other bishops or body of bishops, have no power to coerce anyone by secular penalties or punishments, except by the authorization of the human "legislator." 8. The "legislator" alone or the one who rules by its authority has the power to dispense with human laws. 9. The elective principality or other office derives its authority from the election of the body having the right to elect, and not from the confirmation or approval of any other power. 10. The election of any prince or other official, especially one who has the coercive power,{80} is determined solely by the expressed will of the "legislator." 11. There can be only one supreme ruling power in a state or kingdom. 12. The number and the qualifications of persons who hold state offices and all civil matters are to be determined solely by the Christian ruler according to the law or approved custom [of the state]. 13. No prince, still more, no partial council or single person of any position, has full authority and control over other persons, laymen or clergy, without the authorization of the "legislator." 14. No bishop or priest has coercive authority or jurisdiction over any layman or clergyman, even if he is a heretic. 15. The prince who rules by the authority of the "legislator" has jurisdiction over the persons and possessions of every single mortal of every station, whether lay or clerical, and over every body of laymen or clergy. 16. No bishop or priest or body of bishops or priests has the authority to excommunicate anyone or to interdict the performance of divine services, without the authorization of the "legislator." 17. All bishops derive their authority in equal measure immediately from Christ, and it cannot be proved from the divine law that one bishop should be over or under another, in temporal or spiritual matters. 18. The other bishops, singly or in a body, have the same right by divine authority to excommunicate or otherwise exercise authority over the bishop of Rome, having obtained the consent of the "legislator," as the bishop of Rome has to excommunicate or control them.