A Golden Chain

Before we proceed any further, three rules must be observed touching the Church in general.¹ The first, that Christ alone is the head of the Catholic Church, and that he neither hath nor can have any creature in heaven or earth to be his fellow herein. For the Church is his body, and none but he can perform the duty of an head unto it: which duty stands in two things: the first is, to govern the Church by such power and authority whereby he can and doeth prescribe laws properly binding the consciences of all his members; the second is, by grace to quicken and to put spiritual life into them, so as they shall be able to say, that they live not, but Christ in them. As for the Supremacy of the sea of Rome whereby the Pope will needs stand ministerial head to the Catholic Church, it is a satanical forgery. For the headship (as I may term it) of Christ is of that nature or quality, that it can admit no deputy. Whether we respect the commanding or the quickening power of Christ before named. Nay Christ needs no vicar or deputy; for he is all sufficient in himself and always present with his Church, as he himself testifieth, saying, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the middest among them. And whereas all commissions cease in the presence of him that gives the commission: it is as much pride and arrogance for the Pope to take unto himself the title of the head and universal Bishop of the Church; as it is for a subject to keep himself in commission in the presence of his King.

Before wee proceede any further, three rules must be obserued touching the Church in generall.¹ The first, that Christ alone is the head of the Catholike Church, and that he neither hath nor can haue any creature in heauen or earth to be his fellowe herein. For the Church is his bodie, and none but hee can performe the dutie of an head vnto it: which dutie standes in two things: the first is, to gouerne the Church by such power and authoritie whereby he can and doeth prescribe lawes properly binding the consciences of all his members; the second is, by grace to quicken and to put spirituall life into thē, so as they shall be able to saie, that they liue not, but Christ in them. As for the Supremacie of the sea of Rome whereby the Pope will needes stand ministeriall head to the Catholike Church, it is a satanicall forgerie. For the headship (as I may tearme it) of Christ is of that nature or qualitie, that it can admitte no deputy. Whether we respect the commanding or the quickening power of Christ before named. Nay Christ needes no vicar or deputie; for he is al sufficient in himselfe and alwaies present with his Church, as he himselfe testifieth, saying, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the middest among them. And whereas all commissions cease in the presence of him that giues the commission: it is as much pride and arrogancie for the Pope to take vnto himselfe the title of the head and vniuersall Bishop of the Church; as it is for a subiect to keepe himselfe in commission in the presence of his King.