The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

YET Two things must be farther observed to clear this Communion of the Roman Catholic Church; as, (1.) That there is no ascent of Church-Order or Power by a vital Act of Communion from the lower Degrees, Orders or Consociations, and by them to the Pope, as though he should receive any thing of Church-Power from them; but all the plenitude of it being originally vested in him, by these several Orders and Degrees, he communicates of it unto all Churches, as the Life of their Conjunction and Communion. (2.) That no Man is so jointed in this Order, so compacted in this Body, but that he is also personally and immediately subject to the Pope, and depends on him as unto his whole profession of Religion.

YET Two things must be farther observed to clear this Communion of the Roman Catholick Church; as, (1.) That there is no ascent of Church-Order or Power by a vital Act of Communion from the lower Degrees, Orders or Consociations, and by them to the Pope, as though he should receive any thing of Church-Power from them; but all the plenitude of it being originally vested in him, by these several Orders and Degrees, he communicates of it unto all Churches, as the Life of their Conjunction and Communion. (2.) That no Man is so jointed in this Order, so compacted in this Body, but that he is also personally and immediately subject to the Pope, and depends on him as unto his whole profession of Religion.

AND this is that which constitutes him formally to be what he is, that is Antichrist; and the Church-State arising from its ⟨p. 239⟩Union unto him, holding him as its Head, subsisting in a Communion by virtue of power received through various Orders and Constitutions from him, to be Anti-christian. For he and it, are set up in the room of, and in direct opposition unto the Lord Christ, as the Head of the Catholic Church, and the Church state thereon depending. This we have described, Ephes. 4.15, 16. Speaking the Truth in Love, may grow up, &c. As also,