The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

I KNOW well enough all the Evasions and Distinctions that are invented to countenance this Anti-christianism. As that there is a double Head, one of internal influence of Grace which Christ is, and the Pope is not; the other of Rule and Authority, which the Pope is. But this also is two-fold; Supreme and Remote; or Immediate and Subordinate; the first is Christ, the latter is the Pope. And there is yet farther a two-fold Head of the Church, the one invisible which is Christ; the other visible which is the Pope.

I KNOW well enough all the Evasions and Distinctions that are invented to countenance this Anti-christianism. As that there is a double Head, one of internal influence of Grace which Christ is, and the Pope is not; the other of Rule and Authority, which the Pope is. But this also is two-fold; Supream and Remote; or Immediate and Subordinate; the first is Christ, the latter is the Pope. And there is yet farther a two-fold Head of the Church, the one invisible which is Christ; the other visible which is the Pope.

NOT to insist on these gross and horrible Figments of a twofold Head of the Catholic Church in any sense, which are foreign to the Scripture, foreign to Antiquity, whereof never one word was heard in the Church for Six hundred Years after Christ, deforming the beautiful Spouse of Christ into a Monster; we will allow at present, that the Pope is only the immediate, visible, subordinate Head of all Rule and Authority to their Church, which is what they plead for. Then I say that the Church whereof he is the Head is his Body; that it holds him as its Head; that it is compacted together by the Officers and Orders that depend on him, and receive all their influence of Church-Power and Order from him, which ⟨p. 240⟩though he communicates not by an internal influence of Grace and Gifts (alas poor wretch) yet he doth it by Officers, Offices, Orders and Laws; so giving Union and Communion unto the whole Body by the effectual working of every joint and part of the Hierarchy under him, for its Union, Communion and Edification. This, I say, is the Anti-christ, and the Anti-christian Church-State, as I shall be at any time ready to maintain.