A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

and therefore if it be necessary to maintain that the Church hath the same Head that she had, to assert that in the room of Christ she hath the Pope, you prove that she hath the same head that she had, because she hath one that is not the same she had: and so qui habet aures audiat. 4. You vainly imagine the whole Catholic Church any otherwise visible, then with the eyes of faith and understanding. It was never so, no not when Christ conversed with it in the earth; no not if you should suppose only his blessed Mother, his twelve Apostles, and some few more only to belong unto it. For though all the members of it might be seen, and that at once by the bodily eyes of men, as might also the humane nature of him who was the head of it, yet as he was Head of the Church, and in that his whole Person wherein he was so, and is ⟨p. 380⟩so, he was never visible unto any, for no man hath seen God at any time. And therefore you, substituting an Head in his room who in his whole person is visible, seeing he was not so, do change the Head of the Church as to its visibility also, (for one that is in his whole person visible, and another that is not so, are not alike visible) wherein you would principally place the identity of the Church. 5. Let us see whether your Logic be any better then your Divinity. The best Argument that can be formed out of your discourse, is this. If the Church hath not an head visibly present with her, as she had when Christ in his humane nature was on the earth, she is not the same that she was; but according to their Principles she hath not an head now so visibly present with her; therefore she is not the same according unto them. I desire to know how you prove your inference. It is built on this supposition, that the sameness of the Church depends upon the visibility of its Head, and not on the sameness of the Head its self; which is a fond conceit, and contrary to express Scripture, Ephes. 4. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. and not capable of the least countenance from Reason. It may be you will say, that though your Argument do not conclude that on our supposition the Church is not the same absolutely as it was, yet it doth that it is not the same as to visibility. Whereunto I answer, 1.

and therefore if it be necessary to maintain that the Church hath the same Head that she had, to assert that in the room of Christ she hath the Pope, you prove that she hath the same head that she had, because she hath one that is not the same she had: and so qui habet aures audiat. 4. You vainly imagine the whole Catholick Church any otherwise visible, then with the eyes of faith and understanding. It was never so, no not when Christ conversed with it in the earth; no not if you should suppose only his blessed Mother, his twelve Apostles, and some few more only to belong unto it. For though all the members of it might be seen, and that at once by the bodily eyes of men, as might also the humane nature of him who was the head of it, yet as he was Head of the Church, and in that his whole Person wherein he was so, and is