A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

That he is the Head of his Church, is so frequently averred, that every one who hath but read the New Testament will assent unto it upon the bare repetition of the words, with the same faith whereby he assents unto the writing its self whatever it be: and we shall afterwards see that the notion of an Head is absolutely exclusive of competition in the matter denoted by it. An Head properly is singly and absolutely so: and therefore the substitution of another head unto the Church in the room of Christ, or with him, is perfectly exclusive of him from being so. 2. That Christ as God-man in his whole person was never visible to the fleshly eyes of men: and whereas, as such, he was Head of the Church, as the Head of the Church, he was never absolutely visible. His humane nature was seen of old, which was but something of him; as he was, and is the Head of the Church, otherwise then by faith, no man hath seen him at any time: and it changeth the condition of the Church, to suppose that now it hath a Head, who being a mere man, is in his whole person visible, so far as a man may be seen. 3. That the visibility of the Church consisteth in its public profession of the Truth, and not in its being objected to the bodily eyes of men. It is a thing that faith may believe, it is a thing that Reason may take notice of, consider and comprehend; the eyes of the body being of no use in this matter. When a Church professeth the Truth, it is the ground and pillar of it, a City on a hill; that is visible though no man see it, yea though no man observe or contemplate on any thing about it. Its own Profession, not other mens observation constitutes it visible. Nor is there any thing more required to a Churches visibility, but ⟨p. 383⟩its Profession of the Truth, unto which all the outward advantages which it hath or may have of appearing conspicuously or gloriously to the consideration of men, are purely accidental, which may be separated from it without any prejudice unto its visibility. 4. That the sameness of the Church in all Ages doth not depend on its sameness in respect of degrees of visibility. That the Church be the same that it was, is required that it profess the same Truth it did, whereby it becomes absolutely visible:

That he is the Head of his Church, is so frequently averred, that every one who hath but read the New Testament will assent unto it upon the bare repetition of the words, with the same faith whereby he assents unto the writing its self whatever it be: and we shall afterwards see that the notion of an Head is absolutely exclusive of competition in the matter denoted by it. An Head properly is singly and absolutely so: and therefore the substitution of another head unto the Chrch in the room of Christ, or with him, is perfectly exclusive of him from being so. 2. That Christ as God-man in his whole person was never visible to the fleshly eyes of men: and whereas, as such, he was Head of the Church, as the Head of the Church, he was never absolutely visible. His humane nature was seen of old, which was but something of him; as he was, and is the Head of the Church, otherwise then by faith, no man hath seen him at any time: and it changeth the condition of the Church, to suppose that now it hath a Head, who being a meer man, is in his whole person visible, so far as a man may be seen. 3. That the visibility of the Church consisteth in its publick profession of the Truth, and not in its being objected to the bodily eyes of men. It is a thing that faith may believe, it is a thing that Reason may take notice of, consider and comprehend; the eyes of the body being of no use in this matter. When a Church professeth the Truth, it is the ground and pillar of it, a City on a hill; that is visible though no man see it, yea though no man observe or contemplate on any thing about it. Its own Profession, not other mens observation constitutes it visible. Nor is there any thing more required to a Churches visibility, but