A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

doth it thence follow that they may not be governed by officers subordinate delegated under him to rule them by his Authority according to his Laws? or that if they may be so, that he is not the only immediate King and supreme Head unto them all? The Apostle tells us expressly that the Head of every man is Christ, 1 Cor. 11. 3. And that an head of Rule, as the husband is the head ⟨p. 389⟩of the wife, Ephes. 5. 23. as well as he is an head of influence unto the whole body, and every member of it in particular, 1 Cor. 12. 12. Col. 2. 19. And it is a senseless thing to imagine, that this should in the least impeach his appointment of men to rule under him in his Church according to his Law; who are thereupon not heads, but in respect of him servants, and in respect to the particular Churches wherein they serve him, Rulers or guides, yea their servants for his sake; not Lords over the flocks, but Ministers of their faith. By these are the flocks of Christ governed, as by shepherds appointed by him the great Bishop and Shepherd of their souls, according to the Rules by him prescribed for the rule of the one, and obedience of the other. But if by governed by another man, you mean absolutely, supremely, at his will and pleasure, then we deny that any Disciple of Christ is in the things of God, so to be governed by any man, and affirm that to assert it, is to cast down Jesus Christ from his Throne. But you say, if he be not immediate head unto all, but Ministers head the people, and Christ heads the Ministers, this in effect is nothing but to make every Minister a Bishop. Why do you not plainly say what it is more then manifest you would have? All this while you heed no more the Laws of the Land, then constitutions of the Gospel. Answ. I have told you how Christ is the immediate Head unto all, and yet how he hath appointed others to preside in his Churches under him; and that this should infer an equality in all that are by him appointed to that work, is most senseless to imagine, nor did I in the least intimate any such thing, but only that therefore there was no need of any one supreme head of the whole Catholic Church, nor any place or room left for such an one without