Christ conveys His own Spirit into His mystical body, the church, and into every member of it. This Spirit is much more operative and lively than the soul of man. Therefore, if the soul’s animating all the the parts of the natural body makes them subject to the head, much more will the Spirit of Christ bring the members of His mystical body in subjection to Himself. “If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Rom. 8:11).

Therefore, let particular visible churches and particular people be tested to see whether they are indeed of this true catholic church or not. Those visible churches which refuse to be governed by Christ’s word, and are wholly governed by human traditions, which rise against Christ and play the adulteress by committing idolatry, are not of this catholic church which is subject to Christ. Neither are infidels who defy Christ, heretics who deny Him, ignorant persons who know not His will, profane persons who despise Him, lovers of the world who lightly esteem Him, nor any that persecute or scorn Him in His members. By this we may see that many have a name that they are of the church, who indeed are not.

William Gouge, Building a Godly Home: A Holy Vision for Family Life, 46-47.