Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

authority of God, let him be careful to take that of the church with him
also.
By the kind providence of God, it appears that he has not permitted
any apostolic succession to be preserved; lest the members of his church
should seek that in uninterrupted succession which must be found in the
HEAD alone. The Papists or Roman Catholics, who boast of an
uninterrupted succession, which is a mere fable, that never was and never
can be proved, have raised up another head, the pope. And I appeal to
themselves, in the fear of God, whether they do not in heart and in speech
trace up all their authority to him; and only compliment Christ as having
appointed Peter to be the first bishop of Rome; (which is an utter falsity,
for he was never appointed to such an office there, nor ever held such an
office in that city; nor, in their sense, anywhere else;) and they hold also
that the popes of Rome are not so much Peter's successors, as God's
vicars; and thus both God and Peter are nearly lost sight of in their papal
enumerations. With them the authority of the church is all in all; the
authority of Christ is seldom mentioned.
It is idle to employ time in proving that there is no such thing as an
uninterrupted succession of this kind; it does not exist, it never did exist.
It is a silly fable, invented by ecclesiastical tyrants, and supported by
clerical coxcombs. But were it even true, it has nothing to do with the
text, Heb. v, 4. It speaks merely of the appointment of a high priest, the
succession to be preserved in the tribe of Levi, and in the family of
Aaron. But even this succession was interrupted and broken, and the
office itself was to cease on the coming of Christ, after whom there could
be no high priest; nor can Christ have any successor, and therefore he is
said to be a "priest for ever," for he ever liveth the intercessor and
sacrifice for mankind. The verse, therefore, has nothing to do with the
clerical office, with preaching God's holy word, or administering the
sacraments; and those who quote it in this way show how little they
understand the Scriptures, and how ignorant they are of the nature of their
own office.