The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"118 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.Church, and thatthe same spiritual supremacy hasalways resided in the Popes, or Bishops of Rome,as being the successors of St. Peter. Consequently,to be true followers of Christ, all Christians, bothamong the clergy and the laity,must be in communion with the See of Rome, where Peter rules in theperson of his successor.Before coming to any direct proofs on this subject,I may state that in the Old Law, the High Priest,appointed by Almighty God, filled an office analogous to that of Popein the New Law. In theJewish Church, there were priests and levitesordained to minister at the altar ;and there wasalso a supreme ecclesiastical tribunal, with theHigh Priest at its head. All matters of religiouscontroversy were referred to this tribunal and in;the last resort, to the High Priest, whose decisionwas enforced under pain of death ! If there be ahard matter in judgment between blood and blood,cause and cause, leprosy and leprosy,. . . thou shaltcome to the priests of the levitical race, and to thejudge, . . . and they shall show thee true judgment. And thou sbalt do whatever they say whopreside in the place which the Lord shall choose,and thou shalt follow their sentence. And thoushalt not decline to the right hand, or to the left.. . . But he that . . . will refuse to obey the commandment of the priest, who ministereth at the time,. . . that man shall die, and thou shalt take awaythe evil from Israel." 11Deut. xvii.