§. IX.
Absurdities Protestants fall into, by deriving their Ministry through the Church of Rome.Many Absurdities do Protestants fall into, by deriving their Ministry thus through the Church of Rome. As, First, They must acknowledge her to be a true Church of Christ, though only erroneous in some Things; which contradicts their Forefathers so frequently, and yet truly, calling her Antichrist. Secondly, They must needs acknowledge, that the Priests and Bishops of the Romish Church are true Ministers and Pastors of the Church of Christ, as to the essential Part; else they could not be fit Subjects for that Power and Authority to have resided in; neither could they have been Vessels capable to receive that Power, and again transmit it to their Successors. Thirdly, It would follow from this, that the Priests and Bishops of the Romish Church are yet really true Pastors and Teachers: For if Protestant Ministers have no Authority but what they received from them, and since the Church of Rome is the same she was at that Time of the Reformation in Doctrine and Manners, and she has the same Power now she had then, and if the Power lie in the Succession, then these Priests of the Romish Church now, which derive their Ordination from those Bishops that ordained the first Reformers, have the same Authority which the Successors of the Reformed have, and consequently are no less Ministers of the Church than they are. But how will this agree with that Opinion which the Primitive Protestants had of the Romish Priests and Clergy, to whom Luther did not only deny any Power or Authority, but contrary-wise affirmed, That it was wickedly done of them, to assume to themselves only this Authority to teach, and be Priests and Ministers, &c. Luther affirmed, that a Woman might be a Preacher.For he himself affirmed, That every good Christian (not only Men, but even Women also) is a Preacher.