The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

ROME^S CORNER-STONE.o2 I" How do you prove this f it is answered ; 1st, Becauseonly those who can derive their lineage from the apostlesare the heirs of the apostles !and, consequently, they alonecan claim a right to the Scriptures, to the administration ofthe sacraments, or anj- share in the pastoral ministry : it istheir proper inheritance, which they have received from theapostles, and the apostles from Christ.""'" Her [CatholicChurch] pastors, says Keenan, are the only pastors on earthwho can trace their mission from priest to bishop, and frombishop to pope, back through every century, until theytrace that mission to the apostles.""!- This is a vital pointwith Rome. The primacy of Peter is her corner-stone ; andif that is removed, the whole fabric tumbles into ruin. Itis reasonable, then, to ask some proof of that long chain offacts by which she attempts to link the humble fishermanwith the more than imperial pontiffs. We are entitled todemand that the Church of Rome produce conclusive andincontrovertible proof of the following points :—That Christconstituted Peter prince of the apostles and head of thewhole Church ; that Peter went to Rome, and there establishedhis see ;that, dying at Rome, he transmitted to hissuccessors in his charge the rights and prerogatives of hissovereignty; and that these have been handed down throughan unbroken seriesof bishops, every one of whom possessedand exercised Peter's powers and prerogatives. If theChurch of Rome fail in establishing any one of these points,she fails as regards the whole. The loss of one link inthis chain is as fatal as the loss of all. But, doubtless, in amatter of such consequence, where not much simply, but all^is at stake, Rome is ready with her evidences, full, clear,and incontrovertible ; with her proofs from Scripture soplain and palpable in their meaning; and with her documentsfrom history all endorsed and countersigned by cotemporarywriters and great collateral facts. It is her cita-* Grounds of Catholic Doctrine, by Challoner, chap. i. sect. V.+ Controversial Catechism, p. 22.