the creed of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Greek Church as well,
and has been productive of the most disastrous results. Among the
deliverances of the Council of Trent, held at intervals from 1545 to
1564, and the last Council, which Romish authorities regard as of
binding authority, are the following sentences, quoted by the late A.
A. Hodge, in his Outlines of Theology: "Whereas, therefore, in the New
Testament, the Catholic Church has received, from the institution of
Christ, the holy, visible sacrifice of the Eucharist; it must needs,
also, be confessed that there is, in that church, a new, visible and
external priesthood, into which the old has been translated. And the
sacred Scriptures show, and the traditions of the Catholic Church have
always taught, that this priesthood was instituted by the same Lord,
our Saviour, and that to the apostles, and their successors in the
priesthood, was the power delivered of consecrating, offering and
administering his body and blood, as, also, of forgiving and retaining
sins."

It is to be feared that not all Protestants are entirely clear of this
same idea of the priesthood of the ministry, and that, in thought, at
least, many substitute this for the true priesthood, which appertains
to all believers. Now, the office of a priest is to stand between God
and man. He mediates, and this Jesus did both by propitiation and
continues to do, forever, by intercession. "He ever liveth to make
intercession for us." He "offered one sacrifice for sins forever." If
He has an unchangeable priesthood, and has already offered Himself as a
sacrifice, sufficient for the sins of all mankind, the benefits of
which each and every one may obtain on the simple condition of
repentance and faith, what possible need can there be of any human
priesthood to come between God and the sinner? Says George Fox,
"Friends, let nothing come between your souls and God, but Christ," and