Of the Evil Succession of the Roman Church

Here we must consider the great error of the Romanists, who, without regard for the true succession of the doctrine, build on and parade the succession of the persons, who either from the beginning of the world, or from the time of the apostles, have existed throughout, as they claim, up to the present time; surely a very insignificant matter!* [n65-1]

For if they reckon from the beginning of the world, we have shown that Cain, who was a murderer, has had his successors as well as Abel, who was slain for the sake of his faith** and godliness. [n65-2]

And also, if they reckon from the time of the apostles, we have demonstrated that already at that time there were many apostates, indeed, adversaries of the Christian religion and of the true worship of God; and that more have followed, according to the prophecies and predictions which the holy apostles uttered and left to posterity.

From this it follows that neither the antiquity, nor the long or great succession of persons, can assure the truth of any religion or church, since the evil is as ancient as the good, and the erring spirits and evildoers have had, and still have, as great a succession as the true believers and the good; unless the antiquity and the succession of persons are accompanied by the divine truth and piety possessed by the upright ancients in the beginning.