7151

AN ESSAY

ON

APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION;

BEING

A DEFENCE OF A GENUINE PROTESTANT MINISTRY,

AGAINST THE EXCLUSIVE AND INTOLERANT SCHEMES

OF PAPISTS AND HIGH CHURCHMEN;

AND SUPPLYING

A GENERAL ANTIDOTE TO POPERY:

ALSO,

A CRITIQUE

ON

THE APOLOGY FOR APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION,

BY THE HON. AND REV. A. P. PERCEVAL, B. C. L.,
Chaplain in ordinary to the Queen:

AND A REVIEW OF DR. W. F. HOOK'S SERMON
ON "HEAR THE CHURCH"

PREACHED BEFORE THE QUEEN, JUNE 17, 1838:

BY THOMAS POWELL;

WESLEYAN MINISTER.)

NEW-YORK:

PUBLISHED BY G. LANE & C. B. TIPPETT,

FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AT THE CONFERENCE
OFFICE, 200 MULBERRY-STREET.

J. Collord, Printer.

"THEY ARE EQUALLY MAD WHO MAINTAIN THAT BISHOPS ARE SO JURE DIVINO THAT THEY MUST BE CONTINUED: AND THEY WHO SAY THEY ARE SO UNCHRISTIAN, THAT THEY MUST BE PUT AWAY."-Selden.

"MEN CANNOT CARRY ON A RESOLUTE STRUGGLE AGAINST SOPHISTRY WITH THE SAME SMOOTHNESS AND SIMPLICITY WITH WHICH THEY ENUNCIATE TRUISMS."-QUARTERLY REVIEW, JAN., 1840.

VEM AOBK TIBKYBA

No positive proof from the Scriptures of these high Church claims

-The commission of Jesus Christ to the apostles-The

claim of apostleship for bishops-High priesthood of bishops

-The case of Timothy and Titus-The angels of the seven

churches.

SECTION IV.

The general spirit and scope of the gospel opposed to, this high

Church scheme

SECTION V.

Scriptural evidence against these claims, continúed--Bishops and

presbyters the same, proved from the New Testament

SECTION VI.

The same argument continued-Presbyters and bishops the same,

proved from the purest Christian antiquity

Appendix to section vi

Page

5

7

13

21

25

64

80

89

141

SECTION VII.

The Church of England at the Reformation against these claims 144

SECTION VIII.

Bishops and presbyters the same order, shown by the testimony

of all the Christian churches in the world...

169

SECTION IX.

Presbyters and bishops shown to be the same order, by the

testimony of the greatest divines of all ages

SECTION X.

No sufficient historic evidence of a personal succession of valid

episcopal ordinations .

SECTION XI.

Nullity of the Popish ordinations-Character of the Popish Church,

and Popish bishops, before and at the Reformation

SECTION XII.

Popish ordinations of English bishops before the Reformation

SECTION XIII.

Nullity of Popish ordinations of English bishops, concluded ...

SECTION XIV.

Genuine apostolical succession.

Conclusion of the Essay

Page

201

212

224

An Appendix containing,-first, A Critique on the Apology for

the Doctrine of the Apostolical Succession, by the Hon. and

Rev. A. P. Perceval, B. C. L.

Secondly, A Review of Dr. W. F. Hook's Sermon, Vicar of Leed's,

on"Hear the Church"

250

271

295

311

340

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