Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Floating text 2 · Popish error 23
23. That the Perſonall ſucceſsion of Biſhops is a true note of the Church, and neceſſary: That Peters Chaire was at Rome, and he ſate Biſhop there: and that it is the honour and happineſſe of our Church, that this Archbiſhop, of Cant. that now is, with our other Biſhops and Miniſters, can derive them perſonall ſucceſsion and Ordination from the Sea and Popes of Rome.
Dr. Pocklingtons, Sunday no Sabbath, P. 2. Ou… Dioceſan can derive himſelfe the ſucceſſor of an Apoſtle: it is Saint Auſtins reſolution, Succeſſio Epiſcoporum ab ipſa ſede Petri, is that which among other things by him named, keepes us in gremio Eccleſiae, and Subjects us to our Biſhops Juriſdiction.
Page 47. Their vanity may appeare that againſt all Antiquity make fooles beleeve, Saint Peter was never at Rome; making the ſucceſſion of Biſhops and truth of the Latin Churches, as queſtionable as the Centurists orders.
Page 48. Reckon up your Prieſts who ſucceded one another after Saint Peter in his Chaire, if you will bee eſteemed Members of the Church; Hereby we may by Gods mercy make good the truth of our Church. For wee are able lineally to ſet downe the ſucceſſion of our Biſhops from Saint Peter to Saint Gregory, and from him to our firſt Archbiſhop Saint Auſtin, our Engliſh Apoſtle, as Biſhop Goodwin calls him, downeward to his Grace NOW, that ſits in his Chaire, Primate of all England and Metropolitan.
Which hee thus ſeconds in his Altare Chriſtianum, Page 45. Saint Peters Chaire in Rome, ſucceſſion of Biſhops in the Church of England, &c.
Page 47. Though ſaith (Saint Auſtin) you ſlanderouſly call the Chaire in other Churches, Cathedram Peſtilenti…ae, what cauſe hath the Church of Rome giuen you to ſay ſo of it, In qua Petrus ſedet, et in quâ hodie Anaſtaſius ſedet?
The very note whereby Heritickes were knowne from Catholikes was, that Catholikes could ſhew their Churches and the very Chaires in them, wherein there was not only a morrall ſucceſſion in purity of Faith and manners, but a locall ſucceſſion of Biſhops continued even from the Apoſtles times, which Heretickes could not ſhew, and therefore were hereby convinced to bee ſuch, and ſo put to ſhame and confounded.
Page 48. Hee recons up thoſe that had ſucceded the Apoſtles, Saint Peter, and Saint Paul, in the Church of Rome.
Page 49. Novatian is neither Biſhop nor Member of the Church (ſaith Saint Cyprian) becauſe hee cannot prove his ſucceſſion, according to Apoſtolicall Tradition.
If in all this time there were no materiall Churches, then there could be no materiall Chaire, wherein their Biſhops were enthronized; and if no Chaire, then no reall Inthronization, then no perſonall ſucceſſion from the Apoſtles, whereby the right faith was derived from God the Father to his Son, nor from the Sonne to his Apoſtles, nor from the Apoſtles to ſucceding Biſhops. Thoſe that deprive us of the benefit of this Apoſtolicall Tradition, pluck one ſpeciall ſtaffe out of our hands, whereby we ſtay our ſelves from falling from the true Catholicke Church, and beat all Heretickes out of our Communion. Miſerable were we if hee that NOW ſitteth Arch Biſhop of CANTERBVRY, could not derive his ſucceſſion from Saint Augustine St. Auguſtine: from Saint Gregory: Saint Gregory, from Saint Peter for hee that remembreth whom he ſucceeds will doubtleſſe endeavour, and pray to be heire to their vertues, as well as poſſeſſor to their places. What a comfort is this to his Grace, NOTE.and to all thoſe that receive conſecration from him, and to all thoſe that they ſhall ordaine.
Page 51. Tell us when and from whence you come? and what you make your ſelves to do in the Church that are no Sons of the Church? We can with Saint Iraeneus point you to the time of your comming in. You Cartwright and your brood came in, as moſt Sabbatarians did, under Archbiſhop Whitgift, and your Ames and Brightman, with your Laodiceans came in under Archbiſhop Bancroft, and you Vicars and our Cotton with his fugitives, came in, or rather went out under Archbiſhop Abbot.
Page 144. I ſhall begin with my ſelfe. I had my Ordination from Biſhop Dove he had his Conſecration from Archbiſhop Whitgift, and the Archbiſhop his from the undoubted ſucceſſours of Saint Peter.
Doctor Heylin his Moderat Anſwer to Mr. Burton, Page 72. Write; If you have any other Pedegree, as perhaps you have from Wickliffe, Hus, the Albig…enſes, and the reſt which you uſe to boaſt of, keepe it to your ſelfe, non tali auxilio, the Church of England hath not need of ſo poore a ſhift.
Page 68. The next thing that offends you and you clamour as if that they claime a viſible and perpetuall ſucceſſion down from St. Peter to Pope Gregory, from him by Austin the Monk, firſt Archbiſhop of Cant. unto his Grace now being and ſic de caeteris; That Gregory ſent Auſtin into England to convert the Saxons and made him firſt Archbiſhop of the Engliſh, is generally delivered by all our writers. Finally that my Lord the Archbiſhop that now is, is lineally deſcended in a moſt faire and conſtant tenor of ſucceſſion you ſhall eaſily finde, if you conſult the learned labours of Maſter Francis Maſon de Miniſterio Anglicano. The Papiſts would extreamely thank you, and think you borne into the World for their ſpeciall comfort could you but tell him how to diſprove that lineall ſucceſſion of our Prelates, which is there laid dowe.
By Mountague his Gagge page 49. The Church hath ever beene viſibe. In England eſpecially; how can this fellow impute inviſibility to us who claime and prove a ſucceſſion.