The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated…

L. But they are of the same mind and party.

M. Are you a Lawyer, and do you accuse men in the Temple without naming them, and bringing proof of their guilt. Noxa caput sequitur, should all the Clergy be called guilty if Sibthorp, or Manwaring, or Heylin were proved so? what error you accuse them of, prove and punish them for no other. 6. But I prove that the Bishops themselves made other Ordination necessary. Because they would Ordain none without sinful subscriptions and conditions, which must not be yielded to: If you can prove the terms lawful on which they Ordain, I shall try your skill anon. II. I farther prove the Ordination in question valid, thus, Where there is a true notification of God's will that this person shall be a Minister of the Gospel, there is no want of validity in his Ordination; But those here ordained by Presbyters might have such a true notification of God's will—Ergo, The major is plain; Because God's will and Man's consent are the fundamentum of the Relation; therefore nothing can be wanting to it's being and validity. The Minor is proved. Those men that have laudable ability, and willingness, and the consent of a people in true necessity, and the approbation of a National Assembly of Learned Divines (of which many Bishops were called to be members) and the investing Ordination of the gravest Senior Pastors, that were then to be had, had a true notification of God's will that they should be his Ministers. But such were these in question. Ergo. ⟨p. 28⟩III. The way of ordination, which was valid in the Primitive Church is now valid.—But such is that in question. Ergo. As to the Minor; The Ordination of such Pastors as were but the Rectors of single Congregations, was it that was valid in the Primitive Church. But such is that in question. Doctor Hammond labours to prove that in Scripture time there were no other Bishops or Presbyters but the single Pastors of single Assemblies: Mr. Clerkson hath fully proved, and I more fully in my Treatise of Episcopacy, that for a hundred and fifty years, if not much more, there were no particular Churches bigger than our Parishes. A Bishop then was but the chief Parish, or Congregational Pastor, who guided it with his Assistance. And such are all our Incumbents (especially in great Towns) who have Chapels and Curates and Lecturers to assist them. And Grotius de Imper. sum. Pot.