Five disputations of church-government and worship

Sect. 41. Object. But the usurping Presbyter doth nothing but what belongeth to the office of a Presbyter: but the usurping Ordainer doth that which belongs not to the office of a Presbyter: and therefore his action is a Nullity, as being extra proprium forum.

Sect. 42. Answ. 1. It is proved before to belong to the office of a Presbyter to Ordain: 2. But suppose it were not; yet the objection is vain: because it is the office of a Bishop that the Ordaining Presbyter doth pretend to, and which you imagine that he doth usurp. They say that subject Presbyters (quoad ordinem vel Officium) are no creatures of Gods appointment; and therefore they renounce that Office; and claim that office which you call Episcopacy, and hath the Power of Ordination. The quarrel between us is not about mere Bishops (such as Dr. H. H. describeth as aforesaid) These are not denied: but the Parish Ministers profess themselves such Bishops: But it is about the other sort of Presbyters, subject to Bishops, that the quarrel is: For they say, that the Church should have none such, and Dr. H. H. saith there is no Evidence that any such were instituted in Scripture times. Now as a pretended Presbyters administrations are Valid to the innocent receiver of the Sacrament, so a pretended Bishops administration in Ordination is as Valid to the innocent, caeteris paribus.

Sect. 42. Answ. 1. It is proved before to belong to the office of a Presbyter to Ordain: 2. But suppose it were not; yet the objection is vain: because it is the office of a Bishop that the Ordaining Presbyter doth pretend to, and which you imagine that he doth usurp. They say that subject Presbyters (quoad ordinem vel Officium) are no creatures of Gods appointment; and therefore they renounce that Office; and claim that office which you call Episcopacy, and hath the Power of Ordination. The quarrel between us is not about meer Bishops (such as Dr. H. H. describeth as aforesaid) These are not denyed: but the Parish Ministers profess themselves such Bishops: But it is about the other sort of Presbyters, subject to Bishops, that the quarrel is: For they say, that the Church should have none such, and Dr. H. H. saith there is no Evidence that any such were instituted in Scripture times. Now as a pretended Presbyters administrations are Valid to the innocent receiver of the Sacrament, so a pretended Bishops administration in Ordination is as Valid to the innocent, caeteris paribus.