Five disputations of church-government and worship

Sect. 96. As Ministers were at first Ordained by Imposition of hands, so Kings were chosen by God, and (in the Church) anointed by a Prophet, or special Officer of God; and sometime by the people (that is, by their suffrages appointing it, or consenting to it) as appeareth, 1 Sam. 10.1. & 15.17. & 16.13. & 24.6. 2 Sam. 2.4, 7. & 5.3. & 12.7. & 19.10. 1 King. 1.45. & 5.1. 2 King. 11.12. & 23.30. 2 Chron. 22.7. so that there is as much in Scripture for this manner of their investiture, as there is for Ministers Ordination by imposition of hands; yet may they be Kings that have no such Investiture; much less all their predecessors. We then that have a due Investiture, may ⟨p. 234⟩prove our Ministry, whatever our predecessors had.

Sect. 97. I come now to the Arguments of the adversaries of our Ministry, which I need not stand long on, because they are few and scarce considerable, and sufficiently answered in what is said. And first its said by a Learned man (Dissrta. de Episcop. contra Blondel. Praemoni. ad Lctor. sect. 4.13.) [Nos illud in hac discptatione pro concesso positum censbimus, Neminm rect dare quod non habet: eumque aut es qui hac potestate indui nunquam fuerint sine violation aut sacrilegio qudm sibi arrogare aut assumere aut aliis aeque à Deo non vocatis, aut missis communicare neutiquam posse. [Illud hic nobis unicum mminisse sufficiet, unumquemque in Anglicana Ecclesia ab Epicopis ordinatum Presbyterum, nulla ordinandi alios facultate (aut per se, aut quà quolibet comparium caetu munitum) praeditum esse, nec igitur am sibi rectius arrogare posse, quam si Diaconorum, immo Laicorum unus, aut plures, tali potestate nullatenus induti, idem ausursint.] The sum is: Presbyters have not this power therefore they cannot give it.