Five disputations of church-government and worship

Sect. 107. But yet 2. I add, that the Prelates and the Laws of England gave to Presbyters a Power of Ordination. For in all their Ordinations, the Presbyters were to lay on hands with the Prelate (and did, in all Ordinations that I have seen.) And if they actually imposed hands and so Ordained, it was an actual profession to all that they were supposed to have the power of Ordination, which they exercised.

Sect. 108. Obj. But they had no Power given them to do it without a Prelate. Answ. 1. By Christ they had. 2. You may as well say, that Bishops have no Power to Ordain, because they were not (ordinarily at least) to do it without the Presbyters.

Sect. 109. Obj. Saith the foresaid Learned Author (Dissert. Praemonit. sect. 10.11.) [Unum illud lubens interrogarem, an Hieronymus, dum hic esset, & Presbyteratu secundario fungeretur partiariâ tantum indutus potestate, praesente, sed spreto & insuper habito Episcopo, Diaconum aut Presbyterum ordinare (aut Presbytero uni aut alteri adjunctus) recte potuerit? si affirmetur, dicatur sodes, qua demum ratione ab eo dictum sit, Episcopum sola ordination (& ergo ordination) à Presbytero disterminatum esse] sin negetur, quomodo igitur Presbytero Anglicano, cui nullam, quae non Hieronymo potestatem, &c. —] Answ. 1. This is none of our case in England: we Ordain not, praesente sed spreto Episcopo: but most Countries know of no Bishop that they have, but Presbyters. 2. Hierom might have Ordained with his fellow-presbyters, according to the Laws of Christ, but not according to the Ecclesiastical Canons, that then obtained, or bore sway. 3. Hierom plainly tells you, that it is by Ecclesiastical appointment for the prevention of schism, that Bishops were set up so far as to have this power more then ⟨p. 238⟩Presbyters, in the point of Ordination. 4. The English Presbyters are Parochial Bishops, and have an Office of Christs making, and not of the Prelates; and are not under those Ecclesiastical Canons that restrained Hierom from the exercise of this power. And therefore whereas it is added by this Learned Author [Quid huic dilemmati reponi, aut opponi possit, fateor equidem me non adeo Lynceum esse ut perspiciam] he may see that he could scarce have set us an easier task then to answer his dilemma.