Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and…

But especially where men will not keep within their bounds in their power over others; for what is all our contestation at this time? it is not about mens stretching their power beyond their line both in State and Church? From whence are our State-divisions, our Wars, but because Princes have been persuaded their power was boundless? at least not to be kept within those bounds the State says it ought to be. They think there is such a distance between them and others, that the estates, liberties, lives of all men within their country lie at their mercy; not considering how they come to be raised so high: that what they have above others, is given to them by those above whom they are. No man inheriteth more then was given to his forefathers, and so to him, whereby they might see that they are not limited only by the laws of God, but by the laws of men also, namely, The agreement between them and the people when they are raised to such dignities. There is nothing weakens their right more then the pleading it by conquest; Princes have little cause to thank those who plead their right that way. The surest foundation for Princes to set their feet on, is the agreement between the people and them, or their progenitors; but if they will go beyond this agreement, what stirs, what woeful disturbances do they make!

But especially where men will not keepe within their bounds in their power over others; for what is all our contestation at this time? it is not about mens stretching their power beyond their line both in State and Church? From whence are our State-divisions, our Warres, but because Princes have been perswaded their power was boundlesse? at least not to be kept within those bounds the State sayes it ought to bee. They think there is such a distance between them and others, that the estates, liberties, lives of all men within their country lie at their mercy; not considering how they come to be raised so high: that what they have above others, is given to them by those above whom they are. No man inheriteth more then was given to his forefathers, and so to him, whereby they might see that they are not limited onely by the lawes of God, but by the lawes of men also, namely, The agreement between them and the people when they are raised to such dignities. There is nothing weakens their right more then the pleading it by conquest; Princes have little cause to thank those who plead their right that way. The surest foundation for Princes to set their feet on, is the agreement between the people and them, or their progenitors; but if they will goe beyond this agreement, what stirres, what wofull disturbances doe they make!