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

Some say that no Minister can have the charge of ruling over people in a large extent then his charge over them for Word and Sacraments reaches; they think that those people that can say to a Minister, That charge that Christ hath given you for Word and Sacraments, extends not to take care of our souls to feed them, therefore you have no charge of our souls for ruling; if you think you may, preach or administer Sacraments in an accidental arbitrary way only, not as challenging power over us for this, or looking upon us as those committed to you, for whom you are to answer; then at the farthest you may exercise rule over us but in this way.

Some say that no Minister can have the charge of ruling over people in a large extent then his charge over them for Word and Sacraments reaches; they thinke that those people that can say to a Minister, That charge that Christ hath given you for Word and Sacraments, extends not to take care of our soules to feed them, therefore you have no charge of our souls for ruling; if you thinke you may, preach or administer Sacraments in an accidentall arbitrary way onely, not as chalenging power over us for this, or looking upon us as those committed to you, for whom you are to answer; then at the farthest you may exercise rule over us but in this way.

But others hold this, That a Minister may answer to this people thus, I confess I have indeed only such a particular Congregation to be my flock, and although I being desired to help sometimes in another to preach or administer Sacraments▪ yet I do it not as having the charge of their souls as being Pastor to them: But as for that ruling power that Christ hath given me, I conceive by joining of it with others, it extends to hundreds of Congregations, or more, according as our association shall be, so as we have not only liberty to be helpful to those who have the special charge of the Congregations; but we have the supreme ruling power in our hands, ⟨p. 157⟩to challenge in the Name of Christ, to exercise over these Congregations, as we shall see cause. I say, the supreme power above what your Ministers or Elders in your particular Congregations have; for though these Ministers and Elders of yours be admitted to be members of our Court, yet if they all should be of a contrary mind from us, in some matter that concerns your Congregation, we yet will judge and determine, we will censure and exercise all kind of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in that congregation, as we see cause, though it may be not one of us ever saw any of the faces of any of the men of your congregation before. Here, I say, lies the great dividing controversy, which is right, which is wrong is not my work to show; all I am to do, is but to show you what the controversy is, about which there is so much dispute.