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

First, the extent of power of Jurisdiction must be by institution §1as well as the power it self; all juridical power whatsoever, either in State or Church receives limits or extent from the same authority it first had its rise, this is impossible to be denied: If a man by a Charter be made a Mayor of a Town, he cannot therefore challenge the power of a Mayor wheresoever he comes, except the authority that first gave him his power shall also extend it. Now the Charter by which any Church-Officer is invested with power, is the Word, therefore we cannot straiten or enlarge the power of a Minister otherwise then we find it in the Word; for Civill power it may be straitened or enlarged, as the Governors of State shall see cause, because their Charter is from man, it is [Greek or Hebrew].

First, the extent of power of Jurisdiction must be by institution §1as well as the power it selfe; all juridicall power whatsoever, either in State or Church receives limits or extent from the same authority it first had its rise, this is impossible to be denyed: If a man by a Charter be made a Mayor of a Towne, he cannot therefore challenge the power of a Mayor wheresoever he comes, except the authority that first gave him his powver shall also extend it. Now the Charter by which any Church-Officer is invested with power, is the Word, therefore we cannot streighten or enlarge the power of a Minister otherwise then we find it in the Word; for Civill power it may be streightned or enlarged, as the Governours of State shall see cause, because their Charter is from man, it is 〈non-Latin alphabet〉.

Secondly, man naturally is of nothing more impatient then to §2have Jurisdiction challenged over him, except he sees the claim to be right; and in the point of spiritual jurisdiction, man is the most tender of all, because in that men come in the Name of Christ to him, challenging authority to exercise the power of Christ over him, not over the outward man so much as over his soul, to deliver it up to Satan. Surely there had need be shown a clear and full Charter, that any men have, that gives them such a power as this, that men in conscience