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

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 ⟨p. 158⟩shall be bound to submit to. Now then here lies the division, on says his Charter does extend so far; the other says, he does not find it so in the reading of it.

Secondly, man naturally is of nothing more impatient then to §2have Jurisdiction challenged over him, except hee sees the claime to be right; and in the point of spirituall 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 soule, to deliver it up to Satan. Surely there had need be shewne a cleare and full Charter, that any men have, that gives them such a power as this, that men in conscience ⟨p. 158⟩shall be bound to submit to. Now then here lyes the division, on sayes his Charter does extend so farre; the other sayes, hee does not finde it so in the reading of it.

There is yet a further consideration of the stretching either Civill or Ecclesiastical authority beyond their bounds, which hath been, and may be the cause of much division; that is, their challenging and exercising power in things indifferent, beyond what God hath given them; for the opening of which we must know: