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

Others deny hearing, not from such a distempered spirit, but out of tenderness, because they think the Minister is no true Minister of Christ, because he had no true call, because he was ordained by the Prelates, &c. I confess though for mine own part I never yet doubted of the lawfulness of the call of many of the Ministers of the parishionall congregations in England, though they had something superadded which was sinful, yet it did not nullify what call they had by the Church, that communion of Saints, amongst whom they exercised their Ministry, yet I do not think it the shortest way to convince those which refuse to hear, to stand to prove to them the lawfulness of the call of those Ministers whom they refuse to hear, but rather to make it out to them, that though their call be not right to the Ministry, yet they have not sufficient ground of withdrawing from hearing them. For they hold it is lawful for a man to preach the Word as a gifted man, and that these men from whom they withdraw are gifted and faithful, and preach excellent truths they deny not.

Others deny hearing, not from such a distempered spirit, but out of tendernesse, because they think the Minister is no true Minister of Christ, because he had no true call, because he was ordained by the Prelats, &c. I confesse though for mine own part I never yet doubted of the lawfulnesse of the call of many of the Ministers of the parishionall congregations in England, though they had something superadded which was sinfull, yet it did not nullifie what call they had by the Church, that communion of Saints, amongst whom they exercised their Ministery, yet I doe not thinke it the shortest way to convince those which refuse to heare, to stand to prove to them the lawfulnesse of the call of those Ministers whom they refuse to heare, but rather to make it out to them, that though their call be not right to the Ministery, yet they have not sufficient ground of withdrawing from hearing them. For they hold it is lawfull for a man to preach the Word as a gifted man, and that these men from whom they withdraw are gifted and faithfull, and preach excellent truths they deny not.

But they will say, If they did this as gifted men, it were another matter, but they preach by virtue of their call.