A37042:119
The dying man's testament to the Church of Scotland, or, A treatise concerning scandal…
The dying man's testament to the Church of Scotland, or, A treatise concerning scandal divided into four parts ... : in each of which there are not a few choice and useful questions, very shortly and satisfyingly discussed and cleared / by ... Mr. James Durham ... who being dead (by this) yet speaketh ; and published by John Carstares ... ; to which is prefixed an excellent preface of famous Mr. Blair ... ; together with a table of the contents of the several chapters of each part.
Edinburgh: printed by Christopher Higgins, 1659
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
It may be further asked, What is to be done where1 there is a real difference betwixt parties, suppose for a civil interest? for▪ a man, by seeking his own, may irritate another, and, Is there a necessity of abstaining in that case? Answ. 1. There is no question but in some cases a man is to cede in his particular right, rather than to give offence by a legal pursuit, as when it may occasion the Gospel to be evil spoken of, and harden corrupt men in their ha•ed of the same. On this ground, 1 Cor. 6. the Apostle condemneth their going to Law before infidel Judges, and doth expressly say, ver. 7. Why do ye not rather take the wrong? and suffer your selves to be defrauded? And though the case now be not every way the same, yet we suppose Christians ought to lay weight on this, l•st in their pursuits they give occasion to make the professors of the Gospel to be accounted contentious, covetous▪ &c. And therefore it would seem, that when they contend for civil things, it would be for something of moment at least to the person, which also is clearly, or may be made appear to be clearly theirs, and that after friendly ways are essayed for attaining satisfaction. 2. We say, it ought to sway Christians in their manner of pursuing differences, so as there be not heat, passion▪ carnalnesse, over-reaching and going beyond one another, nay nor the appearance of these to be seen in their carriage, but still following a civil difference, with respect to the spiritual good of the adversary, and that in such a manner as may be convincingly evidencing thereof both to him and others. 3. We say, that these cautions being observed, this ⟨p. 33⟩doctrine of Scandal will not simply bind up a Christian from pursuing of a civil difference, because, in some respect, it may be a necessary duty for a man to recover his own in a legal way, as it is for a man to labour, and otherwise by lawful means to provide for his Family: for which end God hath appointed Judges and Magistrates to hear complaints, and to rectify wrongs; and to hear complaints is a main part of their duty, without which humane society would turn like to the fishes of the sea,