The dying man's testament to the Church of Scotland, or, A treatise concerning scandal…

This would make Ministers sparing to give offence, or to laugh at the offences of others, or to despise and sleight those that are offended, much less to spread rumours, entertain contentions, or so to aggrege miscarriages in others, as thereby the flood of offences may rather be increased than dried up by them. And it is found, that seldom offences have been in the Church, but Ministers have had a prime hand therein, as if it had been a part of their duty to promove the same: which sayeth, that especially they had need to be watchful at such a time. 3. Ministers would endeavour much unity amongst themselves, and unity amongst Professors. There is no keeping off of offences without this; for strife and contention are the fuel by which this plague of ⟨p. 52⟩scandal is kindled and entertained, when offences are abounding in Corinth: it is the first direction that Paul giveth, 1 Epist. 1 chap. ver. 10. I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same things, that there be no divisions among you, &c. And when he hath been large in two Epistles, he doth almost close with this, 2 Epist. chap. 13. 11. Finally, brethren, farewell: Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of peace shall be with you. And he not only exhorteth to it, But, Rom. 15. 5. he prayeth for it upon the back of all his doctrine and directions concerning offences; Yea, it was the way that our blessed Lord Jesus took, to commend union, and to pray for it to His Disciples, lest thereby the world should be stumbled and kept back from the acknowledging of Him, and the beauty of the Church should be obscured, so as the members thereof should not be known to be His Disciples, as may be at length seen in the Gospel, and particularly, Joh. 17. 4. Ministers would study the diverting of people from these things which ordinarily breed offences, as striving about words, and jangling in controversies not material, the judging and condemning of others, and such like; and they would study to be occupied themselves, and to have others exercised in these things that come nearer the power of Godliness and the life of Religion.

This would make Ministers sparing to give offence, or to laugh at the offences of others, or to despise and sleight those that are offended, much lesse to spread rumours, entertain contentions, or so to aggrege miscarriages in others, as thereby the floud of offences may rather be increased than dried up by them. And it is found, that seldom offences have been in the Church, but Ministers have had a prime hand therein, as if it had been a part of their duty to promove the same: which sayeth, that especially they had need to be watchfull at such a time. 3. Ministers would endeavour much unity amongst themselves, and unity amongst Professours. There is no keeping off of offences without this; for strife and contention are the fewell by which this plague of