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

They would even in that procedure aim especially to deal with consciences to convince them, rather than to wrangle with corruptions, or to throw the outward man. 4. The Masters honour would ever be respected, yea, reverently and frequently mentioned, that all of them may be put and kept in mind that it is His Ordinance, and appointed for such an end: and the more room He get in the meeting, the more weight will their procedure have. 5. Ministers, and Elders particularly, would pray for the blessing to Discipline, as well as to the Word; and for the persons offending, even those that appear to be most stubborn, this becometh their ministerial authority well to acknowledge Him, and is the way to have His presence in the midst of them, without which they can expect no weight; and the more He ⟨p. 78⟩be seen that is the Master, the more authority will they have who are the Servants. 6. It helps this also to have the matter and proofs convincing. Therefore particulars that look self-like, or siding with interests, or such as are involved in civil debates and contests, are to be shunned, or at least, not to be insisted upon: for, readily a convincing weighty matter, will have some impression of it self upon consciences. Hence, we will find in Scripture that generally (if not always) public processes are tabled upon scandals that flow from commissions, and that of such nature, as is said. It is true, where an omission is owned, as suppose one should refuse to pray, or where palpably defended, and is not of infirmity, as idleness was in Thessalonica, 1 Epist. chap. 3. such are by their circumstances rather indeed commissions, and so to be accounted after admonition, and upon just ground are convincing. 7. There would be weight, gravity, impartiality, self-deniednesse, and affection kything in every circumstance, that they may look like the servants of Jesus Christ, who are seeking thee good of His people; and so foolish sporting and laughing, idle and trivial questions, passionate words, heat, or particular and personal reflections, and the like, are most derogatory to the authority of a Church-judicatory, and do mar the weight of any Sentence upon a conscience, as is evident in daily experience, where sometimes Censures in their giving and receiving, are, upon the matter, an irreverent taking of the name of the Lord in vain. 8.

They would even in that procedure aim especially to deal with consciences to convince them, rather than to wrangle with corruptions, or to throw the outward man. 4. The Masters honour would ever be respected, yea, reverently and frequently mentioned, that all of them may be put and kept in minde that it is His Ordinance, and appointed for such an end: and the more room He get in the meeting, the more weight will their procedure have. 5. Ministers, and Elders particularly, would pray for the blessing to Discipline, as well as to the Word; and for the persons offending, even those that appear to be most stuborn, this becometh their ministerial authority well to acknowledge Him, and is the way to have His presence in the midst of them, without which they can expect no weight; and the more He