A37042:191
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
Part 2 › Chapter 5: Concerning what is to be done, when offending persons give no satisfaction.
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.
A third sort of offences are such as of their nature are gross, and in their evidence clear, suppose drunkenness, fornication, gross swearing, corrupt errors, &c. and the person offending, after much pains, doth yet continue obstinate, refusing to hear the Church; in that case the rule is clear to proceed with the Sentence of cutting off, If no accidental thing call for the suspending thereof, for respect to the Churches good.
A third sort of offences are such as of their nature are grosse, and in their evidence clear, suppose drunkennesse, fornication, grosse swearing, corrupt errours, &c. and the person offending, after much pains, doth yet continue obstinate, refusing to hear the Church; in that case the rule is clear to proceed with the Sentence of cutting off, If no accidentall thing call for the suspending thereof, for respect to the Churches good.
If it be asked, when a person is to be accounted obstinate1 and guilty of not hearing the Church? We answer, It may be in these four cases, 1. When the persons do contemptuously refuse, or decline appearance, that is, either to hear private admonition, or to answer for removing of their offences before the public Judicatory. This indeed is not to be astricted to once or twice refusing, even when no reasonable excuse can be given: for, sometimes offenders are ticklish for a time, while their distemper continueth; and Church-officers would be favourable in admitting of excuses, and in their condescending to them, (as edification may be most furthered) as Mothers and Nurses will do to children: which similitudes the Scripture sometimes useth.
If it be asked, when a person is to be accounted obstinate1 and guilty of not hearing the Church? We answer, It may be in these four cases, 1. When the persons do contemptuously refuse, or decline appearance, that is, either to hear private admonition, or to answer for removing of their offences before the publick Judicatory. This indeed is not to be astricted to once or twice refusing, even when no reasonable excuse can be given: for, sometimes offenders are ticklish for a time, while their distemper continueth; and Church-officers would be favourable in admitting of excuses, and in their condescending to them, (as edification may be most furthered) as Mothers and Nurses will do to children: which similitudes the Scripture sometimes useth.