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

But now I come to speak a word of the fourth part of this Treatise, and that so much the more, 1. Because it was the last labour of this precious man of God, and so it is his Swan-like song. The Only Wise thought it fit to recommend to all His People, especially within this Land, in these distracted times (when passion and prejudice makes it most difficult, if not altogether impossible to speak a word in season acceptably) the hatefulness of scandalous division and the loveliness of a godly union by the words of a Messenger, who was one of a thousand▪ known to be moderate, wise and faithful, very far from factiousness, sharply perceiving what was duty, and very impartially uttering the same. At the dictating of this Part, the infirmity of the decaying tabernacle was so great, that he could not endure the labour of writing with his own hand, But being now ripe for glory, and having entered the suburbs of Heaven, he breathed-out his wise and godly thoughts to a borrowed p•n.

But now I come to speak a word of the fourth part of this Treatise, and that so much the more, 1. Because it was the last labour of this precious man of God, and so it is his Swan-like song. The Only Wise thought it fit to recommend to all His People, especially within this Land, in these distracted times (when passion and prejudice makes it most difficult, if not altogether impossible to speak a word in season acceptably) the hatefulnesse of scandalous division and the lovelinesse of a godly union by the words of a Messenger, who was one of a thousand▪ known to be moderate, wise and faithfull, very far from factiousnesse, sharply perceiving what was duty, and very impartially uttering the same. At the dictating of this Part, the infirmity of the decaying tabernacle was so great, that he could not endure the labour of writing with his own hand, But being now ripe for glory, and having entered the suburbs of Heaven, he breathed-out his wise and godly thoughts to a borrowed p•n.

Next, I have the greater reason to consider diligently this piece of the work; and having considered it, to recommend it the more earnestly to all Christs People, and especially to my reverend and dear Brethren of the Ministry, because it was sent to me sealed from the Author, in the beginning of his last sickness, as a Depositum committed to me to make it ready for publishing; which I