A37042:262
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.
This Question hath troubled the Church, and been the occasion of many […] in many ages, the devil thereby under pretext of indignation at offences, hath made them to abound in the Church, as the Church histories and Writings of the Fathers, in what concerneth the Novatians, Donatists, and such like, do fully evince; And although we have great ground to acknowledge Gods mercy, in the sobriety of His people amongst us, so that we have unity, with purity; yet, seeing in order this doth follow, we shall answer shortly, in laying down these grounds.
This Question hath troubled the Church, and been the occasion of many 〈…〉 in many ages, the devil thereby under pretext of indignation at offences, hath made them to abound in the Church, as the Churchhistories and Writings of the Fathers, in what concerneth the Novatians, Donatists, and such like, do fully evince; And although we have great ground to acknowledge Gods mercy, in the sobriety of His people amongst us, so that we have unity, with purity; yet, seing in order this doth follow, we shall answer shortly, in laying down these grounds.
1. It cannot be denied, but such a case may be, and ⟨p. 127⟩often de facto is, that Church-officers are defective in the exercising of Discipline upon scandalous persons, what from negligence, what from unfaithfulness, what from fainting, or some other sinful infirmity at the best, as may be gathered from the second and third Chapters of the Revelation.
1. It cannot be denied, but such a case may be, and ⟨p. 127⟩often de facto is, that Church-officers are defective in the exercising of Discipline upon scandalous persons, what from negligence, what from unfaithfulnesse, what from fainting, or some other finfull infirmity at the best, as may be gathered from the second and third Chapters of the Revelation.