A37042:289
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.
If it be asked, What further is to be done, if that fail? Answ. We know no other public redress; Christ hath left it there, and so may we also. Neither can it be instructed from Scripture, that Christ hath appointed separation to be the next step of a private persons duty for removing of offences, much less to go before these. Indeed the Scripture calleth for with-drawing from personal communion with gross, scandalous persons, as a thing necessary; as also from communion in the corrupt designs and courses of any, though they may have a form of godliness, as 2 Tim. 3. 4, 5, &c. which doth belong to, and is comprehended under the first particular ⟨p. 143⟩direction. And if these be faithfully observed by private Christians, we are hopeful that either there would be less ground of complaint for the defect of Church-officers, or more acces•e to remove such as continue unfaithful, and more peace to the consciences of particular private Christians, and less offence and more edification to all, than any other way whatsoever.
If it be asked, What further is to be done, if that fail? Answ. We know no other publick redresse; Christ hath left it there, and so may we also. Neither can it be insttucted from Scripture, that Christ hath appointed separation to be the next step of a private persons duty for removing of offences, much lesse to go before these. Indeed the Scripture calleth for with-drawing from personall communion with grosse, scandalous persons, as a thing necessary; as also from communion in the corrupt designes and courses of any, though they may have a form of godlinesse, as 2 Tim. 3. 4, 5, &c. which doth belong to, and is comprehended under the first particular ⟨p. 143⟩direction. And if these be faithfully observed by private Christians, we are hopefull that either there would be lesse ground of complaint for the defect of Church-officers, or more acces•e to remove such as continue unfaithfull, and more peace to the consciences of particular private Christians, and lesse offence and more edification to all, than any other way whatsoever.