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

Differences of judgement and divisions among Ministers, are much made use of for that end, even sometimes when they are but apparent: Thus Paul is said to preach another doctrine, by the false teachers, than those at Jerusalem did, whereupon he is often put to show the harmony that was betwixt them, as particularly in the Epistle to the Galatians; And Josephus marketh, that Ahab's false teachers did oppose Elijah his Prophecy (wherein it is said that dogs should lick Ahab's blood at Jezreel) to Micajah, who said he should die at Ramoth ▪ gilead; Also, that others did harden Zedekiah, by this that Ezekiel said, that he should not see Babylon, and ⟨p. 187⟩that Jeremiah said he should be carried thereto; which they took to be contrary, and did thereby seek to defame the Prophets, and to weaken the esteem of their Prophecies; and though there was no real difference there, yet it showeth how, and to what end, they lie in wait to aggreage the differences of God's Servants, though but apparent, which should make Ministers carefully avoid those things. Again, secondly, Though, at first, principal truths are not altogether and plainly denied, Yet by degrees he doth engage many, 1. To reject some less fundamental truths concerning Government, communion with others in the Ordinances, and such like. 2. He draweth them to separate in practice from the fellowship of others, under the pretext of more purity and spiritualness; this seems to be expressed by Jude, v. 19. These are they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit, although it is insinuated that they did pretend to it: And indeed this way was followed in the first heresies, which began at small things, as those of the Novatians, Donatists, &c. who at first only separated to eschew the impurity of promiscuous communion. 3. He cometh then to quarrel expressions that are used by the Orthodox, and to commend, as it were, a new kind of language; for which cause, the Apostle commendeth the holding fast the form of sound words, 2 Tim. 1. 13. And these corrupt teachers are said to speak great swelling words of vanity, and to have expressions much more weighty like, than what formerly hath been used, Jude 16. Thus the Arians will not admit the word [Greek or Hebrew], or consubstantial, and a Council must be called to lay by that: