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

and so they come to question, in the next place, the Truth it self, alleging men are too confident to determine such things, It's not clear, much may be said against it, and such like; whereby, under pretext of doubting, they endeavour to a wake scruples in others, that they may be disposed the more to admit of their resolutions. ⟨p. 188⟩4. Absurdities are laid down as consequences that follow upon Truths▪ and thus the doctrine of Providence▪ Election and Reprobation, &c. are loaded with horrible consequences and absurdities, pretended to follow on them, […] so the doctrine of Gods absolute Sovereignty, […] Justification by free grace, were loaded in the […] times, as if thereby Paul had taught that men might do evil that good might come of it; That the Law was wholly made void; That men might sin securely, because grace did so much the more abound, as in the second, third, and sixth Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans, is clear. 5. He endeavoureth to diminish mens hatted and zeal against errors and the most absurd opinions, that he may either obtain some actual toleration to them, or, at least, keep off such hard constructions of them; for, if that be gained at first, although error get not a direct approbation, yet a great point is gained, if he can get some to tolerate, and others to hear: This is condemned in the Church of Thyatira, that the Officers suffered Jezebel to teach, and that the people, who are there called Christ's servants, did countenance and hear her; And it seems something of this was in Corinth, which maketh the Apostle say, that evil communication corrupteth good manners, and that therefore men should not become cold in reference to error, although they be not tainted with it, 1 Cor. 15, 33. And upon this ground the most gross Heretics of old and of late, as Socinians, Arminians, those of the Family of Love, and others of that kind, have maintained a liberty in prophesying a problematicknesse in the main truths of the Gospel, and a toleration in matters of doctrine, &c. as principles subservient to their design. 6. He proceedeth then to have the persons of such as are tainted with error, much beloved and esteemed of by others, that there may be the more familiar access to converse with them, and the readier disposition to receive their leaven ⟨p. 189⟩