A37042:392
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
Part 3 › Chapter 7: What is called-for as duty in such a case.
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.
Assert. 2. We say on the other hand, That an indifferent,1 rigid, equal pursuing, or not enduring of every thing that is an error, or of every person who may be in some measure tainted, is not the suitable remedy or duty that is called-for in reference to such a case. For, as neither all errors, nor all persons are alike, So neither is the same way at all times to be followed, because, what may be edifying in one case, may be destructive in another. And as therefore there is prudent difference to be made, in reference to scandals in practice, and persons in respect of different scandals, yea, even of different tempers are diversly to be dealt with, So is it also to be here. ⟨p. 199⟩Men are to walk, as they may most probably attain the great end, edification, which ought to be the scope in this, as in all other Ordinances: And therefore there can be no peremptory rule concluded, that will meet all cases and persons, as hath been said: We see even the Apostles putting difference between persons and scandals, according to the several cases; for, sometimes they Excommunicate, as in the instance of Hymeneus and Phyletus, sometimes they instruct doctrinally, as Paul doth the Church-members of Corinth and Galatia; others he threateneth, and yet doth not actually Sentence them, as he doth false teachers in these Churches: Sometimes again, no particular Apostle alone, doth decide the question (although doctrinally they might) but there is a Synod called judicially and authoritatively, to decide the same, as, Act. 15.
Assert. 2. We say on the other hand, That an indifferent,1 rigid, equal pursuing, or not enduring of every thing that is an errour, or of every person who may be in some measure tainted, is not the suitable remedy or duty that is called-for in reference to such a case. For, as neither all errours, nor all persons are alike, So neither is the same way at all times to be followed, because, what may be edifying in one case, may be destructive in another. And as therefore there is prudent difference to be made, in reference to scandals in practice, and persons in respect of different scandals, yea, even of different tempers are div•rsly to be dealt with, So is it also to be here.