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

4. The Minister would now use ordinary means for fitting of himself to discover such errors as his people are guilty of, that he may be able solidly to convince them that are stumbled, and to establish others that stand; and pains would be taken in this, aswell as for preaching, or in the studying of common heads at the passing of trials, which is but a proof of the man's gifts in a more remote reference to such a case, which now is specially to be put in exercise; Therefore he would, first, endeavour to be through in the whole body of Divinity and grounds of Christian Religion; for, there is such a connection among truths, that when one is wronged, many are wronged, and one error may overturn many foundations: And if a Minister have not some general impression of the whole, he cannot with confidence search in, or undertake the refutation of, any one particular error: Neither ought a Minister, who possibly for a time hath forborne studies of that kind, think it unbecoming him again to return to them, seeing it is duty, and there is no shame to be learning what may fit one for his duty; And who knoweth but among other ends, this may be intended, that Ministers may be put to more constant study and search in the fundamental truths of the Gospel? 2. He would then, like a wise Physician▪ endeavour to know the malady that hath infected and distempered his people, what are the errors they maintain, what are the arguments that •ave weight with them, what are the tentations they have had, or who are the tempters or instruments that have seduced them, and such like; What also is their natural humour, hasty or meek, proud or humble; What hath been their ⟨p. 215⟩former way of walking, what are their parts and abilities, with whom they converse, who hath weight with them, or are esteemed by them, that by these and such like means he may be in better capacity to know how to apply the remedy, and to deal with them himself, or to make use of others for that end. 3.

4. The Minister would now use ordinary means for fitting of himself to discover such errours as his people are guilty of, that he may be able solidly to convince them that are stumbled, and to establish others that stand; and pains would be taken in this, aswell as for preaching, or in the studying of common heads at the passing of tryals, which is but a proof of the man's gifts in a more remote reference to such a case, which now is specially to be put in exercise; Therefore he would, first, endeavour to be through in the wole body of Divinity and grounds of Christian Religion; for, there is such a connexion among truths, that when one is wronged, many are wronged, and one errour may overturn many foundations: And if a Minister have not some generall impression of the whole, he cannot with confidence search in, or undertake the refutation of, any one particular errour: Neither ought a Minister, who possibly for a time hath forborn studies of that kind, think it unbecoming him again to return to them, seing it is duty, and there is no shame to be learning what may fit one for his duty; And who knoweth but among other ends, this may be intended, that Ministers may be put to more constant study and search in the fundamentall truths of the Gospel? 2. He would then, like a wise Physician endeavour to know the malady that hath infected and distempered his people, what are the errours they maintain, what are the arguments that ave weight with them, what are the tentations they have had, or who are the tempters or instruments that have seduced them, and such like; What also is their natural humour, hasty or meek, proud or humble; What hath been their