A37042:416
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.
Further, It is necessary for Ministers, at such a1 time especially, to endeavour union among themselves and amongst the people of their flocks; for, oftentimes division and delusion are trysted together, whereby the deluders are exceedingly strengthened, Truth, and the Ministers thereof, made exceedingly contemptible and put in an incapacity to edify, or have weight, till that be removed. Therefore we see, that in the Churches of Corinth, Galatia and Philippi, where Seducers were driving their designs, and division had taken great footing, the Apostle hath a special regard to the recovering of their union at such a time: We may read it also in the Life of Basilius the great Antagonist of the Arians, who, being by some division with Eusebius, then Bishop of Caesarea, necessitated to withdraw for the Churches peace, Whereupon ⟨p. 216⟩Valence the Arian Emperor, and other Arians, thought that a fit opportunity to vent their error in Caesarea, which they could not successfully do, while union continued there. To disappoint this design, Gregory Nazianzen advised his return and uniting with Eusebius, as the only mean to prevent the growth of that heresy amongst the people, which being accordingly done, and both of them forgetting their particular discontents for the public good, the Church was so established, and the error so opposed, that the forenamed enterprisers were constrained to give over their design upon that union.
Further, It is necessary for Ministers, at such a1 time especially, to endeavour union among themselves and amongst the people of their flocks; for, oftentimes division and delusion are trysted together, whereby the deluders are exceedingly strengthened, Truth, and the Ministers thereof, made exceedingly contemptible and put in an incapacity to edifie, or have weight, till that be removed. Therefore we see, that in the Churches of Corinth, Galatia and Philippi, where Seducers were driving their designs, and division had taken great footing, the Apostle hath a special regard to the recovering of their union at such a time: We may read it also in the Life of Basilius the great Antagonist of the Arians, who, being by some division with Eusebius, then Bishop of Cesaria, necessitated to withdraw for the Churches peace, Whereupon ⟨p. 216⟩