A37042:429
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.
Assert. 1. We say that there are some times and1 cases wherein public debates are not altogether to be shunned; I will not say, that every person is to accept of such a challenge, lest there by truth be wronged; (neither is it always the ablest man that manageth such a business best) but in general the thing is necessary ⟨p. 224⟩in these and such like cases: As, 1. when errors seem to be new among the people. 2. When the promoters of them become insolent, as if they durst come to the light with their deeds. 3. When by forbearance and silence, people are in hazard to think something of these insolent boasters, and of their opinions. In which cases, I say, and the like, there is some necessity of this, for the Churches edification, as may appear from Tit. 1. 9, 10, 11. There are many, saith the Apostle, who are unruly and vain talkers (such as vainly boast of their own ability, to maintain their opinions) whose mouths must be stopped, lest they get advantage to seduce others; and this is given as the reason why Ministers should be qualified with abilities to convince gainsayers, because sometimes the insolencie and vanity of some such, doth necessitate to this; and on this ground we will find our blessed Lord Himself, and Stephen and Paul, frequently disputing even in Assemblies and Synagogues. This will not infer a necessity for every Minister to dispute at all times. even in such a case, but sometimes it may be referred, and put to others; for if truth be maintained, and error be confuted, it may stop the gainsayers mouth, although every one do it not.
Assert. 1. We say that there are some times and1 cases wherein publick debates are not altogether to be shunned; I will not say, that every person is to accept of such a challenge, lest there by truth be wronged; (neither is it alwayes the ablest man that manageth such a businesse best) but in general the thing is necessary ⟨p. 224⟩in these and such like cases: As, 1. when errours seem to be new among the people. 2. When the promotters of them become insolent, as if they durst come to the light with their deeds. 3. When by forbearance and silence, people are in hazard to think something of these insolent boasters, and of their opinions. In which cases, I say, and the like, there is some necessity of this, for the Curches edification, as may appear from