A37042:443
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 11: Admonition is necessary, and how to be performed.
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.
1. It may be questioned, What if the person be1 godly, or accounted so? Answ. I shall not say how unlike it is that a really gracious man will be a minister of Satan, we have spoken of that already; but, supposing it to be so, 1. If it be scandalous in a gracious man, is not the same remedy to be used for the Churches good? 2. That supposition of Paul's Gal. 1. 8, 9. doth put it above all question, Though we (saith he) or an Angel from Heaven, preach another Gospel, let him be accursed. And▪ again, he saith it, to put this out of controversy, If any man shall preach another Gospel, let him be accursed. And, if Paul will except no man, no, not himself, nay▪ nor an Angel from Heaven, who can be excepted? The mistake is in this, that Excommunication is not looked upon as an Ordinance of Christ, useful through His blessing for humbling and reclaiming of a sinner more than if it were not applied; whereas, if it were looked upon as medicinal in its own kind, it would not be •o constructed of; For, by comparing 1 Cor. ⟨p. 235⟩5. with 2 Cor. 2. we will find that it was more profitable to the excommunicated person himself that this Sentence was past, than if it had been for born.
1. It may be questioned, What if the person be1 godly, or accounted so? Answ. I shall not say how unlike it is that a really gracious man will be a minister of Satan, we have spoken of that already; but, supposing it to be so, 1. If it be scandalous in a gracious man, is not the same remedy to be used for the Churches good? 2. That supposition of Paul's Gal. 1. 8, 9. doth put it above all question, Though we (saith he) or an Angel from Heaven, preach another Gospel, let him be accursed. And again, he saith it, to put this out of controversie, If any man shall preach another Gospel, let him be accursed. And, if Paul will except no man, no, not himself, nay nor an Angel from Heaven, who can be excepted? The mistake is in this, that Excommunication is not looked upon as an Ordinance of Christ, usefull through His blessing for humbling and reclaiming of a sinner more than if it were not applied; whereas, if it were looked upon as medicinal in its own kind, it would not be o constructed of; For, by comparing