A37042:444
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.
2. It may be asked, What if the person be no fixed1 member of any particular Congregation, who yet doth infect others? Answ. This cannot be sufficient to exempt from Censure, Because, 1. he is a member of the Catholic Church, Therefore Censures must some way reach him: otherwayes, supposing a man to disclaim all particular Congregations, he might be a member of the Church, who yet could be reached by no Censure. 2. He might claim the privileges in any particular Congregation, if he should carry fairly as he is a member of the Church-catholic: Therefore it would seem by proportion and rule of contraries, that Presbyteries may reach him with their Censures, if by his miscarriages he become offensive to the people. 3. We see that the Church of Ephesus, Revel. 2. did judicially try and censure those who called themselves Apostles, who, it's like, being strangers, obtruded themselves, under that title, upon them, and so could not be accounted members of that Church; And indeed, there is no less needful for the edification of the people of such particular Congregations, and for guarding them from the hurt that may come by vageing persons, than that either they be censured somewhere by one Congregation, or many, in associated Church-judicatories; or, at least that some public note and mark be put upon such, that others may have warning to eschew them, as the word may be taken, Rom. 16. 17, 18. and 2 Thess. 3. 14. which is there spoken of, busy bodies and wanderers without any certain calling or station.
2. It may be asked, What if the person be no fixed1 member of any particular Congregation, who yet doth infect others? Answ. This cannot be sufficient to exempt from Censure, Because, 1. he is a member of the Catholick Church, Therefore Censures must some way reach him: otherwayes, supposing a man to disclaim all particular Congregations, he might be a member of the Church, who yet could be reached by no Censure. 2. He might claim the priviledges in any particular Congregation, if he should carry fairly as he is a member of the Church-catholick: Therfore it would seem by proportion and rule of contraries, that Presbyteries may reach him with their Censures, if by his miscarriages he become offensive to the people. 3. We see that the Church of Ephesus,