A37042:504
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.
Answ. I suppose these things are called-for,
1. Abstinence from unnecessary civil fellowship, as, not to frequent their company, to visit them, to dine or sup with them, or to have them dining or supping with us, or to use such familiarity in such things, as useth to be with others, or possibly hath been with them: So it is, 1 Cor. 5. and it is no less the peoples duty to carry so, that it may be a mean for their edification, than proportionally it is the Ministers duty to instruct, pass Sentence, &c.
1. Abstinence from unnecessary civil fellowship, as, not to frequent their company, to visit them, to dine or sup with them, or to have them dining or supping with us, or to use such familiarity in such things, as useth to be with others, or possibly hath been with them: So it is, 1 Cor. 5. and it is no lesse the peoples duty to carry so, that it may be a mean for their edification, than proportionally it is the Ministers duty to instruct, passe Sentence, &c.
2. Their would be an abstinence from Christian fellowship, that is, we would not pray with them, ⟨p. 266⟩read or confer of spiritual purposes, (purposely at least) nor do any such thing that belongeth to Christian-communion, that is, to reject him in that sense from Christian fellowship, and to account him as an heathen man or publican. In this respect, we cannot walk with an excommunicate man, as we may walk with other Christians; And, in the first respect, we cannot walk with them, as we may walk with other heathens, that, it may be, are guilty of as gross sins upon the matter; for, the Word of the Lord, putteth this difference expressly between them and these who are simply heathens,