A37042:512
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.
1. That scarcely hath delusion, though never so gross, ever broken in into a Church, and for a time been forborne, but it hath carried away many therewith, and hath proven exceedingly inductive to much sin, offence, reproach, division, bitterness and ills of all sorts into the Church of Christ: Very little acquaintance with the History of the Church, will put this out of question.
1. That scarcely hath delusion, though never so grosse, ever broken in into a Church, and for a time been forborn, but it hath carried away many therewith, and hath proven exceedingly inductive to much sin, offence, reproach, division, bitternesse and ills of all sorts into the Church of Christ: Very little acquaintance with the History of the Church, will put this out of question.
2. Consider that this spirit of delusion, is in a special ⟨p. 268⟩manner fore-prophesied of, to have a great reviving and strength in the latter days; it is said, 1 Tim. 4. 1. That the Spirit speaketh expressly, That in the last times, some shall depart from the faith: And why is that expressly added, but to give warning the more clearly, that men may be at their duty? Again, 2 Tim. 3. 1. This know, that in the last days, perilous times shall come. It is the observation of a holy and learned man, that in this place, it is the last days; in the former, the last times, as if this did relate to a time nearer the end of the world: and so the first looketh to the Popish superstitions and abominations, (and indeed, the nature of the Doctrines there reproved, doth seem to favour this) and this last place doth relate to the gross delusions, that under the pretext of the form of godliness, were to succeed to these; And therefore men, according to their places, ought in these times to be so much the more watchful and zealous, s•ing the Trumpet hath given so distinct a sound.