A37042:516
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.
CHAP. I. How heresy, schism and division differ, together with the several kinds of division.
CHAP. I. How heresie, schism and division differ, together with the several kinds of division.
Having now come this length, there is one thing of nigh concernment to what is past, which possibly might be useful to be enquired into, Concerning such scandals as cannot be called in the former sense doctrinal, not yet personal; because there may be purity in the one, and regularity and orderliness in the other respect, and yet actually there may be a scandal and an offence or occasion of stumbling lying in the way of many, and that is, by schisms and divisions in the Church, or amongst the people of God. This we1 confess is no less difficult to speak to, than any of the former, because there is often more that can be said for both sides, and the side from whence the offence riseth, is not so easily discernible, which maketh, that we are the more unwilling and less confident to undertake to speak any thing in reference thereto; Yet seeing we have in providence been led to the former purposes, without any previous design; and now, having this occurring to us, before we close, we shall endeavour shortly to speak a word in reference thereto, in a general abstracted manner, without descending to any particulars, which may be dangerous to ⟨p. 271⟩be touched upon; but shall give some general hints concerning the same, which we are induced unto upon these considerations,
HAving now come this length, there is one thing of nigh concernment to what is past, which possibly might be usefull to be enquired into, Concerning such scandals as cannot be called in the former sense doctrinall, not yet personall; because there may be purity in the one, and regularity and orderlinesse in the other respect, and yet actually there may be a scandal and an offence or occasion of stumbling lying in the way of many, and that is, by schisms and divisions in the Church, or amongst the people of God. This we