A37042:531
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.
The third word, is Division, which doth not at ⟨p. 278⟩the first view differ from Schism; yet we do take it here as different, and to agree to such Divisions and Dissentions in the Church as are consistent with communion both in Government and Worship, and have not a divided Government or Worship following them, as in the former case. Of such there are many instances in Scripture and Church-history, as we may observe by considering these Distinctions thereof. 1. There is a Doctrinal Division, as when1 the matter is not fundamental, nor yet is it pleaded for as such, to the breaking off of communion amongst these that differ, yet possibly being a mere indifferent matter, is followed with too much eagerness, vehemency bitterness. &c. by these who own the2 same respectively. Thus contentions were hot in the primitive times for meats, and such things which were neither of themselves destructive to the foundation of Faith on either side, at least in that time, and so were not heretical; nor did they break off communion in Church-ordinances, and so were not schismatical; yet was the Church troubled therewith by division amongst her members. Of this sort are the divisions that may be amongst godly and orthodox men in some points of Truth, when they too vehemently press their own opinion to be received with a kind of necessity, or load the other with too many absurdities beyond what will follow from the nature thereof.
The third word, is Division, which doth not at ⟨p. 278⟩the first view differ from Schism; yet we do take it here as different, and to agree to such Divisions and Dissentions in the Church as are consistent with communion both in Government and Worship, and have not a divided Government or Worship following them, as in the former case. Of such there are many instances in Scripture and Church-history, as we may observe by considering these Distinctions thereof. 1. There is a Doctrinal Division, as when1 the matter is not fundamental, nor yet is it pleadedfor as such, to the breaking off of communion amongst these that differ, yet possibly being a meer indifferent matter, is followed with too much eagernesse, vehemency bitternesse. &c. by these who owne the