A37042:544
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. Some various and different apprehensions of truths, that are less fundamental, such as was the debates ⟨p. 283⟩about meats, genealogies, and other questions in the primitive times, concerning which, there was no little jangling even amongst good men; thus is it when Divines press too hotly some truth, not simply necessary. It cannot be supponed, that all men who yet see but in part should be of that same mind; and the Lord hath left some things, as it were, to be the matter of doubtful disputations, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 14. 1. and though there be truth upon the one side of every debate, yet considering that that is not alway easily demonstrable, too peremptory deciding and pressing of such things, cannot but occasion strife.
1. Some various and different apprehensions of truths, that are lesse fundamentall, such as was the debates ⟨p. 283⟩about meats, genealogies, and other questions in the primitive times, concerning which, there was no little jangling even amongst good men; thus is it when Divines presse too hotly some truth, not simply necessary. It cannot be supponed, that all men who yet see but in part should be of that same mind; and the Lord hath left some things, as it were, to be the matter of doubtfull disputations, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 14. 1. and though there be truth upon the one side of every debate, yet considering that that is not alway easily demonstrable, too peremptory deciding and pressing of such things, cannot but occasion strife.
2. Sometimes it floweth from the mistake of some1 dispensations, and the suspecting of the sincerity and integrity one of another; whereby sometimes men are engaged ere they wit, to maintain their prejudice, and to lay the less weight upon light holden forth by others, It was thus with Jobs friends, who, mis-interpreting Gods hand upon him, and concluding uncharitably of his state, are brought to maintain an unwarrantable These for making out of their point.