A37042:554
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.
9. Sometimes this doth come from dissatisfaction1 in some particulars of Government, as when some have been displeased that such and such men, formerly cast out, should have been again admitted to communion; ⟨p. 289⟩or, that a person, cast out of communion in one place, hath been admitted in another; This is frequent, as after instances may clear.
- 1Dissatisfaction about some persons
10. It is often occasioned by the encroachment of1 one upon another in the exercise of their power, as to preach, ordain, and such like, within the bounds of others beside, or without their knowledge, or against their will.
- 1Mutual encroachment.Mutuall encroachment.
11. It hath sometimes arisen from the Churches meddling in extrinsic or unnecessary things; and seldom1 Church-men have been too much taken up and occupied about such things, but it hath had such a consequent: As when they are too much taken up about ceremonies and things not commanded, as Easter was; or about indifferent things, as the prescribing of forms in every thing▪ and such like; Or, about precedency in Government, and what might conduce to the external splendour of the Church in immunities, privileges, fabrics, dotations, &c. whereof instances are very many. Or, when Churchmen have become too pragmatic in civil things, or affairs of the world, thereby to carry on a temporal grandeur in the spiritual Kingdom of Christ; which was often the rise and occasion of difference amongst the Apostles; and although there was scarce access to this occasion in respect of practice while Magistrates were heathens, yet in after times, this is evident; and sundry divisions followed upon such occasions, as the approving or condemning of such and such an Emperors Election; the transferring of the Empire from East to West, or from one Family to another.