The dying man's testament to the Church of Scotland, or, A treatise concerning scandal…

and though these have sometimes been pretended to be the causes of schisms and divisions in the Church in practice, yet were they never defended to be just grounds of schisms and divisions, but were ever condemned by all Councils ⟨p. 319⟩and Fathers, and cannot be in reason sustained. For, 1. there should be then no union expected here, except we supposed, that men that have corruption, could not fall in these faults. 2. It is not unlike, but some of these were in the primitive Churches; somewhat is insinuated thereof, Rev. 2. in those Church officers, their tolerating of Jezebel and the Nicolaitans to seduce the people, and to commit fornication; yet neither is separation or division called-for, or allowed either amongst Ministers or people. Sure there were such corrupt acts of all kinds amongst the Jews Church-officers; yet is it clear, that Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea did continue to govern jointly, notwithstanding thereof, who yet cannot be counted accessory to any of their deeds; Because (which is a third reason) men in such cases have access, even when they are present, to discountenance such corrupt acts, by not consenting thereto, and testifying against the same, (yea, they may by so doing, stand in the way of many wicked acts, which by dividing they cannot do) which is sufficient for their exoneration both before God and men: As we may see in the instances of Joseph and Nicodemus mentioned▪ who continue united in the government, kept the meetings even when Sentences pass against those who will acknowledge Christ, and orders for persecuting Him and them; and yet they are declared free, because they dissented from, and testified against the same; yea, their freedom and exoneration by virtue of their dissent being present, is more solemnly recorded to their honour in the Gospel, than if they had divided; And yet the unity of the Church now hath the same ground, and no fewer motives to press¹ it than it had then. 4. It may stand with some defects in Worship, manner of Government, and rules that are necessary for good government in a Church. It is like, that many things of that kind, were defective in the Church of Corinth, where the ⟨p. 320⟩Sacrament was so disorderly administrated (as hath been marked) confusion in many things of Worship, and some things still to be set in order;