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

Although we have been somewhat large in these generals, because of the falling in of several things, yet we conceive it may be useful to the point, and we may have the speedier progress afterward in loosing this great question, What an orthodox Church divided in it self in some circumstantial truths (to speak so) or contrary practices and actings, when still agreeing in the fundamentals of Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Government, and having mutual esteem of the integrity one of another: What, I say, such are called to do for the healing of that breach? In reference to which, these things, or this method would be followed.

ALthough we have been somewhat large in these generals, because of the falling in of severall things, yet we conceive it may be usefull to the point, and we may have the speedier progresse afterward in loosing this great question, What an orthodox Church divided in it self in some circumstantiall truths (to speak so) or contrary practices and actings, when still agreeing in the fundamentals of Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Government, and having mutuall esteem of the integrity one of another: What, I say, such are called to do for the healing of that breach? In reference to which, these things, or this method would be followed.

1. All, especially Ministers, would walk under¹ the impression of the dreadfulness and terribleness of such a plague; It is like, if God were looked to as angry at a Church, and at Ministers in such a time, men would be in the greater fitness to speak concerning a healing. Some time therefore would be bestowed ⟨p. 336⟩on this, to let that consideration sink down in the soul, that the Lords hand may be taken up therein; the many sad consequents thereof would be represented to the mind, and the heart would be seriously affected and humbled therewith, as if sword, pestilence or fire were threatened; yea, as if the Lord were spitting in Ministers faces, rubbing shame upon them, and threatening the making of them despicable, the blasting of the Ordinances in their hands, the loosing the girdle of their loins, and authority amongst the people, the plucking up of the hedges to let in Boars and Wolves to spoil the Vines, and destroy the flock; and, in a word, to remove His candlestick, so that Ministers or other persons in such a case, have not only men that are their opposites to look to as angry at them, but they have the Lord to look to as their party, whose anger hath thus divided them; and the not observing of this, maketh men the more confident under such a judgement; Whereas, seeing it is a plague, men, even such as suppose themselves innocent, as to the immediate rise thereof, ought to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, with respect to this as to other plagues.