A37042:705
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.
Assert. 2. Where the consequents only infer some1 difference, or are not peremptorily pressed, they do not infer necessarily a division, as we see in the cases of Afric, and others mentioned; and Sozomen in the chapter cited, giveth many instances of diversities of this kind in Churches, without any breach of communion, and saith it is necessary, because, Neque easdem traditiones per omnia similes, in omnibus Ecclesus, quamvis in omnibus consentiant, reperire possis, that is, Ye will hardly find the same traditions alike in all things in all the Churches, even though they agree in all things that are material. And, upon the matter, such determinations are but indeed as if they were doctrinal to such as acknowledge them not, and men are accordingly to walk in them.
Assert. 2. Where the consequents only infer some1 difference, or are not peremptorily pressed, they do not infer necessarily a division, as we see in the cases of Africk, and others mentioned; and Sozomen in the chapter cited, giveth many instances of diversities of this kind in Churches, without any breach of communion, and saith it is necessary, because, Neque easdem traditiones per omnia similes, in omnibus Ecclesus, quamvis in omnibus consentiant, reperire possis, that is, Ye will hardly find the same traditions alike in all things in all the Churches, even though they agree in all things that are material. And, upon the matter, such determinations are but indeed as if they were doctrinall to such as acknowledge them not, and men are accordingly to walk in them.
- 1Diversity there may be without division.
Assert. 3. In such practices as are daily practicable,1 in respect of the occasions thereof, union is more difficult (though not impossible) than in such cases where the occasion of practice is not probable, because there being no present occasion to practise the same, it looketh most unwise like, to bring in, or keep in, a more certain and greater evil in the Church, for eschewing of what folks may never be put to; and suppose the case to be past, that may probably never recur, it is more for the Churches good by abstaining the approbation of such an act, and by not being involved in the apprehended guilt thereof, to make up again the communion of the Church, for the preventing