A37042:706
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. 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 ⟨p. 390⟩of a greater hurt, because that continueth to be a duty, and is necessary to edification; and the thing being past, ought not to be the occasion of a present and following division, as was formerly said.
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 recurre, 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 ⟨p. 390⟩of a greater hurt, because that continueth to be a duty, and is necessary to edification; and the thing being past, ought not to be the occasion of a present and following division, as was formerly said.
- 1Great folly to make, or keep division for what is rarely or never practicable.