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

The one is, When some good men are deposed, or such as are supposed to be so, whereby persons that apprehend the injustice of the fact, do disclaim such a power, and adhere to such a person notwithstanding. Thus did the schism at Constantinople arise for the unjust deposition of Chrysostom, and his adherents were called Ihoannitae, as if they had been of another Religion; Such also was that of the Eustachians at Antioch; which being driven against honest men, and there being no condescending, at least what was once condescended unto, being again recalled, there was no¹ stopping of such divisions, till in the manner, formerly hinted, and that being after both their deaths. In such cases extremities are to be shunned, for, its extremity that maketh rents, that is, too little condescending on the one side, and too much tenaciousness on the other.

1. 1In what cases extremities are to be shunned.

One extremity to be eschewed, is, When Church judicatories are too tenacious of a past Sentence, or ⟨p. 400⟩the formality of some legal advantage which seemeth to justify the Sentence, as in that case of Chrysostoms, almost all the weight was laid on this at first, That he refused to appear before them, or acknowledge their Authority as they were constituted: and although both the people and others did adhere to him, yet there was no condescending, which occasioned a great schism▪ and was exceedingly condemned by the generality of faithful men in these days. Another extremity is, upon the other side, When for satisfaction of a Judicatory too little is ceded; or upon supposition, even of an unjust Sentence, a schism is stated, to the¹ hurt of the Church. In this case we may observe these things, 1. That sometimes the Judicatory hath condescended to re-admit a person, otherwayes of esteem, although possibly some particular slip hath been, that in strict justice might have deserved the Sentence: this was in the case of Osius formerly cited. It is true, there is no mention of the cause wherefore the Synod of Spain did depose him, nor is it clear whether it be that famous Osius, whom the Arians deposed and whipped till he approved Athanasius his deposition; yet this is clear, that he being a man esteemed of in the Church, though possibly out of infirmity having fallen in that fault, he was for concord restored, Sine detrimento honoris, without prejudice to his credit. 2. Where men have been deposed upon the breach of some legality, or contempt, if otherwayes they have been men of gifts, and approvn integrity in the main, though possibly thought proud and rigid by others, as in that case of Chrysostom; they were again received into the Church, and the Sentences with consent laid by, as appeareth in the readmitting of Chrysostom after his first deposition (of the justice of whose Sentence of deposition, because there was no convincing evidence to satisfy the people, Severinus in preaching did say. That his pride was reason sufficient) which for a time removed the division, and brought a cheerful