A37042:728
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.
4. It would be considered, that oftentimes such apprehensions of extremities, which are imputed to honest and zealous men, are most groundless; but there being something in them as men, it is conceived on the other hand, because of secretly entertained jealousy, ⟨p. 404⟩to be much more. There was nothing more cast up to the Orthodox by the Novatians and Donatists, than that they were defective in this, in admitting to, and retaining in the Ministry, men that were corrupt, Yet after many trials they were never able to prove what they alleged upon some eminent persons when it came to trial, even when such things were generally accounted true amongst them. This would1 be adverted, that every general rumour be not accounted a truth, especially in the times of division, for so, few of the most eminent on both sides should be innocent. Again, on the other side, it occasioned much heat against Chrysostom, that he had censured many of his Bishops, and threatened many of his Clergy; this did exceedingly provoke envy against him, and made such men to vent many calumnies on him, which were too much regarded, even by some orthodox and good men, who differed from him upon another account (as Epiphanius did upon the occasion of Origens writings) yet in no history it is recorded, that he aimed at the censuring of any unjustly, though he did censure with a natural vehemency, as he did every other thing; but the history saith, men spake much of the number of these that were sentenced by him, and of the vehemency of his manner in reproving and censuring of their faults, which they accounted to be pride, not considering the faults for which he did censure them; But men having conceived prejudice at him, were the readier to admit of their accusations against him, as if they had been unjustly dealt with by him, and upon that same ground of prejudice at him, were the more inclinable to restore them whom he sentenced.2
4. It would be considered, that oftentimes such apprehensions of extremities, which are imputed to honest and zealous men, are most groundlesse; but there being something in them as men, it is conceived on the other hand, because of secretly entertained jealousie, ⟨p. 404⟩