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

The last thing in Government, which was proposed, as that whereabout differences and divisions do arise, is, in reference to Government for the time to come, and resolves in this, Who shall have chief hand in the decision of matters that after may fall out, supposing the union to be made up. This resulteth from the present diffidence and prejudice which each hath in reference to other, and from that impression that men have, that there will be a driving of sides, according to power, even under a concluded union: And indeed somewhat may be feared and expected, at least for a time, considering mens distance in such a case; for, if diffidence and suspicion be come to that height under divisions, that one will not trust another in some petty particular fact that is past; or lay by jealousy where no proof is, notwithstanding of all solemn attestations; it's no marvel that in matters of greater consequence which are to come, they do not easily give them credit. This is often the greatest business to be composed in a difference: hence it is, that sometimes bygones, which have been the rise of the division, may be removed, when as yet this cannot be composed, because there is no way conceivable how both parties may have the chief hand in Government, and neither being willing to cede to the other, either from a secret ground ⟨p. 409⟩of slighting one another, or from that root of suspicion whereby they conceive all lost that the other is able to carry over them, whereby from fear of hazarding the Churches good condition, they run here in a certain prejudice, and, in some sense, fall in that inconvenience, which a Writer observeth on the contending of two Bishops, expressed in this as the ground of their division▪ •nus ut prae•sset alter ne sube•et. sed neuter ut prodesset; which is often-times, on the matter, too true in all such contests, this last being a consequent of the former two.

THe last thing in Government, which was proposed, as that whereabout differences and divisions do arise, is, in reference to Government for the time to come, and resolves in this, Who shall have chief hand in the decision of matters that after may fall out, supposing the union to be made up. This resulteth from the present diffidence and prejudice which each hath in reference to other, and from that impression that men have, that there will be a driving of sides, according to power, even under a concluded union: And indeed somewhat may be feared and expected, at least for a time, considering mens distance in such a case; for, if diffidence and suspicion be come to that height under divisions, that one will not trust another in some petty particular fact that is past; or lay by jealousie where no proof is, notwithstanding of all solemn attestations; it's no marvel that in matters of greater consequence which are to come, they do not easily give them credit. This is often the greatest businesse to be composed in a difference: hence it is, that sometimes bygones, which have been the rise of the division, may be removed, when as yet this cannot be composed, because there is no way conceivable how both parties may have the chief hand in Government, and neither being willing to cede to the other, either from a secret ground