A37042:736
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
Part 4 › Chapter 18: The fears of mis-government for the time to come, and remedies thereof.
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.
The second and main difficulty then, is, In the ordering of things so for the time to come, as the ends of union and government may thereby be obtained, and that nothing that may be justly feared by one side or other, may be altogether slighted. In reference to this, it will not be expected that we should be particular or satisfying, yet not to leave it altogether imperfect. We shall, first, propose some general considerations, to mollify the sharpness of division upon this account. 2. Offer some general helps, which in such cases may be thought on. 3. Lay down some advertisements upon supposition that full satisfaction be not obtained.
The second and main difficulty then, is, In the ordering of things so for the time to come, as the ends of union and government may thereby be obtained, and that nothing that may be justly feared by one side or other, may be altogether sleighted. In reference to this, it will not be expected that we should be particular or satisfying, yet not to leave it altogether imperfect. We shall, first, propose some general considerations, to mollifie the sharpnesse of division upon this account. 2. Offer some general helps, which in such cases may be thought on. 3. Lay down some advertisements upon supposition that full satisfaction be not obtained.
We propose these considerations to be thought on concerning this, 1. In such a thing it is impossible1 that men on both, or either side, can expect full satisfaction to their mind, or even simply to their light; because men have not the carving out of what is good to the Church simply before them, but comparatively and in reference to such and such a circumstantiate case; and therefore must resolve, that respect must be had to the satisfaction of others as of themselves; for, it is not the satisfaction of one side that maketh up union, but of both: and therefore it must be resolved to be such a satisfaction to both, as neither is ⟨p. 411⟩fully and simply satisfied therein; and for that cause it's not to be expected that in such a case all inconveniences which are possible, can be satisfyingly prevented, or questions concerning the same answered. I doubt if in any case there will be full satisfaction as to these.