A37042:765
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 20: What is incumbent to Magistrates and People for remedying this evil.
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.
1. That neither of them ought to be offended or stumbled at such divisions, or thereby be brought to have less esteem either of the Gospel, the Ordinance of Government, or Worship, or the Ministry and Ministers of Jesus Christ; much less would there be insulting over, or advantage taken against, these upon this occasion, as is recorded to the infamy of several persons; but on the contrary, all would be affected therewith, as with a most dangerous snare, and fearful plague: And to this purpose Augustine doth seriously press his Boniface, Governor of Afric, that he should not stumble at the divisions of the Church, and particularly Epist. 50.
1. That neither of them ought to be offended or stumbled at such divisions, or thereby be brought to have lesse esteem either of the Gospel, the Ordinance of Government, or Worship, or the Ministery and Ministers of Jesus Christ; much lesse would there be insulting over, or advantage taken against, these upon this occasion, as is recorded to the infamy of several persons; but on the contrary, all would be affected therewith, as with a most dangerous snare, and fearfull plague: And to this purpose Augustine doth seriously presse his Boniface, Governour of Africk, that he should not stumble at the divisions of the Church, and particularly Epist. 50.
2. All would search if they have had any sinful influence upon the procuring of such a stroke; for, if it be a plague and woe to them, they would look back to the rise thereof; who knows but the sins of Magistrates or People in their fretting at the Ordinance of Government, despising of the Ministry, not receiving of the Word nor walking answerably thereto, and such like may have procured this division from the Lord, as a judicial stroke on them to harden them in their former sin, and thereby to strengthen their tentation to despise all the Ordinances more to their own ruin, as may be gathered from what hath been formerly spoken?
2. All would search if they have had any sinfull influence upon the procuring of such a stroke; for, if it be a plague and wo to them, they would look back to the rise thereof; who knows but the sins of Magistrates or People in their fretting at the Ordinance of Government, despising of the Ministery, not receiving of the Word nor walking answerably therto, and such like may have procured this division from the Lord, as a judicial stroke on them to harden them in their former sin, and thereby to strengthen their tentation to despise all the Ordinances more to their own ruin, as may be gathered from what hath been formerly spoken?