A76988:1032
The arraignment of errorThe arraignment of errour
The arraignment of error: or, A discourse serving as a curb to restrain the wantonness of mens spirits in the entertainment of opinions; and as a compass, whereby we may sail in the search and finding of truth; distributed into six main questions. Quest. 1. How it may stand with Gods, with Satan's, with a mans own ends, that there should be erroneous opinions? Quest. 2. What are the grounds of abounding errors? Quest. 3. Why so many are carried away with error? Quest. 4. Who those are that are in danger? Quest. 5. What are the examens, or the trials of opinions, and characters of truth? Quest. 6. What ways God hath left in his Word for the suppressing of error, and reducing of erroneous persons? Under which general questions, many other necessary and profitable queries are comprised, discussed, and resolved. And in conclusion of all; some motives, and means, conducing to an happy accommodation of our present differences, are subjoined. / By Samuel Bolton minister of the Word of God at Saviours-Southwark.The arraignment of errour: or, A discourse serving as a curb to restrain the wantonnesse of mens spirits in the entertainment of opinions; and as a compasse, whereby we may sail in the search and finding of truth; distributed into six main questions. Quest. 1. How it may stand with Gods, with Satans, with a mans own ends, that there should be erroneous opinions? Quest. 2. What are the grounds of abounding errours? Quest. 3. Why so many are carried away with errour? Quest. 4. Who those are that are in danger? Quest. 5. What are the examens, or the trials of opinions, and characters of truth? Quest. 6. What waies God hath left in his Word for the suppressing of errour, and reducing of erroneous persons? Under which generall questions, many other necessary and profitable queries are comprized, discussed, and resolved. And in conclusion of all; some motives, and means, conducing to an happy accommodation of our present differences, are subjoyned. / By Samuel Bolton minister of the Word of God at Saviours-Southwark.
London: printed by G. Miller for Andrew Kembe, 1646
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Some truths may be said to be cordials, others physic, and others food, some that are more proper for comfort, others for purging, and others for strength and enablement: but though one truth may have a more proper influence into such a work then another, yet you may suspect that from being a truth, which doth not all; that is no good cordial which is not physic, and food too here. There is nothing doth comfort, but it doth nourish and purge the heart also. Free grace is the best cordial to a poor soul, and is not to be given to faintings in comfort, as men give strong-water to men in a swoon, but it is to be given to faintings in duty: many have been afraid to preach the doctrine of free grace, and many afraid to hear it, they think it is only to be used as a cordial to poor, fainting, dejected souls. But it is not only a Cordial, but it is the best physic too, nothing more serviceable to the purging of our hearts, 2 Cor. 7.1. Having therefore such precious promises, let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. Nay, and it is the best food you can feed upon, to strengthen and enable you to all duty and obedience. It is not only serviceable to faintings in comfort, but faintings in duty. Indeed that hath been no good help to your comfort, that hath not been serviceable to your obedience also; if it have relieved thy faith, it hath relieved thy obedience; if it have been serviceable to the work of grace in the heart, it hath been helpful to the work of obedience in thy life, otherwise thou may well suspect that comfort.
Some truths may be said to be cordials, others physick, and others food, some that are more proper for comfort, others for purging, and others for strength and enablement: but though one truth may have a more proper influence into such a work then another, yet you may suspect that from being a truth, which doth not all; that is no good cordiall which is not physick, and food too here. There is nothing doth comfort, but it doth nourish and purge the heart also. Free grace is the best cordiall to a poor soul, and is not to be given to faintings in comfort, as men give strong-water to men in a swoon, but it is to be given to faintings in duty: many have been afraid to preach the doctrine of free grace, and many afraid to hear it, they think it is only to be used as a cordiall to poor, fainting, dejected souls. But it is not only a Cordiall, but it is the best physick too, nothing more serviceable to the purging of our hearts,