A76988:1045
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.
3. Men may be humble in a way of error, because it may ⟨p. 224⟩be they have not those occasions and provocations which may draw out their pride and selfishness: the stream may run still enough, if it meet with no stones, but then it will swell and roar: so many may be humble and calm enough, while they meet with no opposition; but oppositions and provocations will discover men.1 We use to say, nature being vexed doth discover it self: the devil could say of Job, that he was patient, because he had nothing that might occasion or draw forth his impatience, and therefore he desired God, that he would give him leave but to smite him, and then he should see, that he that was now so patient, would curse him to the faces there is a great deal of truth in this argument, that there could be no judging of Jobs patience, so long as there was nothing to provoke and draw forth his impatience: and there was a great deal of grace in Job, that notwithstanding all these provocations, he was yet patient and silent to Jehovah.
3. Men may be humble in a way of errour, because it may ⟨p. 224⟩be they have not those occasions and provocations which may draw out their pride and selfishnesse: the stream may runne still enough, if it meet with no stones, but then it will swell and roar: so many may be humble and calm enough, while they meet with no opposition; but oppositions and provocations will discover men.1 Wee use to say, nature being vexed doth discover it self: the devil could say of Job, that hee was patient, because hee had nothing that might occasion or draw forth his impatiency, and therefore hee desired God, that hee would give him leave but to smite him, and then hee should see, that he that was now so patient, would curse him to the faces there is a great deal of truth in this argument, that there could be no judging of Jobs patience, so long as there was nothing to provoke and draw forth his impatience: and there was a great deal of grace in Job, that notwithstanding all these provocations, he was yet patient and silent to Jehovah.