A76988:1084
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.
2. A second ground men are so apt to take an opinion upon trust is, because an opinion comes languaged under the most recept•ble terms, it is conveyed to them under the highest notions, perhaps it may speak the language of the Text, Lo, here is Christ. And indeed if you look abroad, you shall scarce see any opinion that will stoop to seek its entertainment, or procure its reception upon lower terms, then as the mind of Christ: every opinion pretends Christs commission for its pass, and will carry as big a sail as truth it self. And though this prevail much with men, to give up their understandings, and subject their hearts to such an opinion, either they fear to reject it, or for the very name sake they embrace it, yet certainly all is not truth that goes under that name: too many do stamp Christs image upon their own coin. To discover some of those opinions to you, which go under that name, you may take in these few particulars.
2. A second ground men are so apt to take an opinion upon trust is, because an opinion comes languaged under the most recept•ble termes, it is conveyed to them under the highest notions, perhaps it may speake the language of the Text, Loe, here is Christ. And indeed if you looke abroad, you shall scarce see any opinion that will stoop to seek its entertaynment, or procure its reception upon lower termes, then as the minde of Christ: every opinion pretends Christs commission for its passe, and will carry as bigg a saile as truth it self. And though this prevaile much with men, to give up their understandings, and subject their hearts to such an opinion, either they feare to reject it, or for the very name sake they embrace it, yet certainely all is not truth that goes under that name: too many doe stamp Christs image upon their own coyne. To discover some of those opinions to you, which goe under that name, you may take in these few particulars.
1. Certainly that opinion which suits not with the mind of Christ, though it say, Lo, here is Christ, yet it is an error, not a truth of Christ.