A76988:1370
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. Some again assert it to be a further and more dreadful degree of this censure.
3. Some again assert it to be a further and more dreadfull degree of this censure.
4. And others say, it is not of the formality of the censure, but a fruit and consequent of it.
Now, if it be the first of these, viz. an act of apostolical power, as many conceive, who yet hold up this ordinance of Excommunication, yea, and from that place also, 1 Cor. 5.2, 7, 13. then did it die with the Apostles, and we have nothing to do with it: It is utterly inimitable and impracticable, by ordinary Elders and officers. And if it be the second, viz. That this delivering up to Satan be the formality of Excommunication, then it will follow, when there is not such a delivering up to Satan, there is no Excommunication: which I think few will say. And the condition of persons, not only censured, but censuring, doth prevail much with me not to think: and if it be the third, viz. a further degree of the censure, then either a degree prudentially to be annexed according to the atrocity and heinousness of the fact; of which I see not any warrant: or it is a degree necessarily to be added: and if so, then is it inseparable from the censure, nor can the censure be dispensed without it, and so it is of the formality of it; which to me is not so evident. But if this delivering up to Satan be the consequent and fruit of the censure, as the fourth opinion saith, and many upon good grounds do choose rather to affirm; then the controversy will be at an end in this particular. For those brethren of the Congregational way do affirm, That when a Synod met together in the Name of Christ,