A76988:156
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.
Again, The error that men needed not to look to their walking and obedience, seeing we are justified by faith only, gave occasion to the discovery of many precious truths touching works and obedience to be annexed to faith, not to justify our persons, but to justify our faith; the obedience of faith justifies our persons; the obedience from faith justifies our faith, which you see it is the great scope of St James to clear in the second chapter throughout.
Againe, The errour that men needed not to looke to their walking and obedience, seeing we are justified by faith only, gave occasion to the discovery of many precious truths touching works and obedience to be annexed to faith, not to justifie our persons, but to justifie our faith; the obedience of faith justifies our persons; the obedience from faith justifies our faith, which you see it is the great scope of St James to cleare in the second chapter throughout.
The doctrine of Christian liberty by Christ, gave occasion to some to publish, that they were set at freedom from obedience to Magistrates in the Lord and for the Lord; and others used it as an occasion of scandal to them that were weak, and thought that they had liberty to eat of meat offered to Idols, though the weak were thereby scandalled and offended, yet why should not they use their liberty. I say these two errors which were strong in those times, and seemed to be founded on the doctrine of Christian liberty which they were to maintain gave occasion to the publication of many precious truths, concerning the due bounds, limits, restraints and extents of Christian liberty, by two great Apostles Paul and Peter: Paul dealing with Christian liberty in points of scandal, 1 Cor. 8.9, 10, 11. Take heed least by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak: And Peter dealing with it in point of disobedience, as you may read it at large, 1 Pet. 2.13, 14, 15, 16. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man as free, yet not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness,