A76988:200
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.
Object. But how doth this shake us?
Answ. 1. You know that all have not attained to the same measure of steadfastness, all are not so rooted and grounded in truth; all have not attained to the same measure of knowledge; some are but weak and babes in knowledge, though some that are men grown. Now the variety of opinions, and errors, and disputes, they are a perplexing, a shaking of weak minds, though at last they shall but root firmer; for this puts them on search, trial, prayer, and so they shall be firmer, yet this may shake them for the present. Hence the Apostle, Rom. 14.1. Him that is weak in faith receive ye, but not unto doubtful disputations. Why so? because this was enough to shake, and unsettle, and trouble a man weak in faith. And surely that's another end, why Satan raiseth up doubtful disputations, and sets afoot errors, viz. to shake the weak.
Answ. 1. You know that all have not attained to the same measure of stedfastnesse, all are not so rooted and grounded in truth; all have not attained to the same measure of knowledge; some are but weake and babes in knowledge, though some that are men growne. Now the variety of opinions, and errours, and disputes, they are a perplexing, a shaking of weake minds, though at last they shall but roote firmer; for this puts them on search, triall, prayer, and so they shall be firmer, yet this may shake them for the present. Hence the Apostle, Rom. 14.1. Him that is weake in faith receive ye, but not unto doubtfull disputations. Why so? because this was enough to shake, and unsettle, and trouble a man weake in faith. And surely that's another end, why Satan raiseth up doubtfull disputations, and sets afoote errours, viz. to shake the weake.