A76988:262
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.
But castles, and forts, and strong holds, they are hardly conquered, difficulty overcome. When a Town lies open and naked, it is easy to enter it, but when it is fortified it is hard to conquer. Others they are but naked sinners, lye open to every stroke of the word; but this man is one who is fortified against all the assaults of it, he hath strong holds, which are raised up to oppose what ever shall assault him; he is Sermon proof, and ordinance proof, nothing will now work upon him, he is double walled, he hath not only an inward wall, a wall of lust and corruption against the power of the truth, but he hath an outward wall too, which are his corrupt and erroneous reasonings, too thick to batter, too high for truth to get over; he is a man that stands in the forlorn hope, hardly brought off, hardly recovered. It is far more easy to conquer and prevail with a drunkard, a swearer, an unclean person, he hath nothing to oppose; indeed every lust is an armed man, but he hath no forts, nay we have a fort within him, that sides with us in our batteries; even his own conscience, and he is not able to stand out against his own light, to hold out against himself: But now the other he is fortified against the assaults, and locked up against the entertainment of any truth. This is not naked but fortified wickedness, therefore so hard to be retained; and therefore may it well stand with Satan's ends, he knows every error will be as a bulwark raised up, a fort builded against the work of thine own conversion.
But castles, and forts, and strong holds, they are hardly conquered, difficulty overcome. When a Towne lies open and naked, it is easie to enter it, but when it is fortified it is hard to conquer. Others they are but naked sinners, lye open to every stroake of the word; but this man is one who is fortified against all the assaults of it, he hath strong holds, which are raised up to oppose what ever shall assault him; he is Sermon proofe, and ordinance proofe, nothing will now worke upon him, he is double walled, he hath not only an inward wall, a wall of lust and corruption against the power of the truth, but he hath an outward wall too, which are his corrupt and erronious reasonings, too thick to batter, too high for truth to get over; he is a man that stands in the forlorne hope, hardly brought off, hardly recovered. It is farre more easie to conquer and prevaile with a drunkard, a swearer, an uncleane person, he hath nothing to oppose; indeed every lust is an armed man, but he hath no forts, nay we have a fort within him, that sides with us in our batteries; even his own conscience, and he is not able to stand out against his own light, to hold out against himselfe: But now the other he is fortified against the assaults, and lockt up against the entertainment of any truth. This is not naked but fortified wickednesse, therefore so hard to be retained; and therefore may it well stand with Satans ends, he knowes every errour will be as a bulwark raised up, a fort builded against the work of thine own conversion.