A76988:275
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.
13. It standeth with Satan's ends, to increase their torment: As it suits with his end to increase their sin, so it suits with his end to increase their torment too. Satan is not content to bring wicked men to hell, but he would have them as low in hell as he can, fain he would have some as miserable as himself; as he labours to make them as sinful, so he desires to have them as miserable as himself is.
13. It standeth with Satans ends, to increase their torment: As it suits with his end to increase their sin, so it suits with his end to increase their torment too. Satan is not content to bring wicked men to hell, but he would have them as low in hell as he can, faine he would have some as miserable as himselfe; as he labours to make them as sinfull, so he desires to have them as miserable as himselfe is.
- 1A third end Satan hath to the Promoters.
And this bids fair for it; Divines say of Pauls glory, it receives augmentation, and is increased every day, as his labours and pains are fruitful; We may as well say the torment of wicked men is increased and augmented, as their errors do take effect and prosper in the poisoning and corrupting of souls, which should make men beware, as of what they vent in life, so of what they leave after death.
And this bids faire for it; Divines say of Pauls glory, it receives augmentation, and is increased every day, as his labours and paines are fruitfull; We may as well say the torment of wicked men is increased and augmented, as their errours doe take effect and prosper in the poisoning and corrupting of soules, which should make men beware, as of what they vent in life, so of what they leave after death.