A76988:278
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.
It is a fearful thing by our examples to draw others to destruction; when your children and servants shall see you walk in a way of sin, they themselves are drawn aside and undone by your examples. There are many have so much in them, that though they will swear, and drink themselves, yet they will not allow it in their children, their servants, but if thou wouldst not have them walk in the same way of sin, leave not such a sinful example behind thee. But this by the way. It suits with Satan's ends, that men should broach erroneous opinions for the increase of their torments: Which it doth not only directly and in it self, but indirectly and by consequent, contracting the guilt of soul murder from those who are undone with their precepts and poisonous doctrines. And thus Satan deals with all his servants, they who do him most service, shall have most torment, those who have been his statists, designed all for him, or his engineers to act all for him, this is the reward he gives them, greater torment, sorer damnation; the deepest cellars, and darkest vaults of hell, are reserved for such persons.
It is a fearefull thing by our examples to draw others to destruction; when your children and servants shall see you walke in a way of sin, they themselves are drawne aside and undone by your examples. There are many have so much in them, that though they will sweare, and drinke themselves, yet they will not allow it in their children, their servants, but if thou wouldst not have them walke in the same way of sin, leave not such a sinfull example behind thee. But this by the way. It suits with Satans ends, that men should broach erronious opinions for the increase of their torments: Which it doth not only directly and in it selfe, but indirectly and by consequent, contracting the guilt of soule murther from those who are undone with their precepts and poisonous doctrines. And thus Satan deales with all his servants, they who doe him most service, shall have most torment, those who have been his statists, designed all for him, or his engineeres to act all for him, this is the reward he gives them, greater torment, soarer damnation; the deepest cellars, and darkest vaults of hell, are reserved for such persons.
But mistake me not, I speak not this of all kind of errors in judgement, what man is he that erreth not? All errors are sinful, but all errors are not damning: all errors are hurtful, but all errors are not destructive and undoing errors. I told you there were some errors, which were building errors, and some which were fundamental errors: as the Apostle speaks,