A76988:301
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.
And here is a great deal in this, Satan transforming himself into an Angel of light. Why how would an Angel of light come to win you to the truth, would he tell you that this is a truth of God, a glorious truth, would he set out the danger of rejecting it, the blessedness of entertaining it? would he commend the truth from the effects and operations of it, if it were entertained, how it would make us wise, direct us in service, be helpful to our walking, destructive to our lusts. Why for ought I know Satan may use all the same arguments and motives to ⟨p. 58⟩prevail with us to the entertainment of error, what ever a blessed Angel of light might use as an argument or motive to prevail with us, to close with truth, that may Satan use too, to persuade with us to entertain an error, otherwise he could not transform himself into an Angel of light, if he did not act and deal with us, so as it is not possible by his acting to discern him from an Angel of light, how could he be said to be transformed into an Angel of light, if men might say this is the Prince of darkness. And the same you see of those false Apostles and deceitful workers, who yet transformed themselves, saith he, into the Apostles of Christ, 2 Cor. 11.13. that is not barely giving out that they were the Apostles of Christ, as Rev. 2.2. you read of some that said they were Apostles but were found liars, but it was a transforming of themselves into the Apostles of Christ, and would preach error, as the Apostles preached truth, and might use the same arguments, motives, persuasions which the Apostles did for the entertainment of truth, for the embracing of error. Christ tells us the same here, many shall come in my name and say, lo here is Christ.
And here is a great deale in this, Satan transforming himselfe into an Angel of light. Why how would an Angel of light come to win you to the truth, would he tell you that this is a truth of God, a glorious truth, would he set out the danger of rejecting it, the blessednesse of entertaining it? would he commend the truth from the effects and operations of it, if it were entertained, how it would make us wise, direct us in service, be helpfull to our walking, destructive to our lusts. Why for ought I know Satan may use all the same arguments and motives to ⟨p. 58⟩