A76988:353
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.
2. If he be a wise man and an honest man, one who is not over credulous, that will believe all, and disperse for truth ⟨p. 73⟩what ever he hears, if he be one who hath seldom failed in his intelligence, one that hath often spoken truth, you conclude, that what ever he brings is truth: and yet it is possible for this man to publish a falsehood too.
2. If he be a wise man and an honest man, one who is not over credulous, that will beleeve all, and disperse for truth ⟨p. 73⟩what ever he heares, if he be one who hath seldome failed in his intelligence, one that hath often spoken truth, you conclude, that what ever he brings is truth: and yet it is possible for this man to publish a falshood too.
So if you know one who is a wise learned man, a man hath much commerce with Heaven, and intelligence thence, one who is godly and holy, and a man not apt to receive all opinions, not overcredulous to take in all, nor forward to vent all which he hath heard; nay and perhaps hath been one who hath delivered many glorious truths of Christ: why such a man you are ready to receive all from him, even as Gospel, you believe all he saith, every thing comes with a great deal of authority into your spirits: And yet its possible for this man to be mistaken, it is possible to err; we know but in part, saith the Apostle, and who can say he is infallible in his knowledge.
So if you know one who is a wise learned man, a man hath much commerce with Heaven, and intelligence thence, one who is godly and holy, and a man not apt to receive all opinions, not overcredulous to take in all, nor forward to vent all which he hath heard; nay and perhaps hath been one who hath delivered many glorious truths of Christ: why such a man you are ready to receive all from him, even as Gospell, you beleeve all he saith, every thing comes with a great deale of authority into your spirits: And yet its possible for this man to be mistaken, it is possible to erre; we know but in part, saith the Apostle, and who can say he is infallible in his knowledge.