A76988:382
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.
There are two sorts of promises. 1. There are promises of grace. 2. Promises to grace: the promises of grace they are absolute and free, but the promises to grace they are upon condition of our exercise and improvement of grace: As in that place, To him that hath shall be given; this is not a promise of grace, but a promise to grace, wherein God engages himself to them who improve either gifts or graces, to them of grace shall be given more. And the Apostle hath the same; add unto your faith virtue, to your virtue, patience, &c. 2 Pet. 2.5, 6. for if these things be in you and abound, ye shall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ, there's a promise to improvement: and that is the first, though God promised perseverance in grace, yet hath he promised this to the use of means for our preservation; or rather he that hath decreed the one, hath determined the other as the means whereby we should be preserved.
There are two sorts of promises. 1. There are promises of grace. 2. Promises to grace: the promises of grace they are absolute and free, but the promises to grace they are upon condition of our exercise and improvement of grace: As in that place, To him that hath shall be given; this is not a promise of grace, but a promise to grace, wherein God ingages himselfe to them who improve either gifts or graces, to them of grace shall be given more. And the Apostle hath the same; adde unto your faith vertue, to your vertue, patience, &c. 2 Pet. 2.5, 6. for if these things be in you and abound, ye shall neither be barren, nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of Christ, theres a promise to improvement: and that is the first, though God promised perseverance in grace, yet hath he promised this to the use of means for our preservation; or rather he that hath decreed the one, hath determined the other as the means whereby we should be preserved.
There is a second error into which we are apt to run, as touching seduction; men read this, that God will lead his people into all truth, that they shall not follow the voice of a stranger, that it is impossible for his elect to be deceived; and thereupon some may grow secure, too wanton, and adventure too far, even run into dangers of seduction, out of a vanity to try all things, and rash confidence that God will preserve them from being deceived.