A76988:405
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.
1There are many corrupt ends for which most men, either embrace or adhere to truth: few seek Christ for Christ, so few there are that do embrace truth for truth. Now this is certain,* he that desires any thing for another thing, doth not desire this, but the other thing, and therefore can as well close with an error as a truth, if it may be serviceable to that end which he desires. It would be an endless work to tell you all the corrupt ends which men of corrupt principles have in the embracing of truth. Indeed who can do it? one man perhaps sees it a way of gain, of honour, of preferment and advancement (though this hath been very seldom that greatness did lie in the way of goodness and advancement in the way of truth) yet such a time may come, and therefore a corrupt heart sides with it, or perhaps he sees such and such whom he knows and values this way, and therefore he goes the same way with them.
1There are many corrupt ends for which most men, either embrace or adhere to truth: few seeke Christ for Christ, so few there are that doe embrace truth for truth. Now this is certaine,* he that desires any thing for another thing, doth not desire this, but the other thing, and therefore can as well close with an errour as a truth, if it may be serviceable to that end which he desires. It would be an endlesse worke to tell you all the corrupt ends which men of corrupt principles have in the embracing of truth. Indeed who can do it? one man perhaps sees it a way of gaine, of honour, of preferment and advancement (though this hath been very seldome that greatnesse did lie in the way of goodnesse and advancement in the way of truth) yet such a time may come, and therefore a corrupt heart sides with it, or perhaps he sees such and such whom he knows and values this way, and therefore he goes the same way with them.
- 1Vix queritur Jesus propter Jesum.Vix queritur Iesus propter Iesum.
- *Qui hoc desiderat propter aliud, non hoc desiderat, sed aliud.