A76988:434
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.
1. Who those are who are to examine.
And if you ask the judgement of the Papists in this point, they will tell you, that none are to examine or judge of opinions or controversies, but only the Church, that is, a Synod of Bishops, or an Assembly of Roman Prelates. This is their tenet, that what ever the Prelates do define in cause of faith, that ought to be believed and received of all Christians without ⟨p. 91⟩any examination or doubt, Bellarm. hath this passage* the Church cannot err in unfolding the doctrine of faith, and all Christians are bound to receive their determinations without any doubt, whether they be true or not. A little further he saith, Every Christian ought without any examination to receive the doctrine of the Church, that is, that doctrine, those prescriptions and definitions which they shall stablish. And he gives one reason, because what they do establish and prescribe to others, they do it not as teachers, but as Judges. He hath these words, It is one thing to interpret the rule, after the manner of a teacher, another thing to interpret it after the manner of a Judge: to the explanation of it after the manner of a teacher, there is required only learning and knowledge, but to the explanation of it after the manner of a judge there is required authority. The doctor doth not propound his sentence as necessary to be followed, but as reason doth persuade: but the judge propounds it as necessary to be followed. Augustine and the rest of the Fathers had but the office of teachers,2 but Councils and Bishops in Convention have the office of Judges, thus he—So that you see this is their opinion.
And if you aske the judgement of the Papists in this point, they will tell you, that none are to examine or judge of opinions or controversies, but only the Church, that is, a Synod of Bishops, or an Assembly of Roman Prelates. This is their tenent, that what ever the Prelates doe define in cause of faith, that ought to be beleeved and received of all Christians without