A76988:483
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. The danger of seduction: what a sad and fearful thing it is to be carried away with an error? to build hay and stubble upon a good foundation? as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 3.12, 13. It is dangerous to thy self, dangerous to thy family, dangerous to thy posterity, it may be dangerous to thy soul too, and therefore certainly there should be all care had, before you do entertain or embrace doctrine.
2. The danger of seduction: what a sad and fearefull thing it is to be carried away with an errour? to build hay and stubble upon a good foundation? as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 3.12, 13. It is dangerous to thy selfe, dangerous to thy family, dangerous to thy posterity, it may be dangerous to thy soule too, and therefore certainly there should be all care had, before you doe entertaine or embrace doctrine.
Christians are not lightly to receive any thing that concerns faith and salvation, they had need to try it, and examine it over and over, we are not to reject an error ignorantly, but rationally, nor are you to embrace a truth, till you have debated and examined it whether it be a truth or no, an opinion perhaps may cost you your liberty, your estate, your lives, and I would be loth to buy an error so dear. A man would be willing that it should be truth that a man should do so much for, he had need to be assured of that, and therefore there is great necessity, now, if ever, that we should examine what is truth, and not to take all is brought to us, but to see whether it be agreeable to the Word of God, yea or no. Isa. 8.20. To the law and to the testimonies: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Christians are not lightly to receive any thing that concernes faith and salvation, they had need to try it, and examine it over and over, we are not to reject an errour ignorantly, but rationally, nor are you to embrace a truth, till you have debated and examined it whether it be a truth or no, an opinion perhaps may cost you your liberty, your estate, your lives, and I would be loth to buy an errour so deare. A man would be willing that it should be truth that a man should do so much for, he had need to be assured of that, and therefore there is great necessity, now, if ever, that we should examine what is truth, and not to take all is brought to us, but to see whether it be agreable to the Word of God, yea or no.