A76988:486
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.
The meaning is evident, if you consider with me, there are two-fold masters, 1. Masters according to the flesh, and masters according to the spirit. We are to be obedient to Masters according to the flesh, so far as appertains to the outward man in all outward things. But of our souls and consciences, as we have no Fathers, 1so we have no Masters upon earth, only our Master and Father which is in Heaven.
The meaning is evident, if you consider with me, there are two-fold masters, 1. Masters according to the flesh, and masters according to the spirit. We are to be obedient to Masters according to the flesh, so farre as appertaines to the outward man in all outward things. But of our soules and consciences, as we have no Fathers, 1so we have no Masters upon earth, onely our Master and Father which is in Heaven.
- 1Oportet nos ex ea parte, quae ad hanc vitā pertinet, subditos esse potestatibus, ex illa vero parte qua credimus Deo, & in regnum ejus vocamur, non oportet nos esse subditos cuiquam homini. Aug.Oportet nos ex ea parte, quae ad hanc vitā pertinet, subditos esse potestatibus, ex illa vero parte qua credimus Deo, & in regnum ejus vocamur, non oportet nos esse subditos cuiquam homini. Aug.
And in this sense Christ speaks, when he doth say, Call no man Master and no man Father upon earth, that is, acknowledge none your supre me Master, neither yield your selves to be wholly and absolutely ruled by the will of any, nor enthral your judgements, submit your consciences, to the sentences, laws, definitions, doctrines, of any man, or Angel, but only to your Lord and Master Christ. But if so be we were to receive all that is prescribed, and submit to impositions of men without search and scrutiny whether they be of God or no, we should make men Masters of our faith. This were to set man in Gods stead, to put man in Christs throne: this were to yield an implicit faith, and blind obedience, which to do, is to make men Gods, and your selves beasts.