A76988:538
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.
And is there not the same spirit in the multitude to this day, ready to embrace and receive what authority shall command, without any previous search and examination, whether the things be of God or no?
A blessed and happy thing it is for a Nation to reject corruption in worship, superstition in the service of God, but then to do this as men, as Christians knowingly. And as blessed it is to embrace a reformation, to submit to the ways of God, but to do it knowingly upon scrutiny and examination, this will make you men, and to adhere to the truths of God received upon the utmost hazard. I see in many a preparation of heart to subscribe to what ever is of God, but oh that there were the care, the study, the endeavour to examine things also, that you might evidence them to be the truths of God, that you might say as they of Samaria, Joh. 4.42. Now we believe, not because thou hast told us, but because we have heard our selves, and we know him to be the Messiah. So now we embrace this Doctrine, this way of worship, not because it is imposed, not because it is prescribed of men, but because I see and am persuaded in my heart it is of God: this were a work worthy a Christian.
A blessed and happie thing it is for a Nation to reject corruption in worship, superstition in the service of God, but then to doe this as men, as Christians knowingly. And as blessed it is to embrace a reformation, to submit to the waies of God, but to doe it knowingly upon scrutiny and examination, this will make you men, and to adhere to the truths of God received upon the utmost hazzard. I see in many a preparation of heart to subscribe to what ever is of God, but oh that there were the care, the study, the endeavour to examine things also, that you might evidence them to be the truths of God, that you might say as they of Samaria, Joh. 4.42. Now we believe, not because thou hast told us, but because we have heard our selves, and we know him to be the Messiah. So now we embrace this Doctrine, this way of worship, not because it is imposed, not because it is prescribed of men, but because I see and am perswaded in my heart it is of God: this were a work worthy a Christian.