A76988:733
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.
Conclus. 1. The newness of opinion is enough to discover it an error; if it be new in respect of institution, not if it be new in respect of restitution. Institution of truth is only Gods work: none is able to institute doctrine or worship, but only God. If there be no Word of God to clear it, no Scripture to countenance an opinion; it is to be rejected as a Chimaera, a fancy of man.
Conclus. 1. The newnesse of opinion is enough to discover it an errour; if it be new in respect of institution, not if it be new in respect of restitution. Institution of truth is only Gods work: none is able to institute doctrine or worship, but only God. If there be no Word of God to clear it, no Scripture to countenance an opinion; it is to be rejected as a Chimaera, a fancy of man.
But now an opinion may be new, in respect of restitution, and yet be a truth, when the worship of God comes to be restored, when doctrine comes to be cleared and settled; this is not any new institution of doctrine or worship, but the restitution of it, it is not worship instituted, but worship restored. It is that worship which God hath prescribed in his Word already, only now freed and cleared from the corruptions and pollutions of it.
But now an opinion may be new, in respect of restitution, and yet be a truth, when the worship of God comes to be restored, when doctrine comes to be cleared and setled; this is not any new institution of doctrine or worship, but the restitution of it, it is not worship instituted, but worship restored. It is that worship which God hath prescribed in his Word already, only now freed and cleared from the corruptions and pollutions of it.
Truth may be old in respect of institution and prescription, though new in respect of the restitution and restoring of it; as it was in Hezekiah's time: and it was the work of Christ, in