Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	apostle_n	church_n	scripture_n	2,161	5	5.9273	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53677	The church of Rome, no safe guide, or, Reasons to prove that no rational man, who takes due care of his own eternal salvation, can give himself up unto the conduct of that church in matters of religion by John Owen ...	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1679 (1679)	Wing O727; ESTC R16357	32,804	52

they and they alone are the Church of Christ All others who are called Christians in the World are Hereticks and Schismaticks who belong not unto it nor have any Interest in it Howbeit if the description given us of the Church of Christ in the Scripture be right and good it is almost impossible there should be any Society or combination of men on a religious account more unlike it than that which is called the Church of Rome This therefore must be taken upon their own credit and vehement Affirmation by them who have a mind so to do 2. That this Church which they alone are is entrusted with Authority over the souls and consciences of all Christians and all that would be so to be their only Guide in all that they are to know believe and do in Religion so that whoever gives not themselves up unto their conduct must perish eternally It were no hard task to manifest that a supposition hereof is destructive unto the Nature of Evangelical Faith and Obedience as also of all the Directions and Precepts given by Christ and his Apostles for the discharge of our Duty with respect unto them But this they must obtain or the whole present Popal Interest falls unto the ground Yet neither will a supposition that there is such a Church secure them their own pretences to be this Church being openly contradictory to the Scripture Nor is the Power claimed herein derived from the Apostles who professed themselves not to be Lords of the Faith of Believers 2 Cor. 1. 24. 1 Pet. 5. 3. 3. They plead that hereon no more is required of any man who takes care of his Salvation but that he give up himself absolutely and entirely unto the conduct of their Church believing what it proposeth and that on this ground alone that it is proposed by it and obeying all its commands whereby they seem to set this pretended Guide in the Temple of God shewing him that he is God This is the claim of the Church of Rome these are the Principles whereinto it is resolved which whether they have any thing in them of Truth or Modesty will immediately be made to appear Secondly The Holy Scripture with the Divine Aids and assistances for the understanding thereof which God hath promised unto all that diligently seek him is pleaded to be the only Rule and Guide that men ought to betake themselves unto in case of those important differences in Religon which are under consideration And the plea on the behalf thereof is reducible unto these five Heads 1. That this Scripture is a Divine supernatural Revelation of God his Mind and his Will This Foundation is unquestionable and will never fail them that build upon it Those of the Roman Religion will propose ensnaring Questions about it unto them on whom they design They will be asking how they know the Scripture to be the Word of God labouring to disprove the evidences they produce to prove it so to be But this bold artifice is of no use in this case for themselves confess it so to be only they prefer the Authority of their Church testifying it so to be as more safely to be rested in and trusted unto than that of God himself which cannot be unto the advantage of their cause with any considerate Persons 2. That it is a Divine Revelation of the whole Mind and Will of God as unto all things that are necessary unto his Glory and our Salvation This it frequently testifieth of it self and on the former supposition of its being such a Divine Revelation its Testimony must be granted to be infallibly true Both these Assertions the Apostle expresly conjoyneth 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Somewhat they except here in respect of their unwritten Traditions but dare not positively deny that the Scripture is a sufficient Revelation of all things absolutely necessary unto Salvation Indeed to do so will leave no assurance unto any man that he can ever know what is necessary unto salvation But they have a reserve whereunto they betake themselves on a concession hereof namely that whatever be contained in it it cannot be understood but as the sense of it is declared by their Church But this is a bold unproved presumption contrary unto the design of God in giving us his Word and the experience of all who have been exercised in it 3. The Way Manner and Method of this Revelation are such as are suited unto Divine Wisdom and Goodness whether they please men or no. It is with reference unto these things that they expatiate and enlarge themselves in charging the Scripture with obscurity and unfitness thereon to be our only Rule and Guide For the Bible they say is a Book composed of Histories Prophecies Songs Prayers and Epistles and is therefore unmeet for any such use or end But these things are of no consideration in our present case It is thus given out immediately by God himself and therefore every way answers Divine Wisdom and Goodness whether men are pleased with it or no we are not at all concerned He who designed it for the instruction of the Church alone knows what was to be the Method of its composure unto that end And it hath been proved on another occasion that considering the state of the Church in its several Ages the nature of that Faith which is to be wrought and confirmed by this Divine Revelation with the manner of teaching becoming the Authority of God and the holy Scripture could not have been given out unto us in any other Order or Method than that wherein it is disposed 4. On these suppositions there neither is nor can be more required of us in order unto our eternal salvation but that we understand aright firmly believe and yield obedience unto the Revelation of the Mind and Will of God that is made therein The Assurance hereof is so evidently included in the foregoing Assertions that it needs no confirmation Every thought unto the contrary is so injurious unto the Wisdom Goodness Grace and Truth of God so opposite unto all the Notions of the Minds of men on a supposition of Gods speaking unto them that it ought to be rejected with detestation 5. There are efficacious Aids promised and assured means appointed by God himself to help all that diligently seek him unto a certain infallible understanding of his Mind in the Scripture so far as the Knowledge of it is necessary unto our Salvation This also I have lately confirmed in a peculiar discourse These are the Heads whereunto the Plea for the Guidance of the Scripture in all differences and divisions about Religion may be reduced The case being thus plainly stated the enquiry hereon is whether of these Guides a man that takes care of his own eternal Salvation should betake himself and firmly adhere unto to the end In answer unto this Enquiry I shall prove that no wise man who feareth God and is careful of the eternal condition of his own soul

earthly things in comparison of those that are eternal But under the conduct of this Guide Ambition Pride Sensuality and profaness have covered the nations of its Communion In all things have they lost and defaced the native Beauty and Glory of Christian Religion It will be of no advantage unto any voluntarily to come in into a participation in this woefull Apostacy 9. The Insupportable Yoke that this Guide puts on Kings and Soveraign Princes on pretence of its divine Right of an universal Guidance of them and all their Subjects deserves the Consideration of them that are concerned before they give up themselves unto it It is true that by and since the Reformation as this Power of these men who call themselves this Guide hath been utterly cast of by many So in those places where on other accounts they maintain their Interest it hath been greatly weakened and impared Hence those of the greatest Power in the Nations of Europe have had little regard unto their Authority unless it be used unto their Interest and Advantage But their Principles are still the same as they were their Pretence of Divine Right the same that it was and their desires after the exercise of it unto their own ends not at all abated Could they once again enthrone themselves in the consciences of Kings themselves and all their Subjects Could they destroy the Ballance of a contrary Intrest could they take away the Reserves of Reliefs against their encroachments by engaging the Assistance of Subjects against their Princes of one Prince against another as in former dayes there is no reason to think but that they would return unto their former usurpations and insolency And wise men yea Princes themselves may be deceived if they take their measures of the nature of the Papacy with respect unto Civil Government from its present deportment and Attempts though bad enough Take away the perplexities and Difficulties they are cast into through the Rejection of their Authority by so many nations and by the divided Intrests of Kings and Potentates thereon heal their deadly wound and restore them unto a Catholick Power over the consciences of all sorts of men by the destruction of them by whom it is opposed and it will quickly appear with another aspect on the world another manner of influence on the Governours and Governments of Kingdoms and Nations then now it doth But the consideration hereof belongs principally unto them who are not wont to be unconcerned in the Preservation of their just Authority Yet if occasion require it a demonstration shall be given of the necessary and unavoidable consequences of the Readmission of the Papal Power in any of the Nations of Europe who have cast it out and that with respect unto the Governours and Governments of them Among many other considerations which offer themselves unto the same Purpose and which shall be produced if occasion is given I shall add one more and close this Discourse And this is that the foundation of all the Religious worship which this Guide directs unto whence all other parts of it do proceed and whereon they do depend consists of the overthrow of one of the principle Articles of the Christian faith And this is that our Lord Jesus hath by one offering for ever perfected them that are sanctified as it is expressed by the Apostle Heb. 10. 14. In direct opposition hereunto the Ground and Reason of their Mass and the Sacrifice therein which is the Life Soul Centor and Foundation of all their Religious worship lyes in this that there is a Necessity that Christ be offered often yea every day in places innumerable without which they say the Church can neither be Sanctified or perfected Such a Guide is this Church as that it lays the foundation of all its sacred worship in the overthrow of the principal foundation of the Christian faith God in his appointed time will put an end unto all these extravagancies excesses and distractions in his Church when Violence shall be no more heard in her Land Wasting nor Distruction within her Borders when she shall call her Walls Salvation and her Gates Praise FINIS