Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A85804
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A prudent and secure choice. Worthy of due consideration being a sure land-mark to all those who have been tossed to and fro in these wavering times. / Written by H.G. Gent.
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G. H., Gent.
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1650
(1650)
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Wing G24B; ESTC R177290
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17,462
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57
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A PRVDENT AND SECURE CHOYCE Worthy of due Consideration being a sure Land-mark to all those who have been tossed to and fro in these wavering Times Written by H. G. Gent. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 2. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen and Repent and doe thy first workes Printed ANNO DOM. 1650. TO THE READER IT is the garbe of this Age to guild the out-side with faire pretences Yet courteous Reader take mee as J am free from superficiall actions I have a long time lived in this Sea of afflictions and by these late Tempests have been driven from my Harbour to which I was wonted I have found my Ship uncertaine the Cable being feeble and in all my search and that no short one I never found a more sure Pilot then this Prudent and Secure choyce Take it and throughly view it and I doubt not but it will prove a safe ballast to thee as I hope it will to mee Containing all the Controversies most briefly and learnedly betweene the Church and the Apostate members Make it thy owne and I doubt not but thou wilt returne thankes to God I had thought to have made a larger Preface but that had beene to have lighted a candle before the Sunne which obscureth the Starres wherefore pardon Thy most affectionate Friend W. V. A PRUDENT AND Secure choyce of Beliefe TO HIS DEARE PROTESTANT FRIEND Sr. SInce it hath pleased God to put a period to the common professed Religion of this Nation and that by Authoritie of PARLIAMENT me thinkes you stand at a gaze what to resolve especially observing what a laughter it hath hatched never feather'd vntill the destruction thereof You know that nothing can be of greater importance then he profession of a true Religion though little apprehended by such as rise no higher then sense can levell especially in those scandalous confusions where Truth may seeme more excusably declined what hath beene my cleare and peaceable resolution in the distempers give mee leave in loue and friendship to communicate by these few Papers to your selfe whose Happinesse I tender as my owne assured that if you peruse them with diligence and sincere love of Truth in this more then ever you shall experience me Your true Friend and Servant H. G. A PRVDENT AND SECVRE CHOICE CHAP. 1. The Question stated upon Suppositions prudently not questionable 1. J Suppose first That our blessed Saviour being to depart in visible presence from this World his last care was to leave his Church provided of such as should sufficiently Teach Governe and advance it To whom and their Successors for that purpose hee promised his especiall assistance and protection to the end of the world As my Father sent mee so J send you Joh. 20. vers 21. Going into the whole world Preach the Gospell Mark 16. Here wee see the Apostles commission not onely to goe as being sent but also to send others their successors with the like Authority to be successively delivered since the Apostles in their owne persons could not goe into the whole World Especially if by the whole world wee understand both place and time to the end thereof That also be left ample power for the perfect Government of the same Church that of Saint Math. â—8 deserveth especiall consideration All power is given to mee in heaven and in earth going therefore teach all Nations Where having said all Power is given to mee Hee presently practiseth and giveth the like saying Going therefore c. Moreover that wee may know nothing is wanting to the perpetuall government of his Church and that justly it may be assured to be directed not so much by humane industry as by the Spirit of God he promised Joh. 14. And J will pray my Father and hee will give you another Comforter that hee may abide with you for ever the Spirit of Truth 2. It cannot be denyed but these places taken together enforce an eminent perpetuall and infallible authority of Christs Church for they are to be understood as they lye or not if they are then there is a Church constantly governing in a Spirit of Truth even to the end of the World if not what Text is there that may not maliciously be wrested to a strange sense by Tongues sounding nothing more sacredly then Scripture witnesse the times experience Thus all Sectaries though contrary amongst them themselves avouch for their undoubted warrant holy Scripture when it is evident their Proofes are not out of Scripture but out of their private Judgements It must then be confessed hard to convince any thing by Scripture alone Not for that it containeth not all necessary Truth and instruction to Salvation but because following private judgements wee may erre in the sense thereof 3. J suppose there is a Visible Church that beareth the true markes of Christ's promised Providence converting Nations knowne throughout all the World renowned for continuall Succession knit in Unity adorned with unanimous consent of Doctors in all Nations maintained by Councels hated by all though disagreeing Sectaries beautified with mukitudes of Holy men enriched with glorious Martyrs finally Professing and teaching all Christian piety that justly it may be said Here is the singer of GOD this the light here God speaketh to the world in one and the same voyce by Christ and his Apostle and succeeding Church not dis-joynted by damnable Doctrines for what Age of men could so conspire with uniforme Contradiction to their venerable Predecessours and to their owne ruine imbrace Errours hard to nature Or how could a few be so prevalent as by degrees to seduce the whole World and that without note Sooner may the censurers be suspected of mistake and the Church judged better able to justifye their questioned Doctrines then these not disproved to overthrow it 4. Fourthly J suppose what Truth it selfe denounceth Mark 16. Hee that will not believe shall be damned This sentence doubtlesse extends to all dis-beliefe of the Gospell sufficiently proposed for before he said going into the World preach the Gospell Which is not onely his Resurrection though it was pronounced by occasion of doubt made thereof but many thinges which hee had to say to them which then they could not beare away However no Christian will deny but the disbeleif of Gods word is damnable and this is sufficient for my present purpose Hence it followeth that amongst different Opinions concerning the same Scripture that part is lesse secure that denyeth since for Dis-belief damnation is denounced not for belief 5. Fifthly J Suppose as consequent to what is said That if any Article commonly believed be judged hard by any private man and what prime article of Beliefe is not hard It is not secure for him to condemne it relying only upon humane reason though joyned with private interpretation of Scripture for hee may with the same breath deny all Mysteryes and the most hee can bring is but a shew of Probability not different from Arians and other confessed Heritickes