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spirit_n knowledge_n understanding_n wisdom_n 6,916 5 6.5948 4 false
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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

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opposite unto the Way and Means prescribed by God himself unto that end It is so whether we respect the internal Qualifications of our minds or the Duties that he prescribeth or the Aid that he promiseth thereunto For as unto the first he requireth that those who would learn the Truth ought to be meek and lowly and humble for such alone he will teach Psal. 25. 8 9 14. Joh. 6. 45. and if we are not taught of God we learn nothing as we ought or not unto any purpose that they cast out all wickedness and superfluity of naughtiness that so they may receive the ingrafted Word with meekness Jam. 1. 21. Without these things they may be alwaies learning but shall never come unto the Knowledge of the Truth And as unto Means and Duties two things he enjoyns and indispensibly requires of us in order unto this end 1. That we study the Word continually that we meditate upon it and place our delight in it Joh. 1. 8. Deut. 6. 7. Psal. 1. 2. Isa. 8. 20. Joh. 5. 30. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Psal. 119. 18. Joh. 16. 13. 1 Joh. 2. 20. 2. Fervent and diligent Prayer that we may be lead into and preserved in the Truth that we may be enabled to receive it and hold it fast against Temptations and Oppositions For our Aid and Assistance herein he commands us to wait for it and expect the Spirit of Wisd●m and Revelation to open our eyes to bring us unto the full Assurance of Understanding or to lead us into all Truth Of these things of the necessity of them unto the due Knowledge of the Truth we hear nothing from this pretended Guide She knows well enough that to put the Minds of men into these Waies and the use of these Means whereby they may be taught of God and learn the Truth as it is in Jesus is to loose them from her self for ever Howbeit they are the only Waies and Means prescribed and blessed of God unto this end with those other especial Duties which belong unto them They will say it may be that they do instruct their Converts in these things and press them withal unto higher Acts of Devotion and Mortification than others do But there are two things which deprive them of any advantage by this pretence For 1. We see and know of what sort for the most part their Converts are I shall not give that character of them in words which generally they give of themselves in their works for I have nothing to do with the Persons of men And I should rejoyce to see them give a better evidence of being instructed in these things than as yet they have done But 2. Whatever of this nature they propose and prescribe unto them it is not unto this end that they may learn and know the Truth They require no more of any hereunto but that on their sophistical and frivolous pretences he give up himself unto their Guidance or submit himself unto the Authority of the Pope For hereby he formally becomes a member of the Catholick Church whose Faith whether he know it or no immediately becomes his and for particulars he must wait for the Priests information as occasion shall require This is I confess their great advantage in this World The way they propose to attain the Knowledge of the Truth is easy consistent with the lusts of men exposed equally to the wise and foolish to the sober and intemperate puts men out of all doubts giving them all the quiet assurance which deceit and falsehood can communicate The way of God unto the same end is difficult unto flesh and blood destructive unto the lusts of the flesh of the mind requiring Diligence Humility and Watchfulness in the Exercise of Grace all our Daies which things few are pleased withal Yet is this Way of God so suited unto the Nature of Religion so becoming the importance of this Duty so effectual not only unto the attainment of the Knowledge of Truth but unto all the ends of it in the Life of God is so necessary on the account of the Infinite Greatness and Holiness of God with the Nature of Divine Revelations as that no man who is not blinded with prejudices and corrupt Affections can decline it to embrace the other There are other things yet if it be possible of an higher Abomination to deter all sober Persons from touching with this Guide than those already insisted on And such they are as the present contrivances and practices of our adversaries do unavoidably compel us to plead in this cause and are in themselves sufficient for ever to divest that Church of this great and gainful pretence of being the only Guide of all men in Religion For Fifthly Consider what it is wherein they instruct many of them who betake themselves unto their Conduct and Guidance I mean of the Agents for and in the name of the Church of Rome The first thing which they labour to fix on their mindes and consciences is absolute Obedience unto their immediate Guides with a blind belief of what they propose unto them And this they prevail on them unto by assuming a twofold Authority unto themselves And the first is that of forgiving them all their sins though against the light of Nature and of their own consciences which they confess unto them and this confession they are obliged unto under pain of Damnation Some things indeed they do require of them in order unto a participation of Priestly absolution But they are all in the Power of the Priest to prescribe decline or accept which latter they will not be uneasy unto when it conduceth unto their advantage The issue is that in this pardon of their sins the souls of men may as safely acquiesce as if they were immediately pardoned by Christ himself And if they have occasion for the advantage of the Catholick Cause to put them on things that are openly sinful as Murder and Sedition either by vertue of the Direction Guidance and Commands of the Priests they loose their Nature and become no sins at all or they are so assured of pardon as puts them in their consciences into as good a state and condition as if they had not sinned And 2. They assume unto themselves an Authority to grant especial Priviledges and Rewards in Heaven and Earth to the doing of what t●ey command or require whatever it be As unto the Earth so many Prayers so many Masses shall be assigned unto their advantage and in some cases Canoninozation with all the glorious Priviledges of it And as unto Heaven what they so do shall have such a proportion of merit as shall exalt them unto the second third or fourth place of precedency and honour therein among all the Holy Martyrs It is uncredible what Power and Dominion over the consciences of their Proselytes they obtain by these means with other artifices of the like Nanture Hence many of them know of no other dependance