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Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
truth_n believe_v know_v way_n 2,597 5 4.7191 4 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A85804 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. G. H., Gent. 1650 (1650) Wing G24B; ESTC R177290 17,462 57

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before shewed Numb 1. 3. Which we professe to Believe when wee say J believe the holy Catholique Church Sufficient as J will prove to guide us in our Beliefe if there had beene no Scripture written CHAP. 9. Grant to Disbelievers probability of Reason yet their danger is certaine 12. SOme may thinke that this discourse proveth Believers secure but not that Disbelievers are in danger if they be ruled according to the meanes and capacity GOD hath given them and that such are not obstinate denyers of Truth consequently secure J grant that invincible Ignorance may excuse disbelievers as such from sinne yet it followeth not that finall Disbeliefe though invincible can consist with grace necessary to Salvation but this J dispute not nor against these but such as doe or may discerne a difference betweene Beliefe and Disbeliefe and who may see that the grounds of Belief are at least probable and the practice harmlesse Notwithstanding adventure upon the denying part moved only by the same motives which they must suppose in confessed Heretickes Or let any one define what Disbelievers may be guilty hee shall eyther conclude these Disbelievers J speake of or else acknowledge that there never have been any 22. Againe it may bee urged that if the Beliefe be supposed probably true then the denyall is also Probable then not damnable J say the Beliefe is not only probably proved but out of the undeniable Probability J shew it is sufficient to prove the Beliefe secure which cannot bee in the Disbeliefe though it be supposed to have Probability of arguments The difference is because in the things believed there appeareth no hurt and in case they bee mistaken Probability may justifie their consent especially appearing greater then the contrary But Disbelieving upon probable seeming grounds and what Heritique did not thinke hee had probable grounds leaveth the disbeliever in certaine danger of denying Christ his Word First because his danger is certaine in the same degree as the Belief is supposed probably proved but the Belief is manifestly supposed to bee at least Probably proved Therefore the Disbelivers danger is manifest You will deny the first Proposition because GOD obligeth us not to the Beliefe of controverted Points though the one side bee true but you must consider who they be that breed the Controversie and against what Authority For if every thing that is controverted is not obligatory it may be proved wee are obliged to believe scarce any thing Or can it be imagined that CHRIST leaving so strict a Command of Beliefe would have the execution of it depend upon Probabilities of dispute Manifest it is that the Scriptures are hard Manifest it is hee left a Church to direct us manifest also is his Command Then manifest also it is that private disputes cannot discharge our obligation to Belief See Numb 25. Secondly the Disbelief is as certainly dangerous as it is certainly not evident and more evidence is required to free the disbeliefe from danger then is necessary to free the Beliefe but the disbeliefe is certainly not evident Therefore it is certainly dangerous The first Proposition is cleare for if there bee not evidence the contrary may be true obliging to Belief That also the disbeliefe is not evident appeareth by its Novelty Inconstancy disagreements for there is scarce any Point of Belief but some disbeliever or other assenteth to it and strong opposition it hath Neyther can the want of evidence in the Articles believed warrant the disbelievers who may observe a greater probability for the Belief else who could believe Or rather who could be charged of Heresie However it is without question that if Prohability excuse Disbelievers much more it will justifie Believers Who then would not be secure 23. It followeth that although Disbelievers frame to themselves a probable judgement yet their danger is certaine because the contrary Belief is doubtlesse probably proved which may convince them that they leave the secure Belief wherein there can bee no danger and choose that part where on CHRIST'S denunciation doth fall and danger knowne breedeth an obligation to a farther inquiry and removeth such ignorance which alone can excuse errour in Beliefe It may bee replyed that where there is Probability of the disbeliefe it is not faulty because then Gods word is not manifest consequently no injury to God not to beleeve it If Probability in disbeliefe excuse from fault Jewes Arians c. are excused for they have a probability at least that is an esteeme and liking of their private grounds in their Judgements probable and since such Probabilities may bee found against any point of Faith none can be obliged to believe J confesse that standing in the Probability conceived a man denyeth not to believe Gods word which then he doth not know to bee his Word if his Ignorance bee invincible yet because hee cannot but know that the Beliefe is as probably proposed as Commanded hee is obliged to a higher search which certainly will bring him to more evidence of his danger and security of that his Beliefe by observation of a greater probability in the Beliefe which hereafter Numb 26 27. and 30. J will prove to bee an invincible argument of Truth in point of Faith Disbelievers finally flatter thamselves that they believe GOD's word and deny only what they find not contained in holy Scripture But first they must know what is Gods word before they believe it they take not the way to know it by interpreting Scriptures according to private Judgement but by looking upon the rule God hath left to the world CHAP. 10. A Rule is necessary to shew what is to bee Believed 24. HItherto J have proved Beliefe secure Disbeliefe dangerous standing onely upon private Interpretation of Scripture Prudence moving me to choose that part which is most remote from danger of CHRISTS sentence Now since the obligation of CHRISTS Command depends not upon Probabilities J will in these Differences arising from diversity of Wit shew a necessity of a common Rule without which Experience sheweth there is no agreement amongst Christians no Constancy no true Faith because resolved no higher than into private Judgement which alone maketh Disbeliefe unexcusable though it have never so seeming probability God commandeth a beliefe of his Word under paine of Damnation therefore must bee supposed to manifest to men what is his Word otherwise how can they be obliged to believe it But hee doth not manifest which is his Word especially in controverted Points by holy Scripture or private Spirit therefore some other rule must bee supposed Private Spirit is not sufficient because it is not universall leading to Unity but multiplyed with Contradiction not discernable amongst so many disagreeing Spirits which is the true and who can maintaine his own meaning only true and the rest false Moreover a Rule is supposed a common and Secure direction else no Rule which with a private Spirit implyeth a contradiction private Spirits being but private directions and