Selected quad for the lemma: word_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	church_n	scripture_n	write_a	3,679	5	10.6506	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55568	The young mans conflict with, and victory over the Devil by faith, or, A true and perfect relation of the experiences of T.P., begun in the 15th and continued till the 17th year of his age ... by T.P.	Powell, Thomas, fl. 1674-1679.	1675 (1675)	Wing P3076; ESTC R17963	49,441	152

question Is the Iudgement-Day known unto any or no Paulus None but unto God as I suppose Evangelus Thou sayst right for neither Men nor Angels know this day but God himself Matth. 4. And thus friend I have shewed you these Points of Divinity to be believed of all that seek after an eternal life of Felicity being these as follows 1. God or the Trinity 2. The Creation of the World 3. The hypostatical Vnion or Christs assuming the humane Nature 4 The Resurrection 5. Iudgement I come now to ask you how and by what means you may come to know God Paulus By the Holy Bible Evangelus It is true friend the Scriptures conteined in the Old and New Testament is the only Rule by which we may come to know God and serve him 〈◊〉 but tell me what thou doest understan● by the Old and New Testament Paulus By the Old Testament I understan● the Writings of Moses and the Prophets and by the New Testament th● Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles Evangelus Your Answer as you should do But are the Scriptures sufficient of themselves to work faith in us or no Paulus Truly I am not able to determine of that Evangelus Why then I will tell you the Scri●tures of themselves cannot work faith ●n us but by Gods Spirit cooperating ●ith them and hence it is that the ●ord is called a dead letter not but ●hat the Word is quickning but be●ause the Word of it self without the Spirit cannot so much as work any ●race in us Paulus This I do believe Evangelus Then I hope you do believe the Scriptures to he so Canonical as that ●t is Blasphemy to esteem of any other Writings to be of equal Authority with the same and so consequentially ●hose are to be blamed who annex the ●pocrypha to the Bible and do fre●ently take out certain verses conteined therein as their texts whenas the Scriptures and only the Scriptures are for a standing Rule in Gods Church Paulus But is not the Apocrypha the Word of God Evangelus No for they were not written in the Hebrew Tongue nor acknowledged a● Canonical by the Iews of old to whom the keeping of the Oracles of God was committed Paulus I am now convinc'd of that which I thought I should never have been perswaded to the contrary Evangelus Again if you do grant the Scriptures to be infallible you must then grant that the Scriptures are not to be ruled by the Church but the Church by the Scriptures Paulus If so be the Scriptures do not depend upon the Church for the Truth and Authority thereof how then can we be assured that it is the Word of God Evangelus Friend herein you are grossly mistaken for we may be assured of the Scriptures being the Word of God which may be prov'd from several Testimonies and Arguments divine and humane from Testimonies Divine being two internal and ●xternal One is the Testimony of the Spirit who sometimes by special R●v●la●ion and Power do declare the 〈◊〉 thereof upon the Hearts and C●nsc●en●es of Men and Women and th●● is the divine internal Testimony The d●vine external Testimony is the Scriptures testifying of themselves and hence it is many times that they do run in this Order Thus saith the Lord Thus saith God Now the Arguments to prove the same are deduced and taken from 1. The efficient causes of the Scriptures viz. Men t●e Calling Miss●●● and Insperation of whom was divine Secondly the Scope and End of the Scriptures being the glory of God and the eternal salvation of our souls Thirdly the subject-matter of the Scriptures which is so full of Majesty and Div●nity as that it is far beyond humane capacity to comprehend This is sufficient to shew the Authority of the Scriptures without depending upon the Church Thus is the truth of the Scriptures and the Authority of them evidenced without the help of the Church Paulus Is not the Testimony of the Church then of some use Evangelus Yes that I deny not but the thing which I aim at is to shew that the Authority and Truth of the Scriptures can be made apparent from Gods Spirit and from themselves without the help of the Church which assertion does contradict the Papist who does audaciously affirm that the Authority of the Scriptures do absolutely depend upon the Church the absurd consequences of which opinion are these 1. Of all to hold that the Scriptures has no more Authority but what the Vniversal consent of the Church gives unto it is to make the Scriptures no otherwise but a Nose of Wax yea it is to make the eternal and inviolable truth of God rest upon the pleasure of men verily the matter and scope of the Scriptures is to be denied and to be of no use at all if this opinion is right these and such like are the Absurdities that must of necessity be held by retaining opinions of this kind Paulus But did not Austin say that he would not believe the Gospel save that the Authority of the Church moved him thereto Evangelus The Papist do give a false interpretation upon his words if we do but consider the whole tenor of his writing For as Calvin well Observes Austin had then to do with the Manichees who arguing with them spoke thus I my self would not beleeve the Gospel save that the Authority of the Church moved me thereto Meaning that he himself when he was a stranger from the faith could not otherwise be brought to embrace the Gospel for the assured truth of God but by this that he was overcome with the Authority of the Church And what marvel is it if a man not yet knowing Christ have regard to men therefore Austin does not there teach that the faith of the godly is grounded upon the Authority of the Church Paulus I am very well pleased and satisfied in what has been said have you any more Questions to ask me Evangelus Yes friend I have many Questions to ask you still How do you prove that Salvation is only to be had through Christ Paulus How do I prove it I prove it from Acts 4.12 where it is thus written Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Evangelus Thou hast given the right Scripture but now if salvation is only to be had in and through Christ does it not do you think concern you to have an interest in this Christ Paulus Yea certainly that it does Evangelus Are you then interested in him Paulus Truly I question it but how may I come to have an interest in him Evangelus That must be by faith Paulus What is faith Evangelus Faith is a receiving of Iesus Christ into the Heart as he is Priest Prophet and King with a fiducial dependance upon him being fully satisfied that there is salvation in through and by none but him Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence

know what heaven is live then as one that knows the same Oh go to the throne of grace and leave it not till thou doest find the grace of God and the Oyl of Consolation Pour'd into thy heart and for the order of your appearing unto God demean your self as the Prodigall Luke 15. Cry as David Psalm 38.18 For I will declare my Iniquities and will be sorry for my sins how thy state now is I know not and therefore after what maner to write to thee I know not I do believe your case is dreadfull by the oppression of my own spirlt and your being so long absent from me and whether now this may come to you I cannot tell therefore I shall desist from writing so amply as I would Aug. 16. 1672. Your Father in the Lord Jesus W. W. The young Man having received this Letter reades it and having read it he considers upon it and at last is affected exceedingly therewith but these two Deceivers coming unto him again doth through their vain discourse and diabolical concernment make this Youth to yield unto them so as that he forgets the Letter which came from his dear friend in which was conteined such wholesom seasonable and compassionate Instructions Demas and Apollyon So what now I hope you have not transgress'd Paulus Not I indeed Apollyon How then comes it to pass you look so sad Paulus I have by an unparalleld providence received a letter from one who lov'd me which is strange in regard that he knew not where I dwelt Apollyon Sha Providence there 's not such things as that for those things which you call Providence are only things which falls out by chance and you also talk illiterately and foolishly to say that was unparallel'd because such as this has bin common ere now Paulus Nay I do not know but none shall make me to believe any otherwise but that it was Miraculous if it will not hold with being unparallel'd Demas Pray let me speak a word in your ear Paulus With all my heart Good Sir Demas Pray now have a care of carrying your self foolishly left thereby you occasion him to depart as I told you once before Paulus Well I will Apollyon How are you compos'd in minde Paulus Not very well My Lord. Apollyon How can you call me Lord and adjoyn such an ep●thite as my thereto whereas you have not given up your self unto me Paulus Will you accept of me Oh Lord Apollyon If I had meant otherwise I should not have ask'● you Paulus Lord I am at your service do with me as seems good in thy sight Apollyon Has that God which you serv'd been good to you Paulus Truly I must needs say this that though I had many things of the other ●od whom I serv'd yet he would not give me all as I desir'd Apollyon That I believe and shall I tell you those many things which you had of him were not so reall as they were Presented to you being only shadows Paulus It 's likely so truely Apollyon Well if you are willing as you say to be my Servant meet me about five of of the Clock at night by the place where we use to meet and bring with you your Penknise Paper and Pen this is all only be sure to meet me without fail or else be it to your own peril Paulus I 'le be sure not to fail you Apollyon Till then farewell Reader Thus thou seest how this poor Convert is tossed up and down through the wiles and Machinations of Satan how Sollicitous have been the vety powers of H●ll to destroy the soul of this young man how have they Combin'd together for the making of their stratagems effectual For once he went with an intent to meet the Devil and as he was entring into the appointed place the Spirit of God interrupted him by setting home this Scripture with such power Mat. 16.26 For what is a man profited if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul At that he was forc'd to return home again and ask God for pardon and yet nevertheless Corruption being very prevalent and the Devil mighty busie he was thereby impuls'd to make another attempt in the like manner who accordingly did as you may understand by what shall follow Apollyon Well met my Paulus why does● thou muse with thy self Paulus I am at a stand and know not what to do Apollyon At a stand why so Paulus You know O Lord the business which we are met about and the weightiness thereof therfore I hope reason will shew why I look so Apollyon Friend As for my part it matters not whether or no you consent to what I require it was for your happiness that I requir'd this from you but to conclude take notice that I will not be made a fool by such an one as you Go therefore to your other God and see what ●e can do for you for I scorn to receive you Paulus Good Lord fret not your self so for I am not going away from you only I desire deliberation suiting with a work of so great a concernment as this Apollyon Nay call not me Lord except you were my servant and as for your deliberation you have had time enough already Paulus Ha but I never did deliberate upon it till now Apollyon If so be you could not deliberate when you had time enough expect it not now Paulus Well if so you will not give me leave to satisfie my self herein I know not what to say to you Apollyon You know not what to say to me say somthing or nothing and if in this you be not satisfied a Fig for you Paulus Be not angry I pray Apollyon Here is cause to be angry when you deal thus with me who am so fully God Consider the aggravation that does attend it therefore in this one minute resolve me either in the negative or affirmative Paulus What would you have me to do Apollyon Only this Put P●n to Paper and write thus Paulus Well I will write thus For Apollyon Proceed why stay you your hand Paulus I know not what the matter is for I cannot move my hand Apollyon You had as good go on now seeing that you have written the first word viz. For for you are mine by what you have done already Paulus I defie you as yet for I know what I have done Apollyon A Nuncup●ti●● Well is as good as a written one so that what you have not done by Pen you have done by word of Mouth and therefore it is all one Observ. I. The young man supposing him with whom he had conferr'd so long to be the Devil breaks forth into these breathings of spirit unto the true God whom once he serv'd viz. Now now now O precious Saviour give me somthing for my faith to act upon by making of thy self unto me ● present