By the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit ... as it is written ... "He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance... he will guide you into all truth".
You didn't answer the question. I asked you how the Holy Spirit guides believers towards the Truth. You replied that He guides us by guiding us, which is begging the question. So I'll repeat: How does the Holy Spirit teach and guide the individual Protestant? Directly? Then how do you explain the manifold Protestant believers who disagree with one another regarding doctrine, each claiming to be led by the Holy Spirit?
They can't all be right, after all. There is only one Christian truth. How can we know what it is?
By looking to the institution left to us by Jesus Christ Himself.: the Catholic Church. That's what Our Lord meant when He told St. Peter "Feed my lambs... feed my sheep." Instead of letting the sheep vote on what to do, or having the sheep follow one of their own over a cliff, Christ our Shepherd left us a shepherd to guide the flock in His stead: St. Peter. I trust in the Church which the Lord left in Peter's care to guide me in the ways of God, and I hope someday all Christians will come to do the same.
You didn't answer the question. I asked you how the Holy Spirit guides believers towards the Truth.You did ??? Funny, I can't find this question in the text of your post that I responded to.
So I'll repeat: How does the Holy Spirit teach and guide the individual Protestant?
You're repeating this from where/when ???
But ... regardless, ... on to the question at hand ...
How does the Holy Spirit teach and guide the individual Protestant? ... Directly ... ?
The Holy Spirit can and does provide direct guidance to the individual christian, which the following scripture affirms ...
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Then how do you explain the manifold Protestant believers who disagree with one another regarding doctrine, each claiming to be led by the Holy Spirit?
This is, most often, the result of believers' not seeking the Lord's truth directly, but rather choosing to listen to fallible leaders.
Unfortunately, these leaders also, often, are not listening closely enough or purely enough (i.e. without other egocentric agendas) to hear the teaching of the Holy Spirit undistorted.
In other words, ... rather than seeking for the truth of God, ... many are diverted by a desire to protect their turf.
I believe that it is much more profitable for us to humbly acknowledge our fallibility, ... to know that what we do know is by the grace of God, ... and to earnestly seek what further the Lord has for us as we grow in His grace.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God (note - not the church), that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.