[MarkBsnr]

***Mark, did you really say that? The authority of the church gives one a belief in the Gospel?***

The quote is from St. Augustine, one of the heroes of the Reformers, if I understand correctly.

***You could not and would not believe in the Gospel by your own Spirit-led reading comprehension? By your own quickened mind and reborn heart? With your own two eyes and ears given by God alone? ***

Ah, but isn’t the Reformed view of the essence that only the saved can believe?

***We can conclude from this logic that if the church moved you away from the Gospel you would follow happily since the church has all authority.***

The Church has the authority and it also has the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit (psst, it’s Scriptural, doncha know). I don’t believe that the Holy Spirit would lead His Church away from Himself. That contradicts everything that we know and believe about Him.

[Quix]

THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL

IS FARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

from equal to the RC edifice

by a long list

on a long list

of factors, variables.

. . . . Historically verifiable, Biblically verifiable.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

I don't believe that the Holy Spirit would lead His Church away from Himself.

I agree completely.

That's why I am not a member of the RCC which practices idolatry, shamanism, mysticism and inherent contradiction.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

"The authority of the church gives one a belief in the Gospel" -- The quote is from St. Augustine, one of the heroes of the Reformers, if I understand correctly.

Augustine is right about some things and not as right about others. I'd like to see your source for this exact quote.