here that the Apostle being about to set down who is the only God and only Lord of Christians maketh no mention of the Holy Spirit which could not have been done by so faithfull an Apostle had the Holy Spirit bin either God or Lord. Of these places thus recited no man though never so subtile and though he turn and winde his wit every way shall ever be able to make sence unlesse he take the Holy Spirit to be what I say Behold now the cause for which I have lyen under persecution raised against me by my adversaries who being unable to justifie by Argument their practice of giving glory to the Holy Spirit as God in the end of their prayers since there is neither precept nor example for it in all the Scripture and being taxed by me for giving the glory of God to another and worshipping what he hath not commanded nor ever came into his heart have in a cruell and unchristian manner resorted to the arme of flesh and instigated the Magistrate against me hoping by his sword not that of the Spirit to uphold their Will-worship but in vaine since every Plant that the Heavenly Father hath not set shall be rooted up and that this practice of Worshipping the Holy Spirit as God is such a Plant as God never set in his word would soone appeare to the Honourable House could they be but so farr prevailed with as laying aside all prejudice seriously to weigh the many and solid proofes that I produce for my opinion out of the Scripture together with the sleight or rather no proofes of the adverse party for their opinion which they themselves know not what to make of but that they endeavour to delude both themselves and others with Personalities Moods Subsistences and such like brainsick Notions that have neither sap nor sence in them and were first hatched by the subtilty of Satan in the heads of Platonists to pervert the Worship of the true God Neither could this controversy be set on foot in a fitter juncture of time then this wherein the Parliament and Kingdome have solemnly engaged themselves to resorme Religion both in Discipline and Doctrine For amongst all the corruptions in Doctrine which certainly are many there is none that more deserveth to be amended then this that so palpably thwarteth the whole tenour of the Scripture and trencheth to the very object of our worship and therefore ought not to be lightly passed over by any man that professeth himselfe a Christian much more a Reformer God is jealous of his honour and will not give it to another we therefore as beloved children should imitate our heavenly Father herein and not upon any pretence whatsoever depart from his expresse command and give the worship of the supreame Lord of Heaven and Earth to him whom the Scripture no where affirmeth to be God For my own particular after a long and impartiall enquiry of the truth in this controversy and after much and earnest calling upon God to give unto me the spirit of wisedom and revelation in the knowledg of him I findemy selfe obliged both by the principles of Scripture and of Reason to embrace the opinion I now hold forth and as much as in me lyeth to endeavour that the honour of Almighty God be not transferred to another not only to the offence of God himselfe but also of his Holy Spirit who cannot but be grieved to have that ignorantly ascribed to himselfe which is proper to God that sends him and which he no where challengeth to himselfe in the Scripture what shall befall me in pursuance of this worke I referre to the disposall of the all-wise God whose glory is dearer to me not only then my liberty but then my life It will be your part Honoured Sir into whose hands God hath put such an opportunity to examine the businesse impartially and to be an helper to the truth considering that this controversy is of the greatest importance in the world and that the divine truth suffers not her selfe to be despised scot-free Neither let the meanesse of my outward presence deterr you from stirring since it is the part of a wise man as in all things so especially in matters of Religion not to regard so much who it is that speaketh as what it is that is spoken remembring how our Saviour in the Gospell saith that God is wont to hide his secrets from the wise and prudent and to reveale them unto children In which number I willingly reckon my selfe being couscious of mine own personall weaknesse but well assured of the strength and evidence of the Scripture to beare me out in this cause and remain Aprill 1. 1647. Yours in the Lord I. Bidle Twelve Arguments drawn out of the Scripture wherein the commonly received Opinion touching the Deity of the Holy Spirit is clearly and fully refuted ARGVMENT 1. HE that is distinguished from God is not God the holy Spirit is distinguished from God Ergo. The major is evident for if he should both bâ— God be distinguished from God he would be distinguished from himselfe which implyeth a contradiction The minor is confirmed by the whole currant of the Scripture which calleth him the Spirit of God and saith that he is sent by God and searcheth the depths of God c. Neither let any man see think to fly to that ignorant refuge of making a distinction betweene the Essence and Person of God saying that the Holy Spirit is distinguished from God taken personally not Essentially For this wretched distinction to omit the mention of the Primitive Fathers is not only unheard of in the Scripture and so to be rejected it being presumption to affirme any thing of the unsearchable nature of God which he hath not first affirmed of himselfe in the Scripture but is also disclaimed by Reason For first it is impossible for any man if he would but endeavour to conceive the thing and not delude both himselfe and others with empty termes and words without understanding to distinguish the person from the Essence of God and not to frame two beings or things in his minde and consequently two Gods Secondly If the person be distinct from the Essence of God then it is either something or nothing if nothing how can it be distinguished since nothing hath no accidents If something then either some finite or infinite thing if finite then there will be something finite in God and consequently since by the confession of the adversaryes themselves every thing in God is God himselfe God will be finite which the adversaryes themselves will likewise confesse to be absurd If infinite then there will be two infinites in God to wit the Person and Essence of God and consequently two Gods which is more absurd then the former Thirdly to talk of God taken only Essentially is ridiculous not only because there is no example thereof in Scripture but because God is the name of a * By person I understand as
he that is the gift of God is himselfe given Ergo. The major is undeniable for otherwise the same would be the giver of all things and yet not the giver of all things inasmuch as he himselfe a principall thing is giver which implyeth a contradiction The minor needeth no proofe Moreover a gift is in the power and at the disposall of the giver but it is grosse and absurd to imagine that God can be in the power or at the disposall of another Neither let any man here think to evade by saying that not the Holy Spirit himselfe but only his gifts are imparted to men Since both the more learned adversaryes themselves confesse that the Person of of the Holy Spirit is given together with his gifts and the Scripture putteth the matter out of doubt if you consult Neh. 9.20 and Rom. 5.5 In both which places the Holy Spirit is said to be given contradistinctly from his gifts and operations in the first contradistinctly from the instruction flowing from him in the other contradistinctly from the love of God diffused in our hearts by him Whence we may draw this Corollary that if the Person of the Holy Spirit be out of favour given to certaine men as the aforesaid places testify then he was not personally present with them before and consequently by the concession of the adversaries themselves cannot be God since they will not deny that God is alwayes personally present with all alike But I forestall the following Argument ARGVMENT 8. He that changeth place is not God The Holy Spirit changeth place Ergo. The major is plaine for if God should change place he would cease to be where he was before and begin to be where he was not before which everteth his Omnipresence and consequently by the confession of the adversaries themselves his Deity The minor is ocularly apparant if following the * Abi Ariane ad Iordanem Trinitatem videbis advise of the adversaries you wil but go to Iordan for there you shal have the Holy Spirit in a bodily shape descending from heaven which is the terminus à quo alighting upon Christ which is the terminus ad quem Luke 3 21.22 Neither let any man â—lledge that as much is spoken of God Exod 3. chap. 20. Gen. 18. For if you compare Acts 7.30.35.38.53 Gal. 3.19 Heb. 2.2.3 chap. 13.2 with the foresaid places you shall finde that it was not God himselfe that came down but only an Angel sustaining the Person and Name of God which hath no place in the history touching the descent of the Holy Spirit ARGVMENT 9. He that prayeth unto Christ to come to judgement is not God The Holy Spirit doth so Ergo. The maior is granted The minor is evident from Rev. 22.17 compared with 12. verse Neither let any man think to elude this proofe by saying that the Spirit is here said to pray only because he maketh the Bride to pray For when the Scripture would signify the assistance of the Holy Spirit in causing men to speake it is wont to affirme either that the Holy Spirit speaketh in them as Matth. 10.20 or that they speake by the Holy Spirit as Rom. 8.15 Wee have received the Spirit of adoption by whom wee cry Abba Father But here it is expressely said that the Spirit and the Bride say come not the Spirit in the Bride not the Bride by the Spirit ARG. 10. He in whom men have not believed and yet have been Disciples and Believers is not God Men have not believed in the Holy Spirit and yet have been so Ergo The major is plain for how can any be Disciples and Believers according to the phrase of Scripture and not believe in Him that is God The minor is proved thus Men have not so much as heard whether there were an Holy Spirit and yet have been Disciples and Believers Ergo They have not believed in the Holy Spirit and yet have been Disciples and Believers The Antecedent is apparant from Acts 19.2 The consequence is grounded on that of the Apostle Rom. 10.14 How shall they believe on Him of whom they have not heard Now if any man to decline the dint of this Argument shall say that by Holy Spirit in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant not the Person but the Gifts of the Holy Spirit He besides that hee perverteth the plaine and genuine meaning of the words and speaketh without example doth also evacuate the emphasis of the Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which emply that these Disciple were so far from having received the Gifts of the Holy Spirit whereof we may grant that the question made mention that they had not so much as heard whether there were an Holy Spirit or not Again that the Holy Spirit is not God doth further appear by this very instance since the Apostle when there was so ample an occasion offered to declare it if it had been so doth quite decline it For it is incredible that He who was so intent and vigilant in propagating the Truth as that casually seeing an Altar at Athens inscribed to the unknown God he presently took a hint from thence to preach unto the Heathens the true God yet here being told by Disciples that they had not so much as heard whether there were an Holy Spirit or not should not make use of the opportunity to discover unto Them and in Them to Us the Deity of the Holy Spirit but suffer them to remaine in ignorance touching a point of such consequence that without the knowledge thereof if we believe many now now adayes men cannot be saved Certainly the Apostle had a greater care both of the Truth of God and the salvation of men then to do so ARG. 11. He that hath an understanding distinct from that of God is not God The Holy Spirit hath an understanding distinct from God Ergo The major is clear for he that hath an understanding distinct from that of another must needs likewise have a distinct Essence wherein that understanding may reside The minor is proved thus He that heareth from God and that at the second hand what he shall speak hath an understanding distinct from that of God The Holy Spirit so heareth from God Ergo the minor is evident from Joh. 16.13 14 15. The major is confirmed thuâ— He that is taught of God hath an understanding distinct from that of God He that heareth from God is taught of God Ergo The minor is manifest from John 8. where our Saviour Christ having said in the Verse 26. wâ—aâ—soever I have heard from him the Father these things I speak In Verse 28. he expresseth the same sence thus According as the Father hath taught me these things I speak The major is of it selfe clear for he that is taught hath an unknowing understanding since none can be taught what hee knoweth already and he that teacheth hath a knowing understanding otherwise he could not teach another something but it
emplyeth a contradiction that the same understanding should at the same time be both knowing and unknowing of the same thing Besides that the Holy Spirit hath an understanding distinct from that of God is easily deducible from the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.10 where he affirmeth that the Spirit searcheth the depths of God as Rom. 8.27 he intimateth that God searcheth the heart of the Spirit but to search the depths of any one necessarily supposeth one understanding in him that searcheth and another understanding in him whose depths are searched as is evident not only by collation of other places of the Scripture as 1 Pet. 1.11 Rev. 2.13 but even by common sense dictating to every man so much that none can without absurdity be said to search the depths of his own understanding Whence the Apostle going about to illustrate what he had spoken of the Spirit of God by a similitude drawn from the spirit of a man doth not say that the spirit of a man doth search but know the things of a man though his former words did seem to lead him thereunto ARG. 12. He that hath a will distinct in number from that of God is not God The Holy Spirit hath a will distinct in number from that of God Ergo. The major is irrefragable The minor is asserted thus He that willeth conformably to the will of God hath a will distinct in number from that of God The Holy Spirit so wâ—lleth Ergo The major is plaine for conformity must be between two at least else it will not be conformity but identity The minor is confirmed by Rom. 8.26.27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit himselfe maketh intercession for us with groanes unutterable But he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the minde or will of the Spirit for he maketh intercession for the Saints according to or conformably to the will of God Which words of the Apostle afford us another impregnable Argument of the Holy Spirit 's being inferiour to God inasmuch as he is said to make intercession unto God as wee before urged his praying to Christ Arg. 9. and that with groanes unutterable which is not so to be understood as if the Holy Spirit were here said to help our infirmities only by suggesting petitions and groans unto us and making us to pray as is commonly but falsely affirmed for the very words of the context sufficiently refute such a glosse since they say that the Spirit himself not we by the Spirit as we have it in verse 15. of the same chap. maketh intercession for us but to help others infirmities by making intercession for them is not to instill petitions into them but to pour out petitions apart in their behalf as is apparant both from the thing it selfe since none can intercede for himselfe all intercession requiring the enterm se of a third person and by the collation of verse 34. of the same chapter and by the 30. ver of the 15. chap. and by 2 Cor. 1.11 Heb. 7.25 1 Tim. 2.1 Col. 4.12 Eph. 6.18 Neither let any man think to bafflle off this Argument which is written with a beame of the Sun by saying that this is improperly spoken of the Holâ— Spirit for besides that he hath no other ground to say so but his own preconceived opinion touching the Diety of the of Holy Spirit he ought to know that the Scripture though it speaketh many things after the manner of men yet doth it no where speak any thing that argueth his inferiority to and dependence on another But this passage of the Apostle plainly intimateth the Holy Spirit to be inferiour to God and dependent on him otherwise what need had he to intercede with God and that with groanes unutterable on the behalfe of the Saints An Exposition of Matth. 28.19 Goe ye therefore and make Disciples so it is in the Originall of all Nations baptising them into the name so is it also in the Originall of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Spirit In the name of the Holy Spirit that is into the Holy Spirit by a circumlocution usuall in the Scripture vid. Acts 19.5 compared with Rom. 6.3 And into the Holy Spirit that is into the guidance of the Holy Spirit Thus the Iewes are said to have been all baptized into Moses 1 Cor. 10.2 So that our Saviour's words amount to thus much initiating them into the confession and obedience of God the Father and of the Lord Iesu Christ the Son of the Father and of the Holy Spirit the Advocate and guide of all truth Now the Holy Spirit is mentioned together with God and Christ because he is the chiefe Instrument whereby they guide govern sanctifie and endow the Church and to intimate that whereas men before they gave their names to Christ lived according to the Prince of this world the uncleane Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience they ought henceforth being sequestred from the world and admitted into the Church to resign up themselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit whom God and Christ have appointed to order and direct the Church For that the Holy Spirit is not ranked with the Father and the Son as being equall to them is evident by other punctuall places of the Scripture as 1 Cor. 12.3 4 5 6. Ephes 4.4 5 6. where when the mention of him is joyned with that of the Father and the Son he is expresly and emphatically excluded from being either God or Lord by being contra-distinguished from both But if he be neither God nor Lord as the Apostle not only in these places but elsewhere clearly testifies vid. 1 Cor. 8.5.6 he cannot be equall to the Father and the Son but is only the chiefe Minister of Both peculiarly sent our to Minister on their behalfe that shall inherit salvation An Exposition of 1 Iohn 5.7 For there are three that beare record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and these three are one It would have been hard if not impossible had not men bin precorrupted that it should ever come into any ones head to imagine that this phrase are one did signifie have one Essence since such an Exposition is not only contrary to common sence but also to other places of the Scripture wherein this kind of speaking prepetually signifyeth an union in consent and agreement or the like but never an union in Essence To omit other Sacred Writers this very Apostle in his Gospel chap. 17. ver 11.21 22 23. useth the same expression six times intimating no other but an union of agreement yea in vers 8. of this very chapter in his Epistle he useth it in the same sence For though the expression varieth somewhat in the ordinary Greek Testaments in that the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is prefixed although the Complutensian Bible readeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both verses yet
is the sence the same this latter being spoken after the Hebrew idiome the former according to the ordinary phrase for confirmation whereof see Matth. 19. comparing verse 5. 6. together in the Originall wherefore this expression ought to be rendred alike in both verses as the former Interpreters did it though the Latter Interpreters in vers 8. have rendred it agree in one putting the glosse instead of the Translation So that this place maketh nothing for them that hold the Holy Spirit to have one and the same Essence with the Father unlesse they can prove that those who are one in agreement must likewise necessarily be one in Essence or that two or three cannot bee one but it must presently be in Essence I omit for the present to speak of the suspectednesse of this place how it is not extant in the ancient Greek Coppies nor in the Syriack Translation nor in most ancient Books of the Latine Edition and rejected by sundry Interpreters both Ancient and Mordern An Exposition of Acts 5.3.4 But Peter said Ananias Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to or deceive the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the Land while it remained was it not thine own And after it was sold was it not in thine own power Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God In this passage the Holy Spirit is neither expresly nor by good consequence called God For admit the ordinary Translation were true as it is not yet will it not presently follow because Ananias by lying to men endued with the Holy Spirit for even Piscator in the words acknowledgeth and the words themselves according to this Interpretation emply a metonymie of the adjunct lyed not to men but to God that therefore the Holy Spirit is God for in lying to them that are endued with the Spirit of God one may lie to God and yet neither they nor the Spirit in them be God but only the Messengers of God for what is done to Messengers redounds to him that sendeth them see 1 Thess 4.8 John 13.20 Luk. 10.16 But if any man look more narrowly into the words he shall perceive that the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is construed in a different manner to wit with an accusative in verse 3. and with a dative in verse 4. Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an accusative in Greek Authors is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to bely or counterfeit thus Lucan in Pseudom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomen quoddam mentitus counterfeiting a certaine name This being so the words are to be rendred thus Why hath Satan filled thy heart to bely or counterfeit the Holy Spirit that is why hast thou suffered the unclean spirit so farre to prevail with thee as to lay down this mony at his suggestion as appeareth in that thou hast proloyned part of the price of thy Possession and not laid down all and yet to bear us in hand that thou as well as others didst it at the motion of the Holy Spirit Thou hast not lyed to men but to God that is assure thy selfe that this dessembling of thine is not so much to us â—s to God himselfe whose servants wee are This Exposition is not only agreeable to the Greek context and scope of the place but is a also seconded by Erasmus Calvin and Aretius An Exposition of 1 Cor. 6.19 20. What know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit that is in you whom you have of God and that ye are not your own For ye have been bought with a price wherefore glorifie God both in your body and in your Spirit which are God's Whereas it is objected by some out of this passage that the Holy Spirit is God in that our Body is said to be his Temple I Answer that it would follow could it be proved that our body is so the Temple of the Holy Spirit as to be his by interest and dedicated to his honour both which are in the following words affirmed of God contra-distinctly from the Holy Spirit But these things are so farre from being held forth in this place that the contrary may thence not obscurely be evinced For the Apostle after he had intimated in what respect our body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit to wit by inhabitation for so much is emplyed by the description added to the Holy Spirit since descriptions in Sacred Writers are not idle and impertinent he addeth that wee have Him from God thereby not only distinguishing Him from God but intimating also that He is desposed of by God and bestowed on Us and consequently that He is ours by interest and not we his as the objection would inferre An Exposition of Matth. 12.31 All manner of sinne and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men For the Objection drawn hence that the sin against the Holy Spirit is unpardonable I Answer that the sin against the Holy Spirit is not therefore unpardonable because he is God for this the Scripture nowhere acknowledgeth and besides by the same reason every sin against God would be unpardonable but because he that sinneth against the Holy Spirit doth in the same act sin against God for every sinne is terminated in God with an high hand to wit either by slandering and opposing such works whereof a man is convinced in conscience that God hath wrought them by his Holy Spirit as the Pharisees did or by renouncing and opposing such Truths whereof a man is convinced in conscience that God hath revealed them by his Holy Spirit as the Renegadoes did that are mentioned by the Author to the Hebrewes cha 10 25 26. c. Which things are the greatest affronts that can be offered to God who useth the Ministry of the Spirit in none but things of the greatest importance An Answer to the grand Objection of the Adversaries touching the supposed Omnipresence of the Holy Spirit After I had throughly sifted this Controversy I found that the Adversaries who so much cry down Reason saying that we must renounce it when we speak of Divine Mysteries and simply rest in the words of the Scripture do notwithstanding in the upshot wave the Scripture as giving a very uncertain Testimony to their Doctrine in this point and ground themselves on the mear conjectures of their own Reason For thus they argue The Holy Spirit if he were not omnipresent and consequently God could not inspire and dwell in so many men at one time For Answer hereunto I will only ask them one question which if they resolve I will then tell them how the Holy Spirit though he be not omni-present may inspire all the faithfull in the world at one time Our Saviour in the fourth of Mark explaining the Parable of the sower saith in vers 15. And these are they by the way side where the word is sown but when they have heard Satan commeth immediately and taketh the Word that was sown in their hearts Suppose now that the seed of the Word be sown in ten thousand places at one time as it hapneth on every Lords day how can Satan whom the Adversaries will deny to be omni-present come and immediatly snatch the Word out of the hearts of the greatest part of the Hearers The same resolution that they shall give to this question will I apply to their own objection If this bee not sufficient take yet more proofs that may seem to evince the omni-presence of the unclean spirit Thus is he said to have been a lying spirit in the mouth of four hundred false Prophets 1 King 22.22 23. and there is the same reason between four hundred and foure Millions Thus is he said to hold the impenitent who make the greatest part of mankinde in hiâ— snare and to take them captive at his will 2 Tim. 2. ult To blind the minds of them that believe not 2 Cor. 4.4 To dwell in the ungodly Revel 2.13 To shew the wicked whatsoever they practise Joh. 8.38 Yea to deceive the whole world Rev. 12.9 20.2.3 If they dare not for all this to affirm the uncleane spirit to be omni-present why do they on lesse ground conclude the omni-presence of the Holy Spirit especially when the Scripture so plainly testifyeth that He changeth place as you may see in the eigth Argument above FINIS
Twelve ARGVMENTS Drawn out of the Scripture Wherein the commonly received Opinion touching the Deity of the Holy Spirit is clearly and fully refuted To which is prefixed a Letter tending to the same purpose written to a Member of the Honourable House of Commons And to which is subjoyned an Exposition of five principall Passages of the Scripture alleadged by the Adversaries to prove the Deity of the Holy Spirit together with an Answer to their grand Objection touching the supposed Omnipresence of the Holy Spirit By IOHN BIDLE Master of Arts. 1 Thess 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good Printed in the Yeare 1647. To the impartiall READER Reader WHen I consider with my selfe how many Truths have in their dawnings gone forth like the Morning and are now risen unto a glorious day unto the amazement and confounding of those who were grand Opposers of them though I know truth hath and still shall have many Adversaries whilst the face of the covering and the vaile spread over all Nations remains undestroyed yet I know too that Truth 's bare breasts are Armour of Prooff against all the daring darts of Satan and all the furious attempts and stormes of the flesh I cannot but abundantly rejoyce in the glory of its strength How many things have in severall Ages as well as in Ours been cryed up for truths And how hath God blown upon them that they have withered and the whirlewind hath taken them away as stuble Again how many Truths have been cryed down as Blasphemy and Errour the beames of whose glory are now ready to dazell and obscure all the glory of the flesh Sometimes taking in those through the goings forth of God in it who have bin the mightiest enemies insomuch that standing amazed awhile they have soon been swallowed up in the power of it And oh that mine eyes might behold more of that day of Gods power and of the out-lettings of the beauties of his holinesse that the tall Cedars of Lebanon might be bended and the Oakes of Bashan ashamed that the creature and its glory might be brought low and men who are now like Bullocks unaccustomed unto the yoak might be made willing and the Lord alone exalted in them by them and amongst them Did we but seriously consider how most men are adorned with living names viz. of Believers Christians Protestants c. whilst they are indeed dead as will appear seeing there are no symptoms of life in them we could not but startle at it what is the profession or Religion of most part of men but formall and fleshly Are they not like those barbarous Lettoes who who were alwayes in the Fields and Woods heard uttering these words feru feru Masco Lon but being demanded the reason they Replyed That they knew nothing but that they had bin so of long taught by their Ancestours Mens mouthes are now filled with Forms and they are daily crying out the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord God and Christ and Spirit when t is evident they have no more then what Education affords nay lesse because not moralized wherein Heathens out-strip them they know not God did they they could not lightly blaspheme him they goe Christlesse and have not received the Spirit of wisdome in the Revelation and knowledge of him and this makes them to cry out that whatsoever is not according to their fleshly Formes is Error Heresie Blasphemie because it will not hold according to carnall principals unto which they must needs reduce all things who have no principall of life within them such are those who are called Christians and yet reel too and fro through wine and strong drink and swell by reason of Oathes living in abominations of which sort of men most of our Parish Churches are constituted such men have not discerning spirits neither are they competent judges because enemies to Truth as well as Errour wherefore the Author betakes himself to the Christian Reader i.e. one that is so indeed I know many men as well as my selfe will be ready to cry out Blasphemy Blasphemy at the first view of the Title Page yet I could wish that they would embrace the Apostles counsell Prove all things holding fast that which is good Call all things to a serious examine and reject nothing hand over-head take nothing upon Trust without a fore-examining of every circumstance lest in the one they should reject Truth instead of Errour and in the other embrace Errour instead of truth The Authour hath a long time waited upon learned men for a satisfactory Answer to these Arguments but hath received none his hopes are that the publishing of them will be a meanes to produce it that he may receive satisfaction and others may be held no longer in suspence who are in travell with an earnest expectation of a speedy resolution as well as he I should desire those who view it but especially those who undertake to Answer it for my hopes are that some one will to consider first that to say such an Argument is invalid and weak and not worth the Answering is no convincing way of arguing nor able to yeild the least satisfaction to a doubting spirit Secondly that invectives railings or reproachfull termes are no convincing Arguments as all men of a sober judgement well know at these rates the weakest man may subvert the strongest Controversie yet these have been the arguings of our times both in Presse and Pulpit Thirdly to prohibite the progresse of it can no wayes unscruple doubting spirits amongst whom for the present I number my selfe expecting an Answer to these ensuing Arguments and that God will be with him that undertakes it and give in a spirit of Meeknesse and of Wisdome in the Revelation and Knowledge of Truth shall be the matter of his prayers who desires Truth may be cleared up and shine like the noone-day and all Errour confounded and vanish before Truth like a mist before the Sunne T. H. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader I beseech thee as thou tenderest thy salvation that thou wouldest thoroughly examine the following Disputation in the feare of God considering how much his glory is concerned therein and at any hand forbeare to condemn my Opinion as Erroneous till thou art able to bring pertinent and solid Answers to all my Arguments for thou must know that though I have contested with sundry Learned men yet hath none hitherto produced a satisfactory Answer to so much as one Argument Farewell I.B. A LETTER written to a certain Knight a Member of the Honourable House of Commons SIR HAving now attended for the space of sixteen Months partly in the Country and partly in Westminster that I might come to my Answer before the Parliament and finding after all this tarriance that I am still as farre from having my cause determined as ever I am even forced to make my addresse to you and to beseech you if you have any bowels towards them that are in
misery that you would either procure my discharge or at least make report to the House touching my deniall of the supposed Deity of the Holy Spirit For that this only is the matter in contestation you very well know having both heard my confession before the Committee and remembring how when I was urged to declare my judgement concerning the Deity of Christ I waved the question as neither being that I was accused of nor which I had yet sufficiently studyed to engage my selfe publickly therein As for my opinion touching the Holy Spirit it is thus I believe the Holy Spirit to be the chiefe of all a see Heb. 1.13.14 whence these words are borrowed and compare it with 1 Pet. .1 12. as also Heb. 1.7 compared with Acts 1.2 3.4 and it will easily appeare that the Holy Spirit is a minister of God as well as others Ministring Spirits peculiarly sent out from Heaven to minister on their behalfe that shall inherit salvation and I do place him both according to the Scripture and the Primitive Christians and by name Iustin Martyr in his Apology in the third ranke after God and Christ giving him a preheminence above all the rest of the Heavenly Host So that as there is one principall Spirit amongst the evill Angels known in the Scripture by the name of Satan or the b 1 Pet. 5.8 Adversary or the c Zech. 13.2 Vncleane Spirit or the d 1 Sam. 16.15.16 Evill Spirit of God or e ib. ver the last the Spirit of God or f 1 Kings 12.21 according to the Originall the Spirit by way of eminence Even so is there one principall Spirit I borrow this Appellation from the Septuagint who render the latter clause of the 12 verse of Psal 31. in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritu principali fulci me stablish me with thy principall Spirit there is I say one principall Spirit amongst the good Angels called by the name of the g Iohn 16.7 Advocate or the h Eph. 4.30 Holy spirit or i Neh. 9.20 the good spirit of God or k 1 Cot. 7.40 the spirit of God or l Acts 10.19 the spirit by way of eminence This opinion of mine is attested by the whole tenour of the Scripture which perpetually speaketh of him as differing from God and inferiour to him but is irrefragably proved by these places of Scripture Neh. 9.6.20 Thou even thou art Lord or Iehovah alone thou hast made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their Host Thou gavest thy good spirit to instruct them the Children of Israel Iohn 16.7.8 c. Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the m So the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Originall perpetually signifieth amongst Greek Authours and is so rendred by the Translatours themselves 1 Iohn 2.1 and ought to have been so rendred here especially because he saith in the following words that the Holy Spirit shall convince the world for it is proper to an Advocate to convince Advocate will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you And when hee is come hee will reprove in the Originall Convince the world of sinne and of righteousnesse and of judgement I have yet many things to say unto you but yee cannot beare them now Howbeit when he the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoever he shall heare that shall he speake and he will shew you things to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I he shall take of mine and shew it unto you Rom. 8.26 27. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what wee should pray for as wee ought but the spirit himselfe maketh intercession for us with grones that cannot be uttered But he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the minde or desire of the spirit for he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Acts 19.2 And Paul finding certaine Disciples said unto them have yee received the Holy Spirit since yee believed And they said unto him we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy spirit Eph. 4.4.5.6 There is one body and one spirit even as yee have been called in one hope of your calling One Lord one faith one Baptisme One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all 1 Cor. 12.3.4 c. Wherefore I give you to understand that noman speaking by the spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed and that no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy spirit But there are diversities of gifts yet the same spirit And there are diversities of administrations yet the same Lord And there are diversities of operations yet it is the same God that worketh all in all Luke 3.21 22. It came to passe that Iesus also being baptized and praying the Heaven was opened and the Holy spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him 1 Cor. 2.11.12.13 But God hath revealed them to us by his spirit for the spirit searcheth all things even the depths of God For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth none but the spirit of God he doth not adde as before which is in him Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God Revel 22.12.17 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give unto every man according as his work shall be and the Spirit and the Bride say come Acts 5.32 And wee are his witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Spirit whom God hath given to them that obey him Gal. 3.5 He therefore that ministreth or giveth to you the Spirit and worketh miracles among you dâ—th he it by the works of the Law or by the hearing or rather preaching of Faith He that ministreth or giveth the spirit to you a strange kinde of speech if the Holy Spirit were God The Scripture is wont to speak more soberly of Almighty God then to say that he is given by another much lesse by men as it is here said of the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 8.4.5.6 Wee know that an Idoll is nothing in the world and that there is no other God but one For though there be that are called Gods whether in Heaven or in Earth as there be many Gods and many Lords yet unto us there is but one God evâ—â— the Father of whom are all things and wee unto him and one Lord even Iesus Christ by whom are all things and wee by him You see