Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	person_n	son_n	33,804	5	6.4746	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86726	An Humble advise to the right honorable the lord mayor, the recorder, and the rest of the justices of the honorable bench to the goodmen of the jury, aud [sic] at the Sessions House in the Old-Bayley, London, in behalf of Mr. John Bidle, prisoner in Newgate.		1654 (1654)	Wing H3396; ESTC R42339	15,114	16

affirm or deny as they see cause without being termed Blasphemers for so doing yea rather pity their mistakings nay the Jews that speak such opprobrious language of Christ as is not fit to be repeated denying not only his Godhead but his most holy and heavenly Conception yet are they not imprisoned nor Indicted for Blasphemers nor molested but suffered to live quietly amongst us for which way else shall they ever be converted to the Faith of Christ Why then is it so hainous a thing in M. Bidle to say he doth deny this or that opinion of Christ to that end it may be proved by Scripture Why doth not some zealous person shew him wherein he is mistaken without calling him a Blasphemer Will it suffize to quit a man from the guilt of such an ignominious appellation to believe every article of the Apostles Creed if it will it is then most certain this good man Mr. Bidle believes all and every Article thereof in every respect as they are there expressed If this will not suffize but that Athenasius his Creed must in every circumstance be believed also or those that cannot understand it and consequently cannot believe it in all points shall be deemed Blasphemers by most assuredly it would be thought too harsh a judgement for do you but observe with what satisfaction with how much alacrity the conscience closeth with the former saying I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ his onely Son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried descended into hell the third day he arose again from the dead and ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholique Church the Communion of Saints the forgiveness of sins the Resurrection of the body and the life ever lasting There being no Particle of this Belief as Mr. Bidle useth to affirm but that even in speaking it presents a plain place of Scripture to the minde for proofe thereof Whereas in reciting that of Athenasius which was the ground of that Ordinance of the Lords and Commons in making it Blasphemy to affirm so and so concerning Christ and the Holy Spirit what infinite doubts and scruples do arise as where it is said For there is one person of the Father another of the Son and another of the Holy Ghost but the Godhead of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all one the glory equal the Majesty coeternal such as the Father such is the Son and such is the Holy Ghost the Father uncreate the Son uncreate and the Holy Ghost uncreate the Father incomprehensible the Son incomprehensible and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible the Father eternal the Son eternal and the Holy Ghost eternal and yet they are not three eternals but one eternal as also there are not three incomprehensibles nor three uncreated but one uncreated and one incomprehensible so likew se the Father is almighty the Son almighty and the Holy Ghost almighty and yet there are not three almighties but one almighty c. And in this Trinity none is before nor after another none is greater or lesser then another but the whole three persons be coeternal together and coequal c. It is true most men of years living in this Nation have through breeding and custome been formerly used to recite this Creed as what they did believe but how few there were that did truly understand it that is that did truly believe what they said and seemed to believe you can now very easily judg nay how glad would al ingenuous Christians be that these difficulties might without danger be clearly discussed by strength of Scripture that so men might no longer have things run in their mind as believed by them which in deed and in truth they do not understand nor are able to render a reason of the hope that is in them touching many of the particulars which is no better then hypocrisie and gross superstition for though men may hide their hearts from men yet from themselves and from God they cannot hide them Now because Mr Bidle hath laboured in this work to enquire how these obscure difficult expressions in this Creed are proved in Scripture which he taketh for the foundation of his faith and because he hath not been contented to take up other opinions concerning God according to the current of Interpreters of our times but still ground himself upon the Scripture for this cause only is he now a prisoner and for no other for this cause and none other doth his Accusers the Informers deem him unworthy to live But it is hoped with you he will find a much more charitable and Christian esteem for what at worst can be alledged against him or what can warrant the taking away of his life For admit the words or Books should be fully proved against him and that you should think such Accusers and Witnesses worthy of belief when not the glory of God or of Christ but their own gain hath set them on Admit that mens lives may be taken away by an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons out of time of Parliament which will not be granted England being to be ruled by Acts not Ordinances so as therein also the foundation fails for he is tried upon no other but an Ordinance Again suppose the Ordinance Law there is nothing of obstinacy expressed in the Indictment against Mr. Bidle without which he doth not offend against it but were the Ordinance in force it directs the prisoner to be Indicted the next Goal delivery but M. Bidle was not Indicted till the second Goal delivery after complaint and imprisonment wherefore the Ordinance is not pursued but the time prefixed elapsed Yet further admit there were an Act and in force yet that a Parliament can be trusted in matters of Religion and Conscience the Scripture never warranted men cannot trust because they must obey not what Parliaments establish but what the Scripture saith to their particular Consciences so as if Parliaments understand the Scriptures one way and you another whether are you to yeeld to their sense or your own whether are you to believe and worship as they direct or as you judg your selves directed by the Word of God so that the making of Laws by Parliaments in matters of Religion Faith and Gods Worship which God never did and men cannot trust them withal so that although this Ordinance were an Act and were not annihilated by the instrument of Government as indeed it is in Mr. Bidles case you could not with innocent consciences find him guilty upon it If Mr. Bidle be not protected by the instrument none are for you will find it evidently intended by the 36. 37. and 38. Articles which say thus 36 That