Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ghost_n	holy_a	son_n	41,079	5	6.0417	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65538	An earnest and compassionate suit for forbearance to the late learned writers of some controversies at present / by a melancholly stander-by.	Wettenhall, Edward, 1636-1713.	1691 (1691)	Wing W1494; ESTC R14825	6,885	20

or fit to be courted into Agreement and not till then To this Point therefore namely The Mending the Hearts and Lives of Men let all our Sermons all our Writings tend I cannot tell but the moving farther these Controversies may blast much of the Credit and Success we have had in our late Controversial Writings against the Papists It may be said Our very Orthodox Men of the greatest Reputation have some of them deceded from the Doctrin in this behalf formerly Taught even in our own Church That which follows was once thought a fair intelligible solid and judicious Explication of this Mystery The Substance of GOD with this Property to be of none doth make the Person of the Father The very self-same Substance in number with this Property to be of the Father maketh the Person of the Son The same Substance having added unto it the Property of proceeding from the other two maketh the Person of the Holy Ghost So that in every Person there is implyed both the Substance of GOD which is One and also that Property which causeth the same Person really and truly to differ from the other two The Author of these Words was in his days Master of the Temple and by the best Judgments esteemed both then and now to have spoken as much the Sense of our Church and in this Point of the Catholick Church as any man But other Doctors of Ours engaging at present in this Controversie now explain the Mystery thus The Persons are Three distinct and infinite Minds Three Intelligent Beings Three Holy Spirits For according to this Learned Doctor a Person even in divinis is such a Being as has Understanding Will and Power of Action These three Infinite Minds are distinguished just as three Finite created Minds are by Self-consciousness Each Divine Person has a Self-consciousness of its own and knows and feels it self as distinct from the other Divine Persons Yea The Father has his own Personal Wisdom and by Internal Consciousness all the Wisdom of the Son and of the Holy Ghost The Son has his own Personal Wisdom and by the same Consciousness the Wisdom of the Father and of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost has his own Personal Wisdom and all the Wisdom of the Father and Son The like Personal Goodness and Power have they also For these are Perfections that may be in more than one But if either Finite or Infinite Spirits Minds or Persons are mutually conscious that is are internally and universally conscious to one anothers Thoughts Wills Actions and Passions this maketh them to be truly and properly Numerically one with each other as much as each Spirit is one with himself they are hereby united to each other as every man is to himself And thus is it that the Three Persons are One God They are one God and in one another by Perfect Mutual Conciousness I make here neither Comment nor Inference upon this curious Discourse Another Doctor of our Church is pleased more tenderly and safely to explain it thus The Blessed Trinity is three Somewhats and these three Somewhats we commonly call Persons but the true Notion and true Name of that Distinction is unknown to us The Word Persons in Divinis is but metaphorical not signifying just the same as when applied to Men. We mean thereby no more but somewhat analogous to Persons This later part has been ever held to by all Learned Trinitarians and the Dr. speaks like himself Yet it troubles me what Sport some People make even with this Explication But in fine thus stands what Improvements Doctors have made on this Great Christian Dogme Now were it not much better these Doctors had let it alone And that we let it alone and bend our own and endeavour to draw other mens Thoughts to the Practice of plain and unquestionable Devotion and Christian Morals For suppose any people hearing the word Person when applied equally to Father Son and Holy Ghost to be thus improper and that the word Somewhat is a properer and clearer else certainly so great a Doctor would not have used it as an Explicatory Term Suppose I say some Hearers or Readers should substitute Somewhats in their Prayers instead of Persons and say O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity Three Somewhats and one God have Mercy on us c. Or To Father Son and Holy Ghost Three Somewhats and one God be all Glory c. What an excellent Improvement of Devotion must there be hereby And though we do not verbally thus change the Terms yet having heard or read them thus explicated such Explications while we use those Forms will be apt to incurr into our Thoughts whether we will or no. So that to conclude I must now desire our Doctors as they are Friends to the Church and would not expose Her Liturgy that they would forbear these Controversies as being not only unprofitable but corruptive of and prejudicial or injurious to our common Devotion I could say much more on this Subject and perhaps shall if what I have here said take not the effect I desire But I should be very willing to hold my Hand as I request others to do I love Truth with my Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To take streight Steps to the Truth has been long my Vow and is still my Study But I love Peace also and true Devotion And we know he that is the God of Truth is in like manner the God of Peace and to be Worship'd with the Devotion of Love and of a Sound Mind God encrease this Devotion and let us endeavour to secure and promote it I may err I will not be turbulent or uncharitable and to that purpose I will dispute as little as I can I cannot dissemble that I wish in this regard all men were of my mind FINIS