An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches

§. 28. There are of late some of great Wit and Learning, who have adventured upon another sort of Description of the Trinity; Men whose parts I greatly value: (Peter Sterry, Dr. H. More, Mr. John Turner of St. Thomas Hospital; and before them some in Germany went some such way▪) They say, that from the prime Being emaneth, say some, or is created, say others; the [Greek or Hebrew] which is the second Hypostasis or person, and Matter which is the third; and this caused Life and Matter (the Son and Holy Ghost) are one indivisible, (though distinguishable) Being, there being no Spirit (saith Dr. M.) save God, that is not a Soul to some Body. Some of them tell us not whether this first produced LIFE and MATTER, be the Universal ⟨p. xix⟩Matter of the World, animated by an universal Soul; or whether they mean only some prime Soul and Matter, that was made or caused before the rest: But others let us know, that it is the universal that they mean: And if so, they must needs hold the World, as to all its Spirit and Matter, to be eternal, (though in Particles alterable) and to be God himself: The prime Entity, the Life and the Matter, being the Father, Son and Spirit: But they that hold not this universal Life and Matter, do think that God by a most eminent Life and Spirit that was eternal, did create all the rest, as inferior to them.

§. 28. There are of late some of great Wit and Learning, who have adventured upon another sort of Description of the Trinity; Men whose parts I greatly value: (Peter Sterry, Dr. H. More, Mr. John Turner of St. Thomas Hospital; and before them some in Germany went some such way▪) They say, that from the prime Being emaneth, say some, or is created, say others; the 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 which is the second Hypostasis or person, and Matter which is the third; and this caused Life and Matter (the Son and Holy Ghost) are one indivisible, (though distinguishable) Being, there being no Spirit (saith Dr. M.) save God, that is not a Soul to some Body. Some of them tell us not whether this first produced LIFE and MATTER, be the Universal ⟨p. xix⟩Matter of the World, animated by an universal Soul; or whether they mean only some prime Soul and Matter, that was made or caused before the rest: But others let us know, that it is the universal that they mean: And if so, they must needs hold the World, as to all its Spirit and Matter, to be eternal, (though in Particles alterable) and to be God himself: The prime Entity, the Life and the Matter, being the Father, Son and Spirit: But they that hold not this universal Life and Matter, do think that God by a most eminent Life and Spirit that was eternal, did create all the rest, as inferiour to them.