Pneumatologia, or A Discourse concerning the Holy Spirit

Sect. 7 The Opposition that is made in the World against the Spirit of God Doctrinally, may be reduced unto two Heads. For some there are who grant his Personality, or that he is a distinct self-subsisting Person; but they deny his Deity, deny him to be a participant of the Divine Nature, or will not allow him to be God. A Created Finite Spirit they say he is, but the chiefest of all Spirits that were created, and the Head of all the Good Angels. Such a Spirit they say there is, and that he is called the Spirit of God, or the Holy Ghost, upon the account of the Work wherein he is employed. This way went the Macedonian Heretics of old, and they are now followed by the Mahometans; and some of late among our selves have attempted to revive the same Frenzy. But we shall not need to trouble our selves about this Notion. The folly of it ⟨p. 47⟩is so evident, that it is almost by all utterly deserted. For such things are affirmed of the Holy Ghost in the Scripture, as that to assert his Personality and deny his Deity, is the utmost madness that any one can fall into in Spiritual things. Wherefore the Socinians, the present great Enemies of the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity, and who would be thought to go soberly about the work of destroying the Church of God, do utterly reject this Plea and Pretence. But that which they advance in the room of it is of no less pernicious Nature and Consequence. For granting the things assigned to him to be the Effects of Divine Power, they deny his Personality; and assert that what is called by the Name of the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit, is nothing but a Quality in the Divine Nature, or the Power that God puts forth for such and such purpose; which yet is no new invention of theirs. ^*I do not design here professedly to contend with them about all the Concernments of this Difference; for there is nothing of importance in all their Pretences or Exceptions, but it will in one place or other occur unto consideration in our Progress; I shall only at present confirm the Divine Personality of the Holy Ghost with one Argument; which I will not say is such as no Man can return the show of an Answer unto; For what is it that the Serpentine Wits of Men will not pretend an Answer unto, or an Exception against, if their Lusts and Prejudices require them so to do?

Sect. 7 The Opposition that is made in the World against the Spirit of God Doctrinally, may be reduced unto two Heads. For some there are who grant his Personality, or that he is a distinct self-subsisting Person; but they deny his Deity, deny him to be a participant of the Divine Nature, or will not allow him to be God. A Created Finite Spirit they say he is, but the chiefest of all Spirits that were created, and the Head of all the Good Angels. Such a Spirit they say there is, and that he is called the Spirit of God, or the Holy Ghost, upon the account of the Work wherein he is employed. This way went the Macedonian Hereticks of old, and they are now followed by the Mahumetans; and some of late among our selves have attempted to revive the same Frenzy. But we shall not need to trouble our selves about this Notion. The folly of it