XII arguments 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 Parliament ... / by John Biddle.

To the impartial Reader.

Reader,

WHen I consider with my self, how many Truths have (in their dawn∣ings) gone forth like the Morning, & are now risen unto a glorious day, unto the amazement and confound∣ing 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 vail spread o∣ver all Nations remains undestroyed; yet I know too, that Truth's bare brests are Ar∣mour of Prooff against all the daring darts of Satan, and all the furious attempts and stormes of the flesh;) I cannot but abun∣dantly rejoyce in the glory of its strength. How many things have in several 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 stubble? Again, how many Truths have been cryed downe as Blasphemy and Errour, the beames of whose glory are now ready to dazzle and obscure all the glory of the flesh? Sometimes tak∣ing in those (through the goings forth of God in it.) who have been the mightiest ene∣mies, insomuch that (standing amazed a while) 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 beau∣ties of his holiness; 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 un∣to the yoak, might be made willing, and the Lord alone exalted in them, by them, and a∣mongst 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 symptomes of life in them) we could not but startle at it: what is the profession, or Religion, of most part of men,

but formal and fleshly? Are they not like those barbarous Lettoes, who were alwaies 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 been so of long taught by their Ancestours. Mens mouths 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 'tis evident, they have no more then what Education affords, nay lesse, because not moralized; wherein Heathens out-stript them: they know not God, did they, they could not lightly Blas∣pheme him; they go Christless, and have not received the Spirit of wisdome in the Reve∣lation and knowledge of him; and this makes them to cry out that whatsoever is not accor∣ding to their fleshly Forms, is Errour, Here∣sie, Blasphemy, because it will not hold ac∣cording to carnal principals, unto which they must needs reduce all things, who have no principal of life within them; such are those who are called Christians, and yet reel to and fro through wine and strong drink, and swell by reason of Oathes, living in abomi∣nations; 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 Rea∣der, i. e. one that is so indeed.

I know many men (as well as my self) will be ready to cry out. Blasphemy, Blasphemy, at the first view of the Title-Page; yet I could wish that they would imbrace the A∣postles counsel, Prove all things, bolding fast that which is good: Call all things to a serious examen, and reject nothing hand o∣ver-head, take nothing upon trust, without a fore-examining of every circumstance, lest in the one, they should reject truth in stead of errour; and in the other, embrace errour in stead of truth.

The Author hath a long time waited up∣on learned men, for a satisfactory answer to these Arguments; but hath received none: his hopes are, that the publishing of them will be a means to produce it, that he may receive satisfaction, and others may be held no longer in suspence, who are in travel 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 yield the least satis∣faction to a doubting spirit. Secondly, that invectives, railings, or reproachful terms, 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 argu∣ings of our times, both in Press and Pulpit. Thirdly, to prohibit the progress of it can no wayes unscruple doubting spirits, amongst whom (for the present) I number my self ex∣pecting an Answer to these ensuing Argu∣ments; and that God will be with him that undertaketh it, and give in a spirit of meekness, and of wisdome, in the revelation and knowledg of truth, shall be the matter of his prayers, who desires truth may be cleared up, and shine like the noon-day, and all error confounded, and vanish before truth, like a mist before the Sun.

I. H.