Canons (Mongredien and Coulson) n. 33

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33. CHAPTER I

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE DIVINE THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE ONE, INFINITE, OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT, AND OMNIPRESENT GOD BY MEANS OF HIS HUMAN TAKEN ON IN THE WORLD 1. The Holy Spirit is not by itself, or independently, a God, nor does it proceed from God the Father by means of the Son, like a Person proceeding from Persons, in accordance with the doctrine of the present-day Church. 2. This is quite inconsistent, the definition of the term "person" being that it is not a part or quality in another, but has a continuing existence on its own. 3. It is also inconsistent that, although the peculiar nature and quality of the one are separate from those of the other, nevertheless they are one undivided essence. 4. Not only does this result inevitably in an idea of three Gods, but in an avowal of three Gods as well; yet, in accordance with the Athanasian Creed, these three must not, on account of Christian faith, be spoken of as three but as one. 5. The truth is that, from eternity or before creation, there were not three Persons each one of Whom was God; thus there were not three Infinites, three Uncreates, three Immeasureable, Eternal, Omnipotent Beings, but One. 6. On the contrary, it was after creation that a Divine Trinity came into being, for then from the Father was born the Son, and from the Father by means of the Son proceeds the Holy called the Holy Spirit. 7. Consequently, because the Father is the Soul and Life of the Son, because the Son is the Human Body of the Father, and because the Holy Spirit is the Divine proceeding, it follows that they are of one and the same Substance, and therefore they do not continue in existence independently, but conjointly. 8. And because the peculiar attributes of the one, in accordance with order, are derived into and pass over into the second, and from this into the third, they are One Person, and so One God. 9. Comparatively as in every angel and in every man all his activity proceeds from the soul by means of the body. 10. Reason, enlightened by Sacred Scripture, perceives this; accordingly it is the trinity of a Person that is God's Trinity, not a Trinity of Persons, because this is a Trinity of Gods.


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