William Robinson Clark

“ There are still many religious and devout minds who are unable to rise above the conception of the Divine Spirit as an influence or energy; and this undeniable fact is an evidence of the need of more careful instruction on the subject. On the importance of the doctrine it is not necessary to insist. Either the Holy Ghost is very God, of one substance with the Father and the Son, or the Church Universal has been in error for many centuries. ”

“ Those who call in question the truth of the doctrine because it was unknown to patriarchs and Hebrews, can hardly have apprehended the principle of Divine Revelation or even of the natural and providential government of the world. In all spheres the Divine processes are gradual, and it would not be reasonable to expect that the Most High should flash upon the eyes of His creatures the full blaze of a complete revelation of Himself without a previous prolonged and careful preparation. ”

“ As regards the testimony of the New Testament, we cannot doubt that the doctrine is plainly declared in the baptismal formula: "Make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost;" ”

“ The agnostic is merely interposing his own wilfulness in order to shut out the light which descends from heaven. God has truly revealed Himself; and, although our knowledge of Him can never be complete, yet, as far as it goes, it may be true and adequate. ”

“ It has been remarked that men who professed to believe in "gods many and lords many," have yet in their hours of danger invoked the one God and Lord of all; and one of the greatest minds of the Church of Christ has told us that the heathen had never fallen so utterly under the belief of false gods as to have lost the idea of the one God from whom all things proceed. [4]
If, however, we accept the testimony of the Christian Scriptures, we shall conclude that God is not only Unity, but Trinity in Unity. They tell us of a Father who reveals Himself through the Son and by the Holy Spirit. ”

“ Dangerous it were for the feeble brain of man to wade far into the doings of the Most High; whom although to know be life, and joy to make mention of His name; yet our soundest knowledge is to know that we know Him not as indeed He is, neither can know Him. ”

“ No words could express more clearly the personality of the subject concerning whom the testimony is given. Our Lord contrasts Him with Himself as "another Paraclete" a strange manner of speech if the other Paraclete were a mere influence. Then personal acts and attributes are assigned to Him: He will teach, He will bring to remembrance; when the Lord Jesus departs, He will come in His place; and he will guide into truth, and declare things to come. If such language does not signify the personality of the subject, no language could certainly do so. ”

“ The writers of the New Testament employ language concerning the Son and the Holy Spirit which is intelligible only on the supposition that each of these Persons is, equally with the Father, Very and Eternal God. ”

“ Or how shall our spiritual life be duly fostered and strengthened if we are in error concerning the Giver of life, who is with us to lead us into all truth, and is the Author of every grace and of every gift? ”

“ That there is one Being above all others, in whom all things subsist, uncreated, self-existent, eternal, infinite, is not only the faith which is consciously held by all who worship the living and true God, but it is a belief which has always been shared, although dimly and indistinctly, even by polytheists and idolaters. ”

“ ALL history testifies to the existence, in the human race, of an inextinguishable longing for a knowledge of God. Oftentimes the enquiry may seem to be abandoned in despair. Men have been ready to confess that the mystery of the Godhead was unsearchable, and to cry out: "Canst thou by searching find out God? ”

“ It is indeed a doctrine of vital importance. It is no mere open question respecting which men may hold harmlessly differences of opinion. It is an essential part of the faith of the Catholic Church. It affects our relation to Christian truth in many ways. How can we understand aright the nature of the Church of Christ itself, if we are ignorant of Him who dwells in the Church as a living temple ”

“ It has been well said that we must not quarrel with the evidences of the Being of God which have brought satisfaction to other minds, nor lay too much stress upon those which approve themselves to our own judgment. ”

“ It may be well, however, to dwell for a moment on the well known fact, that the doctrine of a Trinity in the Godhead has been held and taught by heathen people, and those too, who, as far as we know, were uninfluenced by the revelation which was made to the chosen people, the children of Israel. ”

“ With regard to the exact meaning of the word, Paraclete, here translated Comforter and elsewhere Advocate, we shall hereafter have something to say. At present we are concerned only with the Personality of the Paraclete. On this point let us consider the force of our Lord’s teaching as recorded by S. John, in the fourteenth and sixteenth chapters of his Gospel, "I will pray the Father," He says, "and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth: Whom the world cannot receive ”

“ Man's need of God. God may be known. God one and three. 1. The Doctrine of the Trinity gradually revealed. II. Divinity and Personality of the Holy Spirit. 1. Divinity.— (1) Name of God given; (2) Divine attributes and actions ascribed; (3) Worker of Miracles. 2. Personality.— (1) Testimony of Gospels, specially words of Christ. (2) Acts of Apostles; (3) Epistles. III. History of the Doctrine; Council of Constantinople. IV. Procession of Holy Spirit. ”