Jesus, Prophet of Islam - The Islamic Bulletin

Laier Unitarians in Christianity 191

In 1645, the manuscript of the Twelve Argumentswas seized and
Biddle was imprisoned. He was called to appear before Parliament
but still refused to accept the Deity of the Holy Spirit. He reprinted
the pamphlet in 1647. On the 6th of September of the same year,
Parliament ordered that the pamphlet be bumt by the hangman,
and this was done. On the 2nd of May, 1648, a 'Severe Ordinance'
was passed. It stated that anyone who denied the Trinity, or the
divinity of Jesus or of the Holy Spirit, would suffer death without
the benefit of clergy. Asummary of the Twelve Arguments, the cause
of such extreme measures, follows:

1. Whoever is distinguished from God is not God.
   The Holy Spirit is distinguished from God.
   Therefore the Holy Spirit is not Cod.


2. He Who gave the Holy Spirit to the Israelites is
   [ehova Alone,
   Therefore the Holy Spirit is not Jehova, or God.


3. Whoever does not speak of his own accord
   is notGod.
   The Holy Spirit does not speak of his own accord.
   Therefore the Holy Spirit is not God.

4.   Whoever is taught is not God.



Whoever is told what to say by another



is taught.



Christ speaks what he is toId.



Therefore Christ is not God.

(Here Biddle quotes John 8: 26 where Jesus says:

'Whatsoever 1 have heard from Him, these things 1

speak.')

5.   In John 16: 14 Jesus says:



'God is He that giveth all things to all.'



He that receives from another is not God.

6. He that is sent by another is not God.



The Holy Spirit is sent by God.



Therefore the Holy Spirit is not God.