ΘΕΙΟΣ DIVINE BEAMS OF GLORIOUS LIGHT. Shining from the sacred Scriptures, which expel the Fogs of Error, that Engender darkness, in doubting souls, by mistaken thoughts, TOUCHING The Deity, Faith, And Christian Ordinances. WITH A Cordial to heal the corrosives which the ill potion prepared by Mr. John Fry, a late Member of Parliament, hath engendered. Written by one, who desires more that God may be glorified, then to affix his name to gain the vain applause of Man. Licenced and Entered in the Stationer's Hall Book. London Printed by Robert Ibbitson 1651. Divine Beams of glorious Light, shining from the sacred Scriptures, which expel the fogs of error that engender darkness in doubting souls, by mistaken thoughts touching the Deity, Faith, and Christian Ordinances, with a Cordial to heal the Corasive which the ill potion prepared by Mr. John Fry, a late Member of Parliament hath engendered. THe Philosophers, though generally they conformed their judgements to Reason, yet the most solid of them acknowledged there was a God (though not to be attained unto by that study) which they called the unknown God, Act. 17.23. Divine love in regeneration teacheth us that there is a God, whom though now with corrupted dark reason we cannot see, yet by faith we can believe, by the rules of Scripture serve, and through hope wait for, calling upon his name. But some (who have professed Religion) presume to be above Ordinances, whilst the Atheists do deride and scorn them, both which contract an equal share in guilt, as fighters against the Government of Jesus Christ in his Church here on earth. And in this Satanical design against the Lord Jesus, some are great strivers to defame those that dispense the word and Sacraments, that so Religion may the more easily be overturned, and every man do any wickedness that seems good in his own eyes which ought not so to be, Deut. 12.8. I desire all solid Christians to search their own hearts, and there deal plainly with their own consciences, whether there be not usually a nearer communion with God in the Ordinances then in any other dispensation. Whosoever thou art, that hast ever tasted of the sweetness of God and his love, tell me when waft thou so much filled with comfort from God's presence, as at such a time, when thou hast heard such or such an heart breaking Sermon; or in prayer with such or such holy people, or in thy closet, or at some public or private devotion. Nay more, who is there that hath sweet communion with God, that sometimes after a dull and dead affection heaven-ward, having prayed, and implored the Throne of grace, before they have done wrestling with God, as Jacob did with the Angel, have not many a time at last found so great a blessing, that their hearts have been even swallowed up with divine ravishments of God. I have been much troubled to see what hath been published by some, pretenders to promote Religion, and yet leveled to overthrow the doctrine of the deity, the preaching of the gospel, and the administration of the Ordinances. Amongst the rest, there are some things that have been declared by Mr. John Fry, (a late Member of, but) Voted against by the Parliament, concerning which, I shall briefly give you my thoughts. He himself saith, he desires to stand and fall according to judgement and reason: He hath asserted, and here I shall assert too, and then let Scripture judge; and I assure you I look not on his person in my exceptions; The interest I aim at herein is only to advance Christ, and his truth against gainsayers. Neither do I make any apology for the factious Presbyterians, or Prelates, nor any others of the troublers of Israel, who disquiet the comforts of those poor souls who through experience (without literal learning) have sweet outflowing in society with each other, through the internal power of the divine workings. And in this let reason judge, (whether he appeals himself) If studies, with serious considerations; taking the assistance of the learned works of predecessors, (as handmaidens to the meditations of preachers of the Gospel) will not add to, and illustrate their abilities to preach to others; And whether premeditated Sermons be not most beneficial to the auditors. If not to help their own judgements, yet their expressions. My thoughts are, to have an high esteem of all such as are precious in God's account, who is good to the Saints under variety of dispensations, yet even Saints experiences though good to themselves, may (when mis-spoken) through mistakes, prove of evil effect to others, who take them upon other grounds than the Saints apprehended them. And whose judgement is so infallible, that they may not possibly in some things take opinion for truth, when they speak their own imaginations, and think it to be a truth settled on their hearts by God; Master Fry confesseth he cannot meet with any that goes with him in his way, and you know there is a woe denounced against him that is alone. And for the Assembly of Divines (those that now sit; For the disserters, I have nothing to plead for them) I could Catalogue them one by one, and tell you where, and how often they preach every week in their respective places, even as the Oracles of God, and to the great comfort of their Auditors, amongst whom are many precious souls. In that he pretends to take example by the noble Bereans to search the Scriptures, he doth well if he doth so, but I would desire him to reflect upon his own actions, and see wherein he hath not followed them, and let him tell me, if ever he found them or any other holy people to publish what they concurred not with, as Crimes against the devout Clergy that taught them, but rather put up hearty prayers to God in Christ, to make them able Ministers of the Gospel, 2 Cor. 1.11. Phil. 1.4.10. Rom. 15.30. Phil. 4.22. And though he hath followed Hagar with Ishmael to the Well, then so near her to preserve them, when they were ready to faint for want of water, yet if with jobs Wife in his mistakes, he traduce men to blaspheme God, I hope I may tell him as Job told his Wife, that he speaketh as one of the foolish women, Job 2.9, 10. and so give a check to his error, and present a Cordial to the people, to heal the Corasive his ill prepared potion hath engendered: As for the verbal errors and contradictions by some delivered in Pulpits, it is no wonder, Humanum est errare, in many things we offend all; yea those great Ministers sent out by such a glorious visible Call, in some external things differed, and had great disputes, Gal. 2.11. And it cannot be expected that we can attain to perfection here on earth, whilst we remain in this corruptible natural body, where at the best whilst we are in the flesh, we know in part, and we prophesy in part, 1 Cor. 13.9, 10, 11. Therefore the Lord hath so glorously provided a Discipline for the Church, by which it is to be built up according to the rule of the Scriptures, which we are to search and follow all our days. And whatever Papists say, it is not with us as with them, for they believe the Scripture no otherwise then as the Church believes; but we preach that the Church is to be believed in what it concurres with the Word, and as Paul saith, so ought every Minister of the Gospel to teach, saying, So follow me, even as I follow Christ, which is the rule of God's Word, 2 Thess. 3.7, 8, 9 Heb. 13.7. 1 Pet. 2.21. And we have great cause to bless God for the flourishing of the Gospel, and liberty which he hath given the Saints, to serve him in so much peace as is at this day in this Nation. Indeed for one of Mr. Fryes assertions, I do not see but we may very well close with it, I do not know any Orthodox Minister in England that will deny it, (viz.) That men cannot justly be taxed with immodesty, or turbulence of spirit, for not closing with all their Teachers would obtrude upon them, if after a careful and conscionable search, they find no footing for such things in the Scriptures. But yet Christians must take heed they do not under that pretence like Alexander the Coppersmith, design great evils against the sincere Preachers of the Gospel, for the Lord will reward such according to their works; and of such the Apostle bids the Saints beware, as withstanders of the Gospel of salvation preached to the people, 2 Tim. 4.14, 15. As for that great Controversy he makes about , wherein he saith, there is a great contradiction in what is taught; I cannot insist upon every thing what every man saith, yet because those seeming contradictions that he allegeth may become a stumbling block to simple people, if not cleared, give me leave meekly to vindicate those Scriptures, and clear the truths. First, he allegeth, 1 Cor. 3.5. Phil. 2.13. Ephes. 3.8. James 1.17. as crossing, Isa. 1.16. Isa. 5.4. Phil. 2.12. but if you mark the scope of 2 Cor. 3.5, 2 Cor. 9.8. you will find these places of Scripture will be easily reconciled; our sufficiency is of God, but it is ours when God hath given it us, when God inables us we can wash and be clean; when he gives us power we can put away the evil we before acted: As a sick man whom God gives an appetite to, can then eat. Consider but this, That the same God saith, that in him we live and move, and have our being, Acts 17.28 yet we know that God gives us means to live, and that is by food; Is it not in man's will to eat and live (for a time in this life) or fast, and die; I do not say man hath this power at all times when he will; there is a time, at which and at no time else, it may be said, Now is the appointed time, Jer. 8.7. Dan. 11.35. There is a glorious harmony in the Scriptures, if they be not misunderstood, as those who are led by carnal reason cannot but do, but the right knowledge of the Word is Spiritual, by believing, Rom. 8. John 1. etc. Another parcel of Scriptures he hath gathered, and saith, that if we tie ourselves to the bare letter, we shall find but little harmony between them (viz.) Isa. 1.16, 17. Phil. 2.12. Mat. 11.28. with Joh. 6.4. and 2 Cor. 3.5. with Jam. 1.17. The former rule will help us to reconcile these places of Scripture also. It is true, no man can come unto Christ except the Father draw him; but when God by his Spirit hath broken their hearts, and made them weary with the load of their sins, and drives them to thoughts of a necessity of seeking Christ, and to behold mercy tendered by Christ, than they are by his Spirit enabled if they will to go to Christ, even when he by his Spirit knocks at the doors of their hearts; without Christ we can do nothing, john 15.5. but in Christ we can do all things through him that strengthens us, Phil. 4.13. And so again it is true, we cannot of ourselves think a good thought, but when God gives us a sufficient measure of grace, we can then through Christ work out our salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. and by faith, in the power of Christ, lay hold on eternal life, 1 Tim 6.12. not in our own strength, but in that sufficiency which we have from God, 2 Cor. 3.5. And again, every good and perfect gift is from God, but when God tenders the means of grace, we may wash and be clean, though not of ourselves, yet in his strength, his grace is sufficient for us, 2 Cor. 12 9 There is a time wherein if we seek God he will be found, which if let slip, perhaps we shall never enjoy such an opportunity again, Mat. 23.37. Now I pray you tell me (whosoever will seriously lay it to heart) whether this method hath not more of Gospel's truth in it, and gives not more satisfaction and comfort to a dejected soul then M. Fryes decisions, and those needless discords which he raiseth to disturb the harmony of the sacred Scriptures, and obstruct the way of pressing the people to an hearty seeking God in his Ordinances, which he seems to discourage; Though afterwards he would seem to minse it. But to pass by these, and some other particulars that I might insist upon; I shall chiefly fasten on the most material exceptions in both his books, declared against by the Parliament, viz. 1. Exception, Mr. Fry saith in his book entitled, The Accuser shamed, &c, Thus, viz. That chaffy and absurd opinion of three persons or subsistences in the Godhead; That gross and carnal opinion of three distinct persons or subsistences in the Godhead: persons and subsistences, are substances or accidents. As for the word person, I do not understand that it can be properly attributed but to man. It is out of doubt with me, that if you ask the most part of men what they mean by a person, they will either tell you 'tis a man, or else they are not able to give you any answer at all. And for the word accident, I suppose none will attribute that to God; For according to my poor skill, that word imports no more but the figure or colour etc. of a thing; and certainly no man ever saw the likeness of God, as the Scriptures abundantly testify. And therefore neither of the words, persons or subsistences, can hold forth such a meaning as Accidents in God. Athanasius in his Creed saith, There is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost; others say, That there is three distinct subsistences in God Well, these three persons or subsistences cannot be accidents neither do I think it is the meaning of any. Then certainly they must be substances: if so, than they must be created or uncreated, limited or unlimited: if created and limited, than the person of the Father is a creature, the person of the Son a creature, and the person of the Holy Ghost a creature, which I think none will affirm: If they are not created or limited, than they must be uncreated or unlimited, for I know no medium between created and uncreated, limited and unlimited: If they are uncreated and unlimited, then there are three uncreated and unlimitea Substances, and so consequently three Gods. For my part I find no footing for such expressions in Scripture, and I think them fit only to keep ignoraut people in carnal and gross thoughts of God, and therefore I do explode them out of my Creed. The chief of Mr. Fryes discourse here, is against the words Subsistance, Trinity, Person, and Unity ascribed to the deity, concerning which, any Christian who believes the Scriptures may receive full and ample satisfaction from them, I will insist on each particular. viz. 1 Touching the word Subsistance, The word of the Lord saith, God hath strength and wisdom, Job 12.16. And he is the fountain of essence by which all things subsist and have their being, Act. 17.28. And he is therefore called in the Hebrew, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah, Jah, Ebie, all derivitives of the Radix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be, or have subsistence; and so acknowledged by the Apostle, Rev. 1.4, 8. Rev. 11.17. Rev. 16.5. He that is, was, and is to come. 2 Touching the word Trinity, this Record is not only in earth, but hath been and shall be in heaven from eternity to eternity, for ever and ever, 1 john 5.7. there are many places of Scripture to prove it, Matth. 18.19. 2 Corin. 13.14. Matth. 3.16, 17. Hag. 2 5. Psa. 33.6. Rev: 1.4, 5. 1 Cor: 12.4, 5, 6. Eph: 2.18. Eph: 2.22 Esa: 63.9, 10. job 14.16. john 15.26, Gal: 4.6. 1 Thes: 3.11, 12. 2 Thes: 3.5. and many more Texts of the Word of the Lord. 3 Touching the word Person, It is a Scripture phrase used to the deity, Heb. 1.2, 3. And this is more particularly laid down touching the pesons in the Trinity, viz. the Father, Mat. 18.10. the Son, 2 Cor. 2.10. 2. Cor: 4.6. and the holy Ghost, Psal. 95 6. compared with Heb. 3.7. which is according to the personal actings ascribed to the Trinity, Psal: 2.7, 8. Psal: 110.4. Cant: 2.1. Mal: 3.1. Cant: 4. ult. Acts. 1.16. Acts 4.24. Acts 10.1. Acts 13.2, 35. john 11.42. Heb: 1: 5: Rev: 2.2. 1 Cor: 12.4, 5, 6. 2 Cor: 13.14: 2 Thess: 2.16. Gal: 1.1. Ephes: 5.5. Rev: 1.4.5. Damascen doth thus in his judgement prove the Trinity by this demonstration, Vnus deus, non sine verbo est, God being but one, is never without the Word: But this word he hath in himself, begotten of his own substance, not like unto our word, which hath no substance, but vanishes in the air, because the condition of our nature is temporal, but like as our word proceedeth from the mind neque per totum menti idem est etc. is neither the same with the mind, nor yet altogether divers from it, so is the Son unto the Father, which is the word, the same in substance, but divers in subsistence, oportet autem & verbum spiritum habere, nam & verbum nostrum nequaquam spiritus est expers: But the word also must have a spirit, for neither is our word without a spirit: But here is a difference, our spirit is not of the same substance with us, but the drawing in of the air, for we are of a compound nature, but the spirit of the word, is of the same substance with the word, Damascen, lib. 1. de fide orthodox. ca 6, 7. And to amplify it yet further, he saith in the same place; Impossibile est Deum destitutum esse native faecunditatis, etc. It is impossible that God should be destitute of natural fecundity; The Lord there fore must needs beget, sed expropria substantia generat, but he begetteth out of his own substance, and that from all eternity; for if the Son had not been from the beginning co-existent with him of whom he was begotten, we shall bring in a change of his substance; nam cum non esset pater, postea factum est pater, for so when he was yet no Father, he afterwards should become a Father, Damas'. idem. And Bernerd saith, ubi numerus, etc. where is the number? But here I have what I may number, and what I may not number, there is one substance, and three persons, etc. Bernerd lib. de considerate. 4. Touching the Unity of the Deity, the Scriptures plainly declare that God is one, Deutre●n: 6.4. Jsay 44.6. john 17.3. yea; And in the decalogue the very first command is, Thou shalt have none other Gods but me, neither of which Mr. Fry can deny, exeept he will explode them also out of his Creed, which if any will not submit to, let them here consider reason from Damascen. 1. Deus perfectus est, etc. God is perfect, Si multo afferimus Deos, in multis differentiam contemplari oportet; if we affirm many gods, in many we must needs find a difference: Si autem differentia in eyes, ubi perfectio; But if there be a difference among them, where is their perfection? For if there be difference in respect of wisdom, goodness, virtue, à perfecto deficit, there is a failing in perfection, if there be no difference but an identity, there must also needs be an unity in the God head. 2 Deus incircumscriptum est, God is uncircumscrible, he cannot be circumscribed, defined, or limited to a place, Quomodo si multis diversique sum, incircumscripti erunt, etc. but they be many and divers, how can they be incircumscrible? for wheresoever is one, there cannot be another. 3 Differentia contrarietatem inducit, etc. difference bringeth contrariety and repugnance: if then the world be governed by many, how can it be but it should be corrupted and dissolved? Attenta in his ipsis gubernantibus pugna; Considering the strife between these Governors, Damascen lib: 1: desid: orthodox cap: 5, 6, 7. Bernard sets forth the unity of the Godhead thus; God is one, but not as the Sun or Moon is one, because there is not another; but he is Vnus sibi, idem est semper & uno modo. He is one to himself, the same always, and after the same manner, so is not the Sun and Moon. Clamat uterque se non esse unum sibi, ille motibus, ista defectibus suis: Both of them proclaim, that they are not one and the same with themselves, the one by his motions, the other by the wain and changes, Bernard, Lib. 5. the considerate. II. Exception, Is to a Clause in Mr. Fryes book, entitled, The Clergy in their Colours, (viz.) I cannot let pass one observation, and that is, the strange posture these men put themselves into, when they begin their prayers before their Sermons; whether the fools and knaves in stage plays took their pattern from these men, or these from them, I cannot determine etc. what wry mouths, squint eyes, screwed faces do they make, etc. This savours of much lightness in Mr. Fry, like the carriage of the Scribes and Pharisees to Christ and his Apostles, deriding and scorning them for their devotion; and as the poor Publican was disdained by the boasting Pharisee, who smote upon his breast and prayed, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. But Christ's Apostles were of another mind, they rejoiced to hear of devout praying, yea the holy and blessed Spirit of God is promised to help the infirmities of those whose desires are so full that they cannot express themselves, Rom. 8. Yea and Jesus Christ himself wept, and groaned when he prayed at the raising of Lazarus, and fell down on the ground when he prayed in his Agony in the Garden; devotion (when it is most sound and heavenly in the heart) will teach the mouth, Prov. 16.23. and stir up the body to a zeal heaven-ward, as of sincerity, as in the sight of God, speaking in Christ, 2 Cor. 2.17. III. Exception, Master Fry saith again in the same book in derision of this devotion; How like a company of Conjurers do they mumble out the beginnings of their prayers, that the people may not hear them? and when artificially they have raised their voices, what a puling do they make? But this is very much for the advantage of the people, for when Ministers begin with a loud voice, their spirits are usually so spent, that before they have half done their Sermons, few can hear them in a large Congregation, and the voice is much the clearer and plainer, the whole time of Prayer and Sermon by beginning low, and increasing the elevation of their voice. iv Exception, out of the said book is this (viz.) Mr. Fry saith; I must confess I have heard much of believing things above Reason, and the time was when I swallowed that pill; but I may say as St. Paul, etc. When I was a child, etc. Every man that knoweth any thing, knoweth this, that it is Reason that distinguisheth a man from a beast. If you take away his Reason, you deny his very Essence and therefore if any man will consent to give up his Reason, I would as soon converse with a beast as with that man: and whatsoever pretence some may make of Religion in this particular, certainly there is nothing else in it but ignorance and policy. Hereby is Heathenism much exalted by Mr. Fry, and the excellency of faith defaced, as doth very clearly appear by the Gospel. Will you know what faith is? The Holy Ghost tells us in the Scriptures, That it is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, Heb. 11.1. Faith teacheth us that all things were made by God of nothing, vers. 3. Reason cannot reach this; and in that Chapter we have many examples above reason, which our faith is engaged to believe. As Abel's speaking being dead, enoch's translation, Noah's Ark, Sarahs' Child by Abraham in their old age, isaack's deliverance by the Ram, Moses preservation in the Flags, etc. Augustine saith, that the Saints know God, not by the outward senses, but in divine ravish. And so Paul told the Ephesians, that it was not from dark natural Philosophy, and carnal reason, but Gods opening of Believers eyes by Divine enlightenings, that they come by faith to know what is the hope of their calling, and the riches of the glory of Christ's Inheritance in them, Ephes. 1.17. For we are saved by grace through faith, which is not to be attained unto by reason of ourselves; it must be believed above reason, because even faith itself is the gift of God also, Ephes. 2.8. Peter Martyr tells us, that Faith abundantly gathereth out of the holy Scriptures the knowledge of God, as much as sufficeth to Salvation, or as much as this our life is able to receive; yet Paul testifieth this knowledge to be unperfect; For now we know him by a Glass in a shadow, and but partly; Who knew that his reason could not apprehend what his faith could reach, but by believing pressed forwards towards the price of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus, Phil. 3.12, 13, 14. In a word, the eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, by reason, to know the things which by faith we are to believe God hath prepared for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9, 10, 11, 12. FINIS.