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1638.
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Subject terms
Christian life -- Early works to 1800.
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"The heavenly academie." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/a11072.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 6, 2024.
Pages
descriptionPage 50
CHAP. V.
A fourth benefit of the
Heavenly Academie;
Teaching to teach.
THere is yet a fourth
excellence of the
highest Academie, and it
is this; That the Doctor
of that Chaire teacheth
men best to bee the best
Teachers. And this be∣ing
the scope of most of
those that study Divinitie
in the lower Academies;
for this should they
chiefly, though making
use of the lower, passe up
and ascend to the higher:
descriptionPage 51
for the higher hath here∣in
divers advantages a∣bove
the lower.
Toward a generall dis∣coverie
hereof, wee may
take notice, That Christ
Jesus when hee ascended
up on high, and received
from his Father all power
both in Heaven and earth,
did undertake the buil∣ding
of his own Church.
And for the perfecting of
this holy building hee
sent downe gifts unto
men, by which they were
made able and skilfull
Builders. And no doubt
these are the best & most
able Teachers, whom
descriptionPage 52
Christ the great Lord of
the building doth enable
to teach, and to build by
teaching. And indeed if
Christ hath enabled that
number, which hee hath
deputed for this building,
how can any man thinke
that hee is a fit and kindly
builder, except hee be of
thata number whom
descriptionPage 53
Christ hath thus ena∣bled?
The gifts which
Christ gave, are those
that should perfect the
Saints, fulfill the worke
of the Ministerie, and edi∣fie
the body of Christ.
Wherefore the Giver of
those gifts being gone up
on high, let men also lift
up their eyes on high for
descriptionPage 54
those gifts. And as the
Disciples stayed in Hie∣rusalem,
untill they were
endued with the power
of teaching from on high:
so let men that stay in the
lower Academie, in their
stay, earnestly seeke to
receive a power from on
high. Let them not
wholly look downward,
as if from thence they
could receive the gifts
that are given from
above. Indeed looking
downe, they may see the
gifts that are come down
upon others (though not
upon themselves) and
they may pick up the
descriptionPage 55
crums that fall from the
tables of these Masters:
and making up these in∣to
loaves, they may give
them to the hungrie. But
it must needs be confes∣sed,
that this is a lower
kind of abilitie in teach∣ing,
seeing that which
lends to this must needs
be the higher; the bor∣rower
here also being a
a servant, and therefore
inferiour to the lender.
And it seemes, that not so
much these, as they that
received those gifts from
on high, doe build by
these. But those that re∣ceive
gifts from on high,
descriptionPage 56
either take not all at the
second hand, but some∣what
at the first; or if they
make use of things for∣merly
taught by the gifts
of others, they doe (as it
were) quicken and enlive
them by their owne gift,
and so send them forth
newly animated by the
same Spirit which spake
them. Yea, by this Spi∣rit
they often make them
not onely to live, but to
grow to a greater mea∣sure
of light or heat,
by enlarging them unto
more instruction, or kind∣ling
them unto a more in∣centive
excitation.
descriptionPage 57
But if we will yet take
a more punctuall notice
of the excellencies of this
heavenly teaching of
Teachers, wee may take a
more particular survey of
some eminent abilities gi∣ven
with the gifts of the
highest Teacher.
commonly in an eminent
and more than ordinarie
measure, to those that are
enabled and taught from
above to bee spirituall
Teachers. God who
commanded light to shine
out of darknesse, shines
in their hearts, to give the
light of the knowledge
of the glorie of God
in the face of Jesus
Christ. They receive
light, that they may
turne others from dark∣nesse
to light, and shew
them the way of peace,
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which by this light they
have discovered. They
have an Urim from on
high; and a spirituall
light and sight, by which
they become eyes to the
blind, and a light to them
that sit in darknesse. The
great Shepherd of soules,
and Master of the highest
schoole, doth not send out
from his schoole the
blind to guid the blind,
that both may fall into
the ditch, but hee makes
shining & burning lights,
that they which see them
may not onely rejoyce
in their light, but bee led
by it to the enjoying of
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the supreme & soveraigne
light, in the vision of
whom is perfect blessed∣nesse.
And hee that hath
this light hath the key of
knowledge, by which he
can open the mysteries of
salvation, and discover
the counsells of God, and
see the mind of Christ,
and find out wonders in
Gods Law. He pierceth
into the inward veine of
the word, and (as it were)
lets it bloud, and causeth
to spring from it a floud
of doctrine: whereas the
same word to another
that hath not this light,
seemes like the Rocke
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whereof it was said; Shall
I fetch you water out of
this Rock?
And theb doctrine
flowing from this light of
the Spirit, is most fit for
spirituall building; spiri∣tuall
things being fittest
for spiritual, because most
connatural; yea, because it
flowes from an infused
gift (in a spirituall sense)
it may be said to be most
descriptionPage 62
cnaturall; and because
most naturall, most effe∣ctuall.
Secondly, from this
higher Academie comes
that abilitie of teaching,
which teacheth by do∣ing.
There is a teaching
by word, and a teaching
descriptionPage 63
by conversation; and if
this latter be required of
women, much more of
those men, who are the
Teachers and Fishers of
men. They that teach by
word onely, seeme to
build with one hand one∣ly;
they that teach by
word and example, build
with two hands; but
they that teach by word,
and destroy by example,
doe build with one hand,
and pull downe with the
other. And certainly, if
they destroy what they
build, they are great tre∣spassers,
and foolish buil∣ders.
St. Paul shewes
descriptionPage 64
himselfe a wise Master∣builder,
while hee makes
himselfe a patterne of his
owne doctrine; and be∣ing
a follower of Christ,
calls upon his flock to fol∣low
him, as hee followes
Christ. Hee calls upon
them to do, not only what
they have heard, but
what they have seene in
him: and see what fol∣lowes
such teaching, and
such learning; The God
of peace shall bee with
you.
And this teaching by
patterne doth he deliver
over to his spirituall po∣steritie;
for he calls upon
descriptionPage 65
Timothy his son (and by
him upon his sons sons,
even all the sons of Timo∣thy)
to bee a walking
Word, and a visible Do∣ctrine;
even a patterne of
Beleevers, both in word
and conversation.
True it is, that the peo∣ple
should doe as the
Teachers say, and not as
they doe, when they say
Christs spirituall words,
and doe their owne car∣nall
works. But such is
the corruption of fallen
man-kind, both in sight
and affection, that in sight
it rather lookes on out∣wardly-visible
workes,
descriptionPage 66
than inward, invisible, and
spirituall words, and in
aff••ction it is more apt to
follow carnall examples
than heavenly rules. And
this being a pestilence,
wherewith man-kind is
apt to bee infected to
death, how fearefull is it
to bring such a plague in∣to
a flock?
But on the contrarie, a
holy life joyned to sound
doctrine, is a continuall
testimony and martyr∣dome
of the doctrine.
Such a life commends the
doctrine to the beleefe
and love of men. It per∣swadeth
a possibilitie, and
descriptionPage 67
sheweth a facilitie of do∣ing
it. What we see done,
we thinke may be done,
and when wee see a pat∣terne
before us, we doe it
much the more easily and
perfectly. Now that
Teachers may bee such
patterns of light, inward∣ly
burning, & outwardly
shining, let them repaire
to the Father of lights;
who from this higher A∣cademie,
baptizeth with
that fire which not onely
kindleth light in the souls
of his Messengers, but
makes his Ministers a
flame of fire. And, if
thus kindled from above,
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with holy Barnabas, they
be good men, full of faith
and the Holy Ghost, that
which followed then,
may bee hoped will fol∣low
now; Much people
shal be added to the Lord.
Thirdly, the highest
Schoole, and no other,
teacheth the Art of Ex∣perimentall
Divinitie,
which being learned, doth
give an excellence and
Crowne to the abilitie of
teaching. There is great
oddes betweene an expe∣rienced,
and a meerely-contemplative
Captaine.
And if the great Captaine
of our salvation learned
descriptionPage 69
experimentall obedience
by the things which hee
suffered, and by his suffe∣rings
experimentally ta∣sted
and knowne, knowes
how to take due notice,
consideration, and com∣passion
of those that suf∣fer;
how much advan∣tage
may we thinke is ad∣ded
to his Under-Cap∣taines,
by their experi∣ence
in the Christian war∣fare?
An heavenly Tea∣cher,
with St. Paul, ha∣ving
run the race of Chri∣stianitie,
through honour
and dishonour, through
evill and good report; as
unknown, & yet known;
descriptionPage 70
as dying, and yet living;
as sorrowfull, and yet al∣wayes
rejoycing; as ha∣ving
nothing, and yet pos∣sessing
all things: such an
one (I say) when he meets
with soules in the like e∣states
of honour, or dis∣honour,
and the other
differences incident to a
Christians life, he can pre∣sently
out of his owne
experience draw forth
lessons of direction, re∣proofe,
or consolation:
yea, out of his owne ex∣perience
hee can almost
fore-prophesie events,
and fore-tell issues out of
tentation. And indeed, as
descriptionPage 71
in other states of soule,
so especially in the case
of a broken spirit, expe∣rimentall
Teachers have
an high & eminent advan∣tage.
For such an one
lookes back to his owne
soule, and there reads the
storie of it imprinted by
experience, and from
thence tells the distressed
soule, both the crosse
which shee endures, and
the joy set before her.
Hee talks with the trou∣bled
soule in her owne
language, having thorow∣ly
learned it in this high
schoole of experience:
and when the grieved
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soule doth but heare the
Teacher speaking this
language, she is received:
yea, when she heares him
speake so truely of the
griefe, shee beleeves it is
possible, and perchance
likely, that there may bee
truth in his comforts:
yea, it is no small comfort
to the distressed soule, by
such infallible and evi∣dent
descriptions, to find
and heare one that hath
beene in the like distresse
wherin shee is now affli∣cted.
For one of their
greatest terrours ariseth
hence, that none was ever
in their case; and that
descriptionPage 73
the Almightie hath sin∣gled
them out from all
the world, to be the ve∣rie
marks of his arrowes.
Besides, when these men
bring consolations for
tribulations, they bring
sure and sound ones; for
they bring everie one of
them with a Probatum.
They can name the man
that was cured by them,
and say with the Psal∣mist;
This poore man
cryed unto the Lord, and
thus was heard, comfor∣ted,
and healed. With
St. Paul, they comfort
others with the verie
same consolations where∣with
descriptionPage 74
with themselves have
beene comforted of God.
Thus this skill of experi∣mentall
Divinitie gives
an advantage of know∣ledge,
and not of know∣ledge
onely, but of confi∣dence
to the Teacher; for
he sayes what he knowes:
and on the other side, it
gives an advantage of
trust and comfort to the
hearer.
But the inexperienced
man, when he comes to a
soule set on the rack of a
tortured conscience, and
there uttering the feare∣full
expressions of a terri∣fied
mind; this distressed
descriptionPage 75
soule is a Barbarian to
him, and he is a Barbarian
to her. She speakes what
hee understands not, and
he cannot speake to her in
a language which she can
comfortably understand.
But this Teacher is often
of the same opinion con∣cerning
this troubled
soule, which Christs car∣nall
kinsmen had concer∣ning
him; They sent out
to lay hold on him, say∣ing;
Hee is besides him∣selfe.
And no wonder,
for they never saw sin in
the true ugly shape of it;
they were never upon
mount Sinai, neither did
descriptionPage 76
they there heare the
thunders and lightenings
of the Law against sin;
and therefore they are not
like Moses, who did
quake and tremble. Yea,
this quaking and trem∣bling
is so strange to
them, that they aske with
wonder of these amazed
soules: Why did ye skip
as Rams, and tremble as
little Lambs? To whom
it may bee answered: It
was at the presence of
God on Sinai.
Againe, on the other
side, when the time is
come, wherein God calls
out; Comfort yee, com∣fort
descriptionPage 77
yee my people:
there is no balme in their
Gilead, there is no oyle
of joy in their lamps:
they have not had the
fore-going tribulations,
nor the following conso∣lations:
Therefore if they
would give consolations,
they must bee borrowed
ones (like the axe of the
the young Prophet) and
not the verie same by
which themselves have
beene comforted of God.
Yea, commonly for want
of experience, they know
not the Crisis of a soule,
nor when the soule is vp∣on
a turne, and is come to
descriptionPage 78
the season of receiving
consolation. They know
not the houre of our Sa∣viour,
when hee is ready
to turne the water of tears
into the wine of consola∣tion.
And therefore such
an one often misplaceth
his spirituall physick, and
gives restoratives to a
soule not thorowly pur∣ged
from the love of sin,
or while the fit is upon
the soule; when it were
more fit to weepe with
them that either doe, or
should weepe; and by
that agreement in wee∣ping,
to draw the mour∣ning
soule to a second
descriptionPage 79
agreement, even to re∣joyce
with him that re∣joyceth.
For this is the
wisedome of a Teacher,
experimentally taught
from above; and this
wisedome is justified, and
in high estimation with
all her children.
Fourthly, from the
heavenly schoole de∣scends
a mightie, active,
and maine advancement
of teaching, and that is, a
storge, or naturall affecti∣on,
given to a Teacher.
There is a gift of love in∣fused
by God into the
heart of a Teacher, by
which hee is taught of
descriptionPage 80
God to love his Flock;
and this love inflameth,
constraineth, and teach∣eth
him to teach. In St.
Paul we see deep impres∣sions,
and powerfull ex∣pressions
of this love:
yea, we see him as a man
all on fire with this love;
so that for the love of
soules, wearinesse and
watching, hunger and
thirst, cold and nakednes,
perils and persecutions,
are all but as stubble in
his way; and the fire of
love, wch hath eaten him
up, consumes them also,
and turnes them into no∣thing.
He feeds his sheep
descriptionPage 81
sometimes at his owne
costs, and with an holy
symony buyes the work
of his owne ministerie,
and straines for an argu∣ment
to approve it. For
whereas hee might call
himselfe a Labourer, and
so might plead for the
wages due to his worke,
hee calls himselfe a Fa∣ther,
that thence hee may
fetch a reason of provi∣ding
for his children.
Yea, he doth not expresse
his love onely under this
title of a Father, (though
that character being well
stamped on a Pastor, with
the affections belonging
descriptionPage 82
to it, would make him a∣ctively
and industriously
carefull for the good of
the flock) but he descends
into the lownesse, and (as
it were) the fondnesse of
a Nurse: He softly han∣dles
and dandles, as a
Nurse her children, and
speakes halfe-words, low
doctrines to them, when
he sees they are not gone
beyond milk, nor come
to the digestion of stron∣ger
meat. Yea, hee is so
fervently affectionate to
them, that hee is willing
to have imparted to
them, not the Gospel of
God onely, but his owne
descriptionPage 83
soule. And hee addes the
reason; Because they
were deare unto him.
Hence we learn, That it is
the dearnesse of the flock,
which is the maine spring
that sets all on working.
This is it which imparts
the Gospel willingly, and
not for constraint and lu∣cre:
This is it that makes
a Teacher instant in sea∣son,
and our of season:
Briefly this is it which
makes him with pleasure
to undergoe all labours,
even from the watching
of one houre, to the im∣parting
of his soule or
life. So that if you exhort
descriptionPage 84
a Pastor to visit the sick,
you exhort him but to
one dutie; if you incite
him also to comfort the
weake-hearted, you invite
him but to two; but if
you could give him love,
you give him a Spring and
Incentive, that would
move him to these, and
all other good duties.
And this love is taught
by the highest Teacher:
for hee is Love in the
Fountaine, and all Love
besides himselfe, is a
streame of this Foun∣taine.
But on the other side,
where this Love is wan∣ting,
descriptionPage 85
du••ies are not done
at all, or they are done by
pieces and starts; or they
are done dully and cold∣ly,
and the doers of them
are like the wheeles of
Pharaohs chariots in the
the red sea, they move
verie heavily. The fire
of love is out, by which
being enflamed them∣selves,
they should im∣part
heat unto others; and
the zeale is wanting, by
which they should pro∣voke
many. They have
not in them the affections
of Fathers, and therefore
their flocks appeare to
them in the shape of
descriptionPage 86
bastards, and not of sons.
Accordingly they often
set them our, as some doe
their base children to
wanderers, and such as
will take them best cheap:
or if they give them any
food, their hearts goe not
with it, neither doe they
care whether it doe them
good, or they doe grow
and prosper by it. And
though perchance one of
these may act the part of
a Lover, yet commonly
it will shew like an artifi∣ciall
Scene; that only be∣ing
for the most part pro∣portionable,
durable, and
serious, which is naturall.
descriptionPage 87
Therefore take such an
one as Timothy, that na∣turally
(and not artifici∣ally)
cares for the Church,
and there is no artificiall
man that is like minded
to him: for he takes care
not only for some pieces,
but for the whole estate
of the Church. And hee
works not pieces of Gods
worke, but the whole
work of the Lord; yea,
hee works it, as St. Paul
did; and how hee did it,
wee have seene before.
And if you will see the
root of it, looke into his
inside, and there you
shall see the bowells of
descriptionPage 88
Christ Jesus. The bow∣ells
of Christ Jesus, that
often would have gathe∣red
Jerusalem, as a hen
gathereth her chicken:
the bowells of Christ Je∣sus,
that accounted the
gaine of soules to be his
meat and drink: the bow∣ells
of Christ Jesus, that
have in them the greatest
love to the flocke: for
greater love hath no man,
than he that layeth down
his life for his flocke.
These bowells are in St.
Paul: and therefore no
wonder, if having recei∣ved
the bowells of
Christ, by the spirit of
descriptionPage 89
Christ, hee walke in the
steps of Christ, while he
walketh by the same spi∣rit
of Christ.
Behold then here the
most excellent way, even
the way of love, which
teacheth the Teacher, &
directs him into all the
wayes of profiting his
flock. And this teaching
love is it selfe taught by
the highest Teacher,
whose name, and nature,
& verie being is love; and
by whom men are taught
to love one another; He
it was, that did put an
earnest care of the Church
into the heart of Titus; &
descriptionPage 90
therefore hee it was also,
that did put the bowells
of love into him, from
which issued this care.
And if thou hast the same
bowells, thy flocke will
be thy children, and thou
wilt be a father to them:
in their reigning, thou
shalt reigne; they will be
thy joy and thy crowne
now, and thy great rejoy∣cing
hereafter in the day
of the Lord Jesus. Thou
shalt come to him, and
say; Behold, I and the
children whom thou hast
given me. And hee shall
say to thee; Well done,
good and faithfull ser∣vant,
descriptionPage 91
because thou hast
fed, and loved these my
lambs, thou hast loved
me; and because thou
hast gained many, rule
thou over many Cities.
Tremo potiùs quam dico, ne in immensam abyssū abeat na∣vicula, & desit spiritus. Da enim mihi navim vacuam, gubernatorem, nautas, funes, ancho∣ras, omnia disposita, & nusquam esse spiritum venti, nonne tardat, omnis quantuscunque est apparat{us}, si desit operatio Spirit{us}? Ita fieri so∣let, licet sit sermonis ampla supellex, & mens profunda, & eloquentia, & intelligentia, & non adsit Spiritus sanct{us}, otiosa sunt omnia. Chrys. de Spir. sanct. In Theologicis veritatibus sci∣endis & colligendis, duo genera gratiarum per Christum agnoscere debemus: unum quidem quod per merita & gratiam ipsius ha∣buerimus principia nostrae fidei, ex quibus il∣las veritates colligeremus: alterum, quod ex illis recta ratiocinatione procedentes, myste∣ria nostrae fidei explicemus, & defendamus, & inde veritates Theologicas ad aedificationem Ecclesiae probemus. Et haec est gratia per Christum, de qua loquitur Paulus ad Ephes. 4. Dedit alios Pastores & Doctores. Haec au∣tem gratia dicitur à Paulo, donum prophetiae, 1 Cor. 14. cum appellat Prophetas eos qui mysteria interpretantur. Vasquez 1. 2 ae. Disp. 188. cap. 2.
Ut in Solis ra∣diis, tenuiores, limpidioresque substantiae pri∣mae, influente luce replentur, sicque exupe∣rantem lucem in subsequentes Solis vice transfundunt: ita non sine periculo divinis in rebus quibusque, se aliis Ducem praestare praesumit, qui non per omnia evaserit similli∣mus Deo, & ab inspiratione judicioque divi∣no fuerit gubernator declaratus. Dionys. A∣reop. Eccles. Hier. cap. 3. Sanctis Doctoribus ea quae in sacra pagina continentur occulta, primùm per divinam gratiam aperiuntur, quae postmodùm sive per ipsos, sive per alios, populis manifestè praedicantur. Richar. de Sancto Victore in Apoc. lib. 7. cap. 10. Et nunc & semper adhibendus sit Spiritus, per quem solùm Deus & intelligitur, & exponitur, & auditur. Greg. Naz. Apol. Fug.
Multò nobilior est illa doctrina, quae de sursùm ex divina in∣fluentia manat, quàm quae labo∣riose ac∣quiritur humano ingenio. Thom. Camp. de Imit. Christ. lib. 3. cap. 30. Item cap. 44. Ego sum qui do∣ceo hominem scientiam, & clariorem intelli∣gentiam parvulis tribuo, quàm ab homine possit doceri. Cui ego loquor, citò sapiens e∣rit, & multum in Spiritu prosiciet—Ego sum qui humilem in puncto elevo mentem, ut plures aeternae veritatis capiat rationes, quàm si decem annis studuisset in scholis.
Qui gratiâ Dei & charitate plenus est, si verba sua pro∣fert ab il∣la forma, id est, à gratia & charitare submi∣nistrantur, dicitur loqui à Spiritu Dei, non artificialiter. Sed si careat gratiâ & charitate, & verba justorum in medium proferat, artificiosè dicitur potiùs loqui quàm ex Spiritu Dei. Item, si artifices possent sua artificialia opera facere naturalia, non est dubium quod hoc facerent. Unde vide∣mus quòd conantur abscondere artem.—Oratores & Poetae, qui artem sequuntur pa∣rum orando prosunt: similiter Praedicatores qui arte utuntur, nullum fructum faciunt. Sed Apostoli & alii Praedicatores, qui verba protulerunt per Spiritum Dei, totum mun∣dum converterunt. Savanar. de Simp. vitae, lib. 3. concl. 1, & 2.