The Heavenly Academy

The Preface.

I T is the just saying of an Ancient, Prodere grata commemoratione decet scientiae patrem; It is comely to acknowledge with thankfulness, the Father of our knowledge. If this be justly due from man unto man, how much more due is it from man unto God? For though man be called the father of those that are taught by him, yet God is the Father of those fathers; even a Teacher of those teachers: and therefore by our Savior's judgment deserves only the name of Father, in perfection and eminence. Those then that have God to be a Father of knowledge to them, should return to this Father the praise and glory of this knowledge. The heavenly gifts of God, when they move kindly and naturally, do move like the Heavens, in a circular motion; returning to that place and point from which they began first to move; from God unto God. They come from him as graces, and return to him in the shape of glory.

Accordingly, having received a measure of grace from this heavenly Teacher, by which I am what I am, I could not but acknowledge it, and by this acknowledgement return him glory for grace. And because I desire also that others may have the like grace, that God also from others may have the like glory, I testify to others that which I have felt and seen. I have evidently seen and felt, that men are taught of God; and so there is a third school for the Students of Divinity. And as they pass from the Country-school to the University, so should they yet mount higher to a third, even a Celestial Academie. And certainly, as the second excels the first, so & much more doth the third excel the second.

Some perchance may answer with the Servant, Son, and Heir of the Great Elijah; Hold your peace, I know it already. Yet those that know it, will not envy that it be told to those that know it not. There are sons of the Prophets that must grow up like young plants in the house of the Lord; and those have a time when they know it not, and this discourse may meet with that time. Yea there may be some Masters in Israel, into whose ears perchance it hath passed, but not entered into their hearts, that as a man must be borne, so he must be taught from above. And if this nail be driven beyond hearing, into knowledge, experience, and taste, I hope no man will be sorry for such a gain. Besides, too true and common it is, that the natural heart of man willingly lies down and takes up its rest in the abilities of Nature; and fetcheth oracles from thence (the cause of so many errors, and differences the consequences of errors) and therefore hath it need of such goads to awake it, and to make it open the eye and ear to this heavenly Teacher.

It is most true, that those who have not been taught in this higher school of Grace, but only in the lower of Nature, cannot well acknowledge that which they know not; this school being best learned, known, and acknowledged, by those whom it most teacheth. And those who have been well taught there, do well know, that Christians are herein better than their neighbors, even than the best of Pagans, because they are taught by God, the best, most transcendent, and infallible Teacher. The heavenly Teacher teacheth them both what and how to believe; he gives them his heavenly truths contained in his Word; and gives them withal an heavenly mind to discern, believe, and receive them. And thus while a Christian holds his religion by an heavenly hand, & both are given him by an heavenly Teacher: a Christians tenure of religion is far more noble, excellent, and assured than that of the Pagan. A Christian thus taught from above, believes and worships what he knows, whereas the Pagan worships what he knows not; even that which be hath received only by the way of Nature, from natural, deceived, and deceiving men: But the Christian hath a spirit from God in Christ Jesus (for if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is not Christ's) and this Spirit gives him a spiritual eye, which an Heathen hath not; and yet this eye alone, can truly and kindly discern and see spiritual and heavenly truths. And for this spiritual eye, which the Christian hath from the Spirit of God, the Heathens and Mohammedans may say among themselves of a Christian, as once an Heathen King said to his Heathen Subjects of Joseph: Can we find such a man as this? a man in whom is the Spirit of God.

And that such Christians may abound, is the end of this work, which for ought I know, hath not been overwrought, nor thereby made superfluous and unseasonable for the present age. I wish that fetching heavenly knowledge from carnal reason and human wit, have not made it too seasonable. Yet to turn men back the more willingly from this counter-course, I have brought forth patterns of some, who have taught and professed a denial of their own wits and reasons, though acute and excellent; and have (as it were) quenched their own natural lamps, that they might get them kindled above by the Father of lights. Yea, thus did sundry of them, even in those times, when human wit and reason had made too great a mixture with the mysteries of Divinity. Yet then did God preserve the sovereignty of his own light in eminence and glory, by the homage of these men's confessions, and submissions to that light. And if such high thoughts and imaginations (that commonly do most exalt themselves against the knowledge taught of God) do thus submit unto it, the lower should not be high when the higher are low.

The Contents of the Chapters.

• CHAP. I. THe great use and benefit of the lower Academies.
• CHAP. II. The necessity, and eminence of the Heavenly Academie. And first, in point of knowledge.
• CHAP. III. A second benefit of the Heavenly Academie: The attaining of heavenly things after they are known.
• CHAP. IV. A third benefit of the Heavenly Academie: Knowing by tasting.
• CHAP. V. A fourth benefit of the Heavenly Academie: Teaching to teach.
• CHAP. VI. Ways and means of admittance into the Heavenly Academie, and taking degrees in it.
• CHAP. VII. A second step: Denial of man's wit and wisdom.
• CHAP. VIII. A third step: Conformitie to God.
• CHAP. IX. A fourth step: Conversing with God, and diligent coming to his School.
• CHAP. X. An applicatorie and cautionarie Conclusion.

THE HEAVENLY ACADEMIE.

CHAP. I.

O UR Savior Christ having made use of many old things of the Creation, to represent and insinuate many new things of the Regeneration, he infers a position from his practice; therefore every Scribe which is instructed to the Kingdom of Heaven, is like unto a man that is an Housholder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things both new and old.

Whosoever then would express the best character of an heavenly Scribe, from whence should he rather take it, than from the best pattern, lively set forth by the best and highest Teacher, who was that which he described, and described that which he was? And whereas our actions must be guided by rules, he doth justly draw rules from his own actions.

Having then so absolute, both a Pattern and a Teacher, let us boldly frame the character of our heavenly Scribe, to the shape both of this chief Doctor, and of his Doctrine. Accordingly we will commend to our Scribe things both new and old (but the old first, because they are first) and after him who is Truth, will lay down this true position; That toward the making of a learned Scribe, there is a great advantage to be gained by the gathering of old things into his treasury. The Scribe that will be learned, may be a gatherer of old things; and so let him be. Let him gather into his treasury the things of Nature, yea gather a stock of them, and lay them up for his use, when he comes to the new. Let him know in a competent measure what is to be found abroad in the old Creation; yea, let him learn what is copied out of it by art and industry, to serve him in the things of Regeneration: and if in this search he meet with the learning of the Egyptians, he may carry their jewels into his treasury. Let an Heathen Logician or Philosopher, be his Gibeonite to cleave wood, and to draw water for his service in the Sanctuary. Let the one divide, define, and order; and the other draw secrets from the depths of Nature, to serve the Lord's servants in the Tabernacle. Let the precept and patterns of virtues, gathered from their doctrines and stories, serve for spurs and incentives to grace, to go beyond the effects of Nature; and for exprobrations when she doth it not. And let the languages both of the Unbeleever, and Mis-believer, serve for keys to open to new men, those mysteries which the old men see not, neither do open to themselves, though the keys be in their hands.

Such old things as these are earthly needles, that may draw in heavenly truths: They are earthly glasses, that may help our eyes to a clearer discerning of heavenly images: they may help to illustrate, to insinuate, to convince, and to gain. By them the new man may be a Grecian to the Grecians, to gain and convince the Grecians; and a Jew to the Jews; to gain or convince the Jews; and all things to all men, to win some. And accordingly the most laborious Scholar of the greatest Master, though sometime wrapped up into the heavenly School, yet when he is among the Jews, he convinceth them by the Prophets received of the Jews; and when he is at Athens among the Grecians, he convinceth them also by their own Prophets; even learned Heathens, by their Heathen Poet.

Lastly, this Scribe in the lower Academie, may improve the abilities of Nature, given him by the first and old creation. For these old things will grow by use and exercise, and likewise become excellent instruments in the new estate; there being no little use of understanding, memory, & elocution, when they shall become new, and new things shall be added to them.

And thus the Scribe having gained in the lower Academie a large provision of these old things, he commends the use of that Academy, which furnished him and his treasury with this provision: and himself is to be commended for one part of a perfect, and well instructed Scribe. And though there remain yet a more excellent part, yet even to this part there wants not an excellency, and consequently a great degree of praise and commendation.

CHAP. II.

THe learned Scribe being thus furnished with old things in the lower Academie, it remains that he add new things to the old, so to be perfectly instructed according to the character stamped by our Savior. To get these new things he must ascend up, and get him into a new Academie; even to that Teacher of souls, whose chair is in Heaven: for this highest Teacher both showeth and giveth us many new things in this highest Academie. Among them we will first take notice of a new knowledge, given by a new light and sight, created in the soul. For certainly, whatsoever we may think of our skill and knowledge in other arts, gotten by the old and natural understanding; yet if we rest in this old and natural understanding, we are still short of the true and kindly knowledge of Divinity. Divinity is a supernatural science, and therefore a supernatural light is needful to the right discerning of it. He that seeth the things of Divinity only with a natural light, doth not see divine things in the true, but false shapes: for these things have one shape in themselves, and another in him that thus doth see them. The faculty by which we will truly and kindly behold an obj • ct, must have a fitness and capacity proper and agreeable to that object. There must be some kindred and proportion between them; and that which seeth, and that which is seen must be connatural. Accordingly if we will discern colors, we use sight; if savors, smelling; if sounds, hearing. And for things of the second intention, to discern them, we ascend above Sense unto Reason, and see them with our Understandings. And now proportionably if we ascend higher to divine, heavenly, and spiritual mysteries, we must have a divine, spiritual, and heavenly knowledge, whereby to discern them. For the natural understanding doth perceive them no better than the ear doth the reason of sounds, or the nose the reason of smells; and summarily, than the senses do the things of the second intention. Surely the eye hath not seen, nor hath the ear heard these heavenly things: that is, neither mere natural seeing, nor mere natural hearing, can give us the true knowledge of them. Yea, the heart of man, that is, the natural reason of a natural man, doth not rightly discern them. But to know the things of God, there must be a mind given from God; even a spiritual mind to discern spiritual things. If a learned Mathematician will teach a child the secrets of his skill, he must not only give him his rules, but his understanding. Now there is infinitely more odds between the great Teacher of Heaven and the most rational man on earth, than between the most learned teacher on earth and the lowest learner. Neither in this heavenly school, between the supreme Teacher and his earthly sehollers, is only a difference of degrees, which I call a difference of quantity, but also a difference of quality. For sithence the fall of man, the knowledge of man is grown carnal: his wisdom is a fleshly wisdom, and his understanding is grown heterogeneall, and of a different nature and temper; yea; not only different and strange, but cross to the divine wisdom and the mysteries thereof. Therefore the great Teacher of souls, seeing our need, according to that need, gives his Learners and Disciples a new and heavenly understanding, to discern; and discerning to approve as most true and real, divine and heavenly objects. With giving us the things of God, he gives a spirit to discern and savor the things given us of God: with the things of Christ, he gives us the mind of Christ. And now having gotten spiritual understandings, spiritual things appear to us in their right shapes, & seem such as they are. And while to those whose teaching doth not ascend above the earthly Academie, spiritual things are things not scene, their inward as well as their outward eye not discerning them; to the spiritual man taught of God in the higher Academie, they are seen spiritually; and he seeth not only that they are, but what they are, and they are truly that which he seeth them to be.

CHAP. III.

NEither is there only a new knowledge given us in the heavenly school, by which we may truly and rightly see the things of God, but there is a new virtue infused to us, by w ^ch we may receive and enjoy them. If only a light and sight had been given us, by which we may clearly see and know the excellent things which God hath prepared, but had no power to receive them, our sight & knowledge of them, might serve as a light, whereby to see their excellency, and our own misery. For then should we only see an happiness, from which ourselves are excluded. But God, rich in mercy, and who worketh his works from end to end, teacheth the will to receive, as well as the understanding to see. He gives not only an eye to behold, but a hand to receive celestial riches. It is a poor and beggarly speculation, to know the richness of Mines, the preciousness of jewels, the value of pearls, and in the mean time, by having none of them, to suffer extremities of penury and want. But our highest Teacher not only showeth us the treasures of his Kingdom, but teacheth us to take them, and so maketh us truly and really rich. As they are not in themselves mere words, and bare imaginations, but realities, enduring riches, true and solid substance, which the heavenly Teacher by a new light discovereth to us: so neither are they presented to us as bare sights, shows, and spectacles, but they are really made ours, by his teaching of our wills and affections to apprehend and receive them. Christ Jesus the precious Pearl of the Gospel, in whom are hid all treasures of blessedness, anointing our eyes with his ointments, appears to us as the fairest of men; and anointing our hearts with his ointments, fills our hearts with such love of him, that we are drawn to run after him; and running after him, we overtake him, and overtaking we are married to him: And being married to him, Christ our Well-beloved is ours; and if Christ be ours, all things with him are ours also. In him we have blessings of the highest nature, and more immediately flowing into us from the Creator: remission of sins, peace with God, communion with God, conformity to God, a spiritual sonship, an inhabitation of the Spirit, an earnest of an eternal inheritance, a joy unspeakable and glorious, a power of godliness, the hidden Manna, fore-tastes of blessedness, the kisses of Christ Jesus. Such invaluable treasures, and glorious riches are taught us, & given us by teaching, when God is our Teacher, & we are taught of God. Whiles he calls on us without with his outward word, to open our mouths wide, he calls, moves, and teacheth us within with his operative word, so to open them, that they are filled with these good things; yea with Himself, who is Goodness it self.

This is a lesson which is only taught in the heavenly school; For none can come to Christ, but he whom the Father draws by his heavenly teaching: if we ascend not up to the Heavenly Academie, and get up above the teaching of men, unto the teaching of God, our hearts will never thoroughly learn this lesson of happiness. The besenesse and sensuality of man's heart will lie down below the due estimation, price, and love of these pearls; and not suffer it to open it self, though it be to a Savior bringing blessedness with him. It will not give a mess of temporal profit, preferment, or pleasure, for an heavenly birthright, and a glorious inheritance. It will account it the chief learning, to learn some new promotions, lands, and lordships: and no wonder, for it takes only visible things for reality, though these be but temporal, and perish with the using; and though the things not seen are an enduring substance for all eternity. But the scholars taught in the school of Christ, account it their chief learning to learn, and by learning to receive Christ with his blessings and blessedness; whom the more they thus learn, the higher are they esteemed and placed by their Master, who is Truth it self, in the school of blessedness.

CHAP. IV.

THere is yet another eminent, and transcedent learning given us by our heavenly Teacher in his highest school, and that is, a mysterious and secret, yet an assured, evident, and exceeding delectable knowledge, arising from experience and taste. By the first teaching, we rightly saw the things of God presented to us by God. By the second we were taught to receive and possess them. By the third, after we have tasted those heavenly things whereof we were possessed, from this taste there ariseth a new, but a true, lively, and experimental knowledge of the things so tasted. And indeed this is a knowledge which no art, eloquence, or expression of man can teach us. For even in natural fruits there are certain rellishes, and, as I may call them, Idea's and characters of tastes, which nothing but the taste it self can truly represent and show unto us. The West-Indian Piney cannot be so expressed in words, even by him that hath tasted it, that he can deliver over the true shape and character of that taste to another that hath not tasted it. And yet have we other fruits, that by some kindred may seem to counterfeit some lineaments of that taste. But no earthly things can in any degree give us the true taste of the heavenly; but the heavenly are left to be known by their own taste. The Scripture therefore useth earthly things, that by them we may ascend above them; and that not finding in earthly things what the heavenly things are, we may ascend up to the heavenly things themselves, by tasting truly to know them. In one place we are told, That Christ's love is pleasanter than wine; and in another, That the Laws of God are pleasanter than honey: Here by the pleasantness of wine we do not learn the true shape of the pleasure of Christ's love: for this is another kind of pleasure, than the pleasantness of wine: Neither in the sweetness of honey do we truly see the sweetness of God's Law; for it is a different kind of sweetness which the soul tasteth in the Law, and the body tasteth in honey. Yea, the very Manna it self which was visible, doth not give the true taste of the hidden & invisible Manna; but it is still hidden, except it be known by tasting, as the new name is not known, but by him that hath it. Therefore the joy of the Holy Ghost is indeed unspeakable as well as glorious; because he that hath it cannot so express it, that another who hath not felt it, may learn and know it. There is a taste in the grace and love of God, which no man can see but by tasting; and by tasting it may be seen. There is a peace of God, which passeth all understanding; which though the understanding of him that hath it do not fully comprehend, yet it doth in some measure apprehend and know the sweetness of it by tasting it. But the true knowledge hereof cannot be delivered over by the greatest Doctor on earth in picture and representation. Therefore the high and heavenly Teacher (by the Psalmist) first calls on us to taste, and after to see, even to get that sight and knowledge which is gotten only by tasting. By tasting the things themselves, God teacheth us to know what the things are; and the more we know them, the more we shall love them; and the more we love them, the more we shall taste them; and the more we taste them, the more we shall know them. And thus shall we run on in an endless circle of tasting, loving, and knowing, which grows still greater the more we round it.

Let it also be observed, that this knowledge thus taught of God, doth give such an assurance of understanding, concerning the things thus known, and doth so seal upon the soul the truth and excellency of them, that all objections, trials, and temptations, cannot blot out the stamp and character of this seal; but the soul will still answer, That against taste there is no dispute. And with the Apostles; we cannot but testify what we have seen, and known by tasting.

There is yet another knowledge taught by God in his heavenly school, which though it arise not from the very taste of spiritual things, yet it ariseth from the soul, having soundly tasted of God's Spirit, and being thoroughly affected with it. When the soul is inwardly bedewed, and (as it were) written upon by the Spirit, there will arise from this writing, and the virtue of this heavenly dew, an unknown kind of knowledge, which cannot be taught by man; yea the man himself 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 that knows it, cannot teach it to himself before he knows it; but rather knows it first without himself, & then teacheth it to himself by this knowing it. The soul being steeped and affected by the Spirit, this affection doth eruct, deliver, and speak to the soul hidden truths, which before she saw not, nor could see by the mere magisterie of man without, no not of her own man within. Yea, this reaching of the affection is sometimes so pregnant and powerful, that though the head being captivated by human reason subject to error, or by the prejudice of education, do hold and maintain an evil tenet, yet the heart shall even then, by the Spirit, endite a good matter, contrary to that evil error which the head maintaineth. And no wonder; for if by the first writing in the heart at the creation (though now much blotted by the fall) yet there are still some parcels of an inward teaching, contrary to that which the head or wit of man, misled by outward teaching, doth maintain: Then much rather in the newwriting of Regeneration may be impressions of truths, which may breathe, break, and speak out when the soul is strongly heated, affected, and animated by the Spirit. And thus may arise up a new discovery of truths not known before; yea, perchance contrary to that which before was thought to be known and accordingly believed. And these doctrines of the Spirit in ourselves and others, should be carefully noted, and gathered into a treasury, by all that receive the love of the truth. For even among those that err, such truths being found, they are precious in themselves; and withal of undeniable authority against the errors of those, by whom they were uttered. And indeed it may be, the truths which some inwardly know and believe, may be imputed to them, rather than the errors w ^ch they outwardly received, and do outwardly, and in a kind of external ignorance maintain. But howsoever, very precious they are wheresoever they are found; and very often oraculous Decisions and Resolutions; and may add to the stock of knowledge in the lower schools, who cannot give this knowledge, but may receive it from the higher. For indeed, not so much man doth teach this knowledge as God; who not only teacheth man without man, but sometimes more than without him, because against him.

CHAP. V.

THere is yet a fourth excellence of the highest Academie, and it is this; That the Doctor of that Chair teacheth men best to be the best Teachers. And this being the scope of most of those that study Divinity in the lower Academies; for this should they chiefly, though making use of the lower, pass up and ascend to the higher: for the higher hath herein divers advantages above the lower.

Toward a general discovery hereof, we may take notice, That Christ Jesus when he ascended up on high, and received from his Father all power both in Heaven and earth, did undertake the building of his own Church. And for the perfecting of this holy building he sent down gifts unto men, by which they were made able and skillful Builders. And no doubt these are the best & most able Teachers, whom 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 he hath deputed for this building, how can any man think that he is a fit and kindly builder, except he be of that number whom Christ hath thus enabled? The gifts which Christ gave, are those that should perfect the Saints, fulfill the work of the Ministry, and edify 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 those gifts. And as the Disciples stayed in Jerusalem, until they were endued with the power of teaching from on high: so let men that stay in the lower Academie, in their stay, earnestly seek 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 down, they may see the gifts that are come down upon others (though not upon themselves) and they may pick up the crumbs that fall from the tables of these Masters: and making up these into loaves, they may give them to the hungry. But it must needs be confessed, that this is a lower kind of ability in teaching, seeing that which lends to this must needs be the higher; the borrower here also being a a servant, and therefore inferior to the lender. And it seems, that not so much these, as they that received those gifts from on high, do build by these. But those that receive gifts from on high, either take not all at the second hand, but somewhat at the first; or if they make use of things formerly taught by the gifts of others, they do (as it were) quicken and enlive them by their own gift, and so send them forth newly animated by the same Spirit which spake them. Yea, by this Spirit they often make them not only to live, but to grow to a greater measure of light or heat, by enlarging them unto more instruction, or kindling them unto a more incentive excitation.

But if we will yet take a more punctual notice of the excellencies of this heavenly teaching of Teachers, we may take a more particular survey of some eminent abilities given with the gifts of the highest Teacher.

A first is, a spiritual and divine light, given commonly in an eminent and more than ordinary measure, to those that are enabled and taught from above to be spiritual Teachers. God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, shines in their hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. They receive light, that they may turn others from darkness to light, and show them the way of peace, which by this light they have discovered. They have an Urim from on high; and a spiritual light and sight, by which they become eyes to the blind, and a light to them that sit in darkness. The great Shepherd of souls, and Master of the highest school, doth not send out from his school the blind to guid the blind, that both may fall into the ditch, but he makes shining & burning lights, that they which see them may not only rejoice in their light, but be led by it to the enjoying of the supreme & sovereign light, in the vision of whom is perfect blessedness. And he that hath this light hath the key of knowledge, by which he can open the mysteries of salvation, and discover the counsels of God, and see the mind of Christ, and find out wonders in God's Law. He pierceth into the inward vein of the word, and (as it were) lets it blood, and causeth to spring from it a flood of doctrine: whereas the same word to another that hath not this light, seems like the Rock whereof it was said; Shall I fetch you water out of this Rock?

And the doctrine flowing from this light of the Spirit, is most fit for spiritual building; spiritual things being fittest for spiritual, because most connatural; yea, because it flows from an infused gift (in a spiritual sense) it may be said to be most natural; and because most natural, most effectual.

Secondly, from this higher Academie comes that ability of teaching, which teacheth by doing. There is a teaching by word, and a teaching 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 only, seem to build with one hand only; they that teach by word and example, build with two hands; but they that teach by word, and destroy by example, do build with one hand, and pull down with the other. And certainly, if they destroy what they build, they are great trespassers, and foolish builders. St. Paul shows himself a wise Masterbuilder, while he makes himself a pattern of his own doctrine; and being a follower of Christ, calls upon his flock to follow him, as he follows Christ. He calls upon them to do, not only what they have heard, but what they have seen in him: and see what follows such teaching, and such learning; The God of peace shall be with you.

And this teaching by pattern doth he deliver over to his spiritual posterity; for he calls upon Timothy his son (and by him upon his sons sons, even all the sons of Timothy ) to be a walking Word, and a visible Doctrine; even a pattern of Believers, both in word and conversation.

True it is, that the people should do as the Teachers say, and not as they do, when they say Christ's spiritual words, and do their own carnal works. But such is the corruption of fallen man-kind, both in sight and affection, that in sight it rather looks on outwardly-visible works, than inward, invisible, and spiritual words, and in aff • ction it is more apt to follow carnal examples than heavenly rules. And this being a pestilence, wherewith man-kind is apt to be infected to death, how fearful is it to bring such a plague into a flock?

But on the contrary, a holy life joined to sound doctrine, is a continual testimony and martyrdom of the doctrine. Such a life commends the doctrine to the belief and love of men. It persuadeth a possibility, and showeth a facility of doing it. What we see done, we think may be done, and when we see a pattern before us, we do it much the more easily and perfectly. Now that Teachers may be such patterns of light, inwardly burning, & outwardly shining, let them repair to the Father of lights; who from this higher Academie, baptizeth with that fire which not only kindleth light in the souls of his Messengers, but makes his Ministers a flame of fire. And, if thus kindled from above, 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 with holy Barnabas, they be good men, full of faith and the Holy Ghost, that which followed then, may be hoped will follow now; Much people shall be added to the Lord.

Thirdly, the highest School, and no other, teacheth the Art of Experimentall Divinity, which being learned, doth give an excellence and Crown to the ability of teaching. There is great odds between an experienced, and a merely-contemplative Captain. And if the great Captain of our salvation learned experimental obedience by the things which he suffered, and by his sufferings experimentally tasted and known, knows how to take due notice, consideration, and compassion of those that suffer; how much advantage may we think is added to his Under-Captains, by their experience in the Christian warfare? An heavenly Teacher, with St. Paul, having run the race of Christianity, through honor and dishonor, through evil and good report; as unknown, & yet known; as dying, and yet living; as sorrowful, and yet always rejoicing; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things: such an one (I say) when he meets with souls in the like estates of honor, or dishonor, and the other differences incident to a Christians life, he can presently out of his own experience draw forth lessons of direction, reproof, or consolation: yea, out of his own experience he can almost fore-prophesy events, and fore-tell issues out of temptation. And indeed, as in other states of soul, so especially in the case of a broken spirit, experimental Teachers have an high & eminent advantage. For such an one looks back to his own soul, and there reads the story of it imprinted by experience, and from thence tells the distressed soul, both the cross which she endures, and the joy set before her. He talks with the troubled soul in her own language, having thoroughly learned it in this high school of experience: and when the grieved 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 soul doth but hear the Teacher speaking this language, she is received: yea, when she hears him speak so truly of the grief, she believes it is possible, and perchance likely, that there may be truth in his comforts: yea, it is no small comfort to the distressed soul, by such infallible and evident descriptions, to find and hear one that hath been in the like distress wherein she is now afflicted. For one of their greatest terrors ariseth hence, that none was ever in their case; and that the Almighty hath singled them out from all the world, to be the very marks of his arrows. Besides, when these men bring consolations for tribulations, they bring sure and sound ones; for they bring everyone of them with a Probatum. They can name the man that was cured by them, and say with the Psalmist; This poor man cried unto the Lord, and thus was heard, comforted, and healed. With St. Paul, they comfort others with the very same consolations wherewith with themselves have been comforted of God. Thus this skill of experimental Divinity gives an advantage of knowledge, and not of knowledge only, but of confidence to the Teacher; for he says what he knows: 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 soul set on the rack of a tortured conscience, and there uttering the fearful expressions of a terrified mind; this distressed soul is a Barbarian to him, and he is a Barbarian to her. She speaks what he understands not, and he cannot speak to her in a language which she can comfortably understand. But this Teacher is often of the same opinion concerning this troubled soul, which Christ's carnal kinsmen had concerning him; They sent out to lay hold on him, saying; He is besides himself. And no wonder, for they never saw sin in the true ugly shape of it; they were never upon mount Sinai, neither did they there hear the thunders and lightnings of the Law against sin; and therefore they are not like Moses, who did quake and tremble. Yea, this quaking and trembling is so strange to them, that they ask with wonder of these amazed souls: Why did ye skip as Rams, and tremble as little Lambs? To whom it may be answered: It was at the presence of God on Sinai.

Again, on the other side, when the time is come, wherein God calls out; Comfort ye, comfort ye my people: there is no balm in their Gilead, there is no oil of joy in their lamps: they have not had the fore-going tribulations, nor the following consolations: Therefore if they would give consolations, they must be borrowed ones (like the axe of the the young Prophet) and not the very same by which themselves have been comforted of God. Yea, commonly for want of experience, they know not the Crisis of a soul, nor when the soul is upon a turn, and is come to the season of receiving consolation. They know not the hour of our Savior, when he is ready to turn the water of tears into the wine of consolation. And therefore such an one often misplaceth his spiritual physic, and gives restoratives to a soul not thoroughly purged from the love of sin, or while the fit is upon the soul; when it were more fit to weep with them that either do, or should weep; and by that agreement in weeping, to draw the mourning soul to a second agreement, even to rejoice with him that rejoiceth. For this is the wisdom of a Teacher, experimentally taught from above; and this wisdom is justified, and in high estimation with all her children.

Fourthly, from the heavenly school descends a mighty, active, and main advancement of teaching, and that is, a storge, or natural affection, given to a Teacher. There is a gift of love infused by God into the heart of a Teacher, by which he is taught of God to love his Flock; and this love inflameth, constraineth, and teacheth him to teach. In St. Paul we see deep impressions, and powerful expressions of this love: yea, we see him as a man all on fire with this love; so that for the love of souls, weariness and watching, hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness, perils and persecutions, are all but as stubble in his way; and the fire of love, w ^ch hath eaten him up, consumes them also, and turns them into nothing. He feeds his sheep sometimes at his own costs, and with an holy symony buys the work of his own ministry, and strains for an argument to approve it. For whereas he might call himself a Labourer, and so might plead for the wages due to his work, he calls himself a Father, that thence he may fetch a reason of providing for his children. Yea, he doth not express his love only under this title of a Father, (though that character being well stamped on a Pastor, with the affections belonging to it, would make him actively and industriously careful for the good of the flock) but he descends into the lowness, and (as it were) the fondness of a Nurse: He softly handles and dandles, as a Nurse her children, and speaks half-words, low doctrines to them, when he sees they are not gone beyond milk, nor come to the digestion of stronger meat. Yea, he is so fervently affectionate to them, that he is willing to have imparted to them, not the Gospel of God only, but his own soul. And he adds the reason; Because they were dear unto him. Hence we learn, That it is the dearness of the flock, which is the main spring that sets all on working. This is it which imparts the Gospel willingly, and not for constraint and lucre: This is it that makes a Teacher instant in season, and our of season: Briefly this is it which makes him with pleasure to undergo all labors, even from the watching of one hour, to the imparting of his soul or life. So that if you exhort a Pastor to visit the sick, you exhort him but to one duty; if you incite him also to comfort the weak-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 he is Love in the Fountain, and all Love besides himself, is a stream of this Fountain.

But on the other side, where this Love is wanting, du • ies are not done at all, or they are done by pieces and starts; or they are done dully and coldly, and the doers of them are like the wheels of Pharaohs chariots in the the red sea, they move very heavily. The fire of love is out, by which being enflamed themselves, they should impart heat unto others; and the zeal is wanting, by which they should provoke many. They have not in them the affections of Fathers, and therefore their flocks appear to them in the shape of bastards, and not of sons. Accordingly they often set them our, as some do their base children to wanderers, and such as will take them best cheap: or if they give them any food, their hearts go not with it, neither do they care whether it do them good, or they do grow and prosper by it. And though perchance one of these may act the part of a Lover, yet commonly it will show like an artificial Scene; that only being for the most part proportionable, durable, and serious, which is natural.

Therefore take such an one as Timothy, that naturally (and not artificially) cares for the Church, and there is no artificial 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 he works not pieces of God's work, but the whole work of the Lord; yea, he works it, as St. Paul did; and how he did it, we have seen before. And if you will see the root of it, look into his inside, and there you shall see the bowels of Christ Jesus. The bowels of Christ Jesus, that often would have gathered Jerusalem, as a hen gathereth her chicken: the bowels of Christ Jesus, that accounted the gain of souls to be his meat and drink: the bowels of Christ Jesus, that have in them the greatest love to the flock: for greater love hath no man, than he that layeth down his life for his flock. These bowels are in St. Paul: and therefore no wonder, if having received the bowels of Christ, by the spirit of Christ, he walk in the steps of Christ, while he walketh by the same spirit of Christ.

Behold then here the most excellent way, even the way of love, which teacheth the Teacher, & directs him into all the ways of profiting his flock. And this teaching love is it self taught by the highest Teacher, whose name, and nature, & very 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; & therefore he it was also, that did put the bowels of love into him, from which issued this care. And if thou hast the same bowels, thy flock will be thy children, and thou wilt be a father to them: in their reigning, thou shalt reign; they will be thy joy and thy crown now, and thy great rejoicing 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 he shall say to thee; Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast fed, and loved these my lambs, thou hast loved me; and because thou hast gained many, rule thou over many Cities.

CHAP. VI.

BY that which hath been said it appears, that there is a higher Academie as well as a lower; and that the higher hath some excellencies above the lower. True it is, that though there be a difference, yet there must not necessarily follow a division: yea, much rather there should follow a conjunction; and he that is in the lower, should strive to be in both at once. And indeed this is a main business of this work, to conjoin things which God hath not separated; and not to diminish, but to advance the lower, by lifting it up to the higher.

Now to ascend from the lower to the higher, there are certain stairs and steps, by which men usually go up, and become Disciples and Pupills of the heavenly Teacher. A first step is that which should ever be first in intention, though last in assecution; A right end. When we come to God to be taught, we must propose an end worthy of God; And surely none but God is an end worthy of God. A most perverse and base disorder it were, to make man the end of God; and much more confused and disorderly were it, to make God to serve man, in his service of some base lust: for then may he not only say, Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins; but, thou hast made me to serve thy sins. Thou puttest God below thy sins, and puttest thy sins to be thy gods. And how canst thou expect that God should by his teaching give thee an excellence above others, when thou by his own gifts doest intend to put, either his creature which he hath made, or sin which he made not, above him; and him infinitely below himself. Wherefore let not ambition make worldly pomp (which thou hast renounced in thy Baptism) nor the pride of life, and outward preferment, thy end; but account and propose God himself before thee, as thy highest preferment, exceeding great reward, and all-sufficient end. Neither make earth the end of Heaven, nor put the god Mammon in the place of the true God, neither seek the gifts of his Spirit, that thou mayest make money of them. This is a right, and withal a most base symony, and therefore prepare thyself to receive the answer which was made unto Simon thy father; Thou art in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity; and thou art very unfit for a part and fellowship among the Disciples of the heavenly Teacher. Know that this high Academie is not a place for Prentices, therein to learn a trade and occupation for worldly gain; but the Teacher being the King of Heaven, he teacheth his Scholars to be Kings; even first to seek, and at last to attain an heavenly Kingdom. And earthly things are promised to be given as attendants upon this heavenly Kingdom. Therefore as as the Heaven is high above the earth, so let it be in thy thought and intention: make God thy end, who makes Heaven by his presence to be Heaven. Desire his gifts, to glorify the Giver by thē here, and to be glorified by him hereafter eternally in his heavenly Kingdom. But if thou make earth thy heaven, and this world thy god; this false heaven, and false god after a while will forsake thee, and the true Heaven, and true GOD, whom thou hast despised, will not receive thee. In the mean time expect no gift from God, except such as the Quails, which perchance may bring some food to thy lust, but leanness and judgment to thy soul. If with Balaam, thou lookest out for prophecies, that by them thou mightest gain the wages of unrighteousness, though thou fall into a trance, and art enlightened, to make others see by thy light; yet thou thyself art still a child of darkness, and by thy light encreasest thy own stripes; and being in the way of Balaam, art likely to come to his ways end, even a death among the unrighteous.

Yea, seek not the gifts themselves for themselves, neither make them their own end. It is a pleasant thing for the eye of the body to behold the light of the Sun; but to behold a spiritual light, which shineth from the highest light, is far more pleasant to a spirit: yet must a reasonable spirit know, that to behold the highest Spirit himself, is the highest pleasure; and therefore these lower gifts of the Spirit are far more valuable, for showing us by their light the way to the sight of the highest Spirit, than for the light it self by which they show it.

Wherefore it remains still, that God be proposed as the end of his gifts, whereof he is the beginning. God was his own end in the giving of them, and it is both thy duty, wisdom, and benefit, to have the same end which he hath. If thou join with God in his end, it is most likely he will join with thee in the means, and in the increase of them toward his own end. For God will not be wanting to his own end, which were to be wanting to himself. Therefore enlarge thy self as much as thou canst, in this intention of making God thy end, wherein the more thou increasest, the more it is likely he will increase his teaching of thee, and the degrees of his gifts in thee. And according to thy degrees of grace, shall be thy degrees in glory: as thou hast sought him much in the gifts of his grace, so by them shalt thou find him much here, and much enjoy him hereafter in glory.

CHAP. VII.

HE that will ascend up to the heavenly School, there to be taught of God, must leave man's carnal wit and wisdom behind him, as Abraham left his Asses at the foot of the mount. The wisdom of man, saith St. Paul, is foolishness before God; and the natural man discerneth not the things of God: therefore if thou endevourest by thy natural wit to discern the things of God, thy labor is employed rather not to discern them: thou mayest perchance conceive, and after perceive, bastard, mis-begotten, and false shapes of them; but the things themselves, in their true shapes, thou doest not see and perceive. The carnal wit seeth the shapes which it self puts upon spiritual things, and not what they themselves do bear, and indeed appear in, to a spiritual eye. And surely if man's wit see, and by seeing teach it self truly the things of God, what need were there of an heavenly Teacher? But because thou art naturally blind to the things of God, and they are only spiritually to be discerned, therefore must thou go up to a spirit, to give thee a spiritual eye-sight, that so thou mayest spiritually discern them. And when thou goest up, to get a spiritual mind of the great Father of Spirits▪ remember to put off thy carnal wit and wisdom, which must be stripped off before thou canst put on the other. The keeping of thy natural and carnal wit, is the keeping of thy folly; and this folly will cast her own color on the things of God, and make them seem folly to thee, or only wise in that color which that casts upon them. And this is a reason why the greatest wits do stumble so often at the wisdom of God, upon which they behold the shape of folly, of their own setting on; and why they fall into errors, thinking to mend God's wisdom by their wits; and why themselves, though professing themselves wise, yet remain fools; even because they think and profess themselves to be wise. While they think their own wits to be fit instruments for the discerning of God's wisdom, they not finding his, wisdom to be wisdom by their wits, they censure it to be folly; and therefore go about to correct it, which is indeed to pervert it. In the mean time it is the greatest folly, which puts the shape and title of folly upon the greatest wisdom, and goes about to amend wisdom with folly. And thus are these wise men taken in their own wisdom; for their own wisdom becomes a snare to them, and makes them first, and after takes them as fools. Yea, misery and folly are met together in them, and that in a highest degree, while they see not, but censure and reject the most wise mysteries of God, which offer and present to them salvation, and eternal felicity.

Therefore let the heavenly Scholar put off his own earthly and carnal wisdom, and go up to God for a new Principle, even a new mind, by which he may truly see and know the things of God. The new world of Divinity must be begun in a man, as God began the old world, it must have nothing for a foundation; and when man is nothing in himself, then God will begin to create, and make him something. This is that which St. Paul saith: Let him be a fool, that he may be wise. For indeed, that which thou thinkest to be thy wisdom, thou must put off, and make it vanish into nothing, being a fool in regard of that wisdom; and so thou shalt be made wise in the true wisdom. But this is not perfected at once. Therefore, as at thy first entrance into the heavenly Academie, thou must begin a denial, and annihilation of thy own wit and wisdom, so after thou art entered, thou must strive to continue and increase this denial: for though thou do in will and purpose put it off, and deny it wholly at first; yet in act it is not wholly put off, it being part of the remaining body of sin, which hangeth so fast on, that it cannot wholly be put off, until man be dissolved. But thou must strive to get ground of it while thou livest; and the greater thy natural wit is, the more must thou strive. For the greater it is, the more apt will it be to see reasons by it self, and without God's teaching, which will fall out too often to be reasons against God's reasons, and wit against God's wisdom. And the admission of human wit, against God's wisdom, by some great wits, (that perchance first in purpose or profession submitted to the wisdom of God) hath been the cause of many dangerous errors in the Church. I say, A mixture of man's wit with the Divine Word, hath bred Mules in Divinity, even confused, foolish, and misshapen errors. But let the learner in this high Academie lay aside his own sight, which is blindness, and get from his Teacher that eye-salve, which may give him spiritual discerning. Let him keep his wit in a perpetual captivity, and passivenesse to the Spirit of God; and beware that by no means he make that portion of Spirit which is in him, to suffer under the activity of his own carnal wit. But having received an eye from God, let him see God's matters with God's eye, and so shall he keep himself safe from error, and shall be led into the truth. For a mind given of God, doth approve only the truth of God. And though in this life of imperfection, no man have so much spiritual light, as to discern all truth; yet the spiritual light, which every spiritual man that is taught of God receiveth, is sufficient for the discovery, or discerning of so much truth, as may lead him like a stream to the Ocean and fullness of truth and blessedness. And for a preparation toward this fullness, let him work out, and endeavor to perfect his own emptiness: for the more degrees he gains of this emptiness, the more degrees shall he receive of God's fullness; even of his teaching grace here, and his crowning grace forever hereafter.

CHAP. VIII.

LIkenesse draws love, and love causeth a communication of counsels: yea, love it self is a likeness to him who is Love, and thus love from love draws a partaking of secrets: when the heart and ways of man are agreeable to God's heart, then the heart of God is (as it were) great with that affection which longs to communicate. Shall I hide the thing that I do from Abraham (saith the Lord) seeing Abraham both keeps the ways of the Lord, and will teach his children to keep it? The Psalmist also professeth, that he got many degrees of wisdom, by his walking with God in the Laws of God, even by the conformity of his heart and ways to the heart and will of God. Thereby (saith he) I am wiser than mine enemies, wiser than old men; yea, wiser than my Teachers. No doubt he had obtained his prayer of God; Lighten mine eyes, and I shall see wonderful things in thy Law.

And as likeness is it self a reason, that moves God to be thy Teacher, so it carries with it a second reason: Where is likeness and conformity to God, there is also a covenant with God: where the Law of God is so written in the heart, that by this writing the heart is framed according to God's heart, there is covenant between God that wrote this Law, and him in in whom it is written. God is his Father and Teacher, and he is God's Son and Disciple. He saith plainly, thou art his son, and he saith truly, (his promises are Yea & Amen) that thou art his Disciple, for he promiseth, that thou shalt be taught of God. And David upon trial, acknowledgeth the truth of this teaching, when he saith; The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and his covenant, to make them to know it. He hath not only made a covenant with them, but he makes them to know it; he doth both give it, and teach it.

Thirdly, there is a friendship between those that are conformed unto God, and God to whom they are conformed. Abraham, the father of the faithful, was called the friend of God; and the faithful children of Abraham are also called his friends. God is no complementer, and therefore if he allow them the term, he allows them also the truth of this friendship. Ye are my friends (saith our Savior) if ye do whatsoever I command you. Now we know that a friend will tell a friend his counsels. So saith our Savior, Because ye are my friends, therefore whatsoever I have heard of the Father, I make known unto you.

Fourthly, there is a marriage between Christ and his Church, the Church in this marriage is one spirit with him, as in natural marriages two are one flesh. And if there be such a marriage, there is also a marriage-love between them. Now marriage-love doth communicate counsels: and it is so hard, if not impossible, for marriage-love to deny such a communication, that the woman who could only make her challenge upon a counterfeit shape of marriage, yet thinks it fit to object this question: How canst thou say that thou lovest me, when thy heart is not with me? And why is not his heart with her; Because he doth not tell her his counsels? even such counsels, as being told, may endanger his liberty and life. But Christ, the best husband, having given his life for his Spouse, and himself to his Spouse in a sacred union, how shall he not with his life and himself give her his counsels also? It is his own word: If the wives be ignorant or doubtful, let them ask their husbands. Herein he implieth, That if the wives do ask their husbands, they being asked should be willing to reach their wives. Surely, if Christ require this willingness to teach in lower and meaner husbands, whose knowledge, yea whose love cannot be here in perfection, will not this husband, who is light it self and love it self, teach his own wife by this most perfect light, and from this most perfect love? Yea certainly, in the bed of love he will not only tell her the words of his counsels; but by a sacred unction (being one spirit with her) he will make her to see the counsels of his words: he will give her an inward and spiritual eye, to see the inward riches and realities of his counsels. So that whereas the world cannot see the wisdom of God, and the precious things contained in it, for the mystery; the Spouse by this new light, looking within the veil of the mystery, shall see the wisdom of God, and most excellent treasures contained in it, presented and offered by it.

Wherefore that God in Christ may be thy Teacher, study this conformity to God, which by likeness, by covenant, by friendship, by marriage-love, may draw him to teach thee: And first put off the old man, corrupt with deceivable lusts, which cause in thee a deformity, yea, an enmity against God. The uncircumcision of the flesh hath in it a contrariety to God and his wisdom, and makes thee adverse to God's teaching, and God unwilling to teach thee. It is also a veil upon the eye of thy soul, & hides thy sight from his light, & his light from thy sight. And until a spiritual circumcision do take off this veil, thou art in the school of the Prince of darkness, and art not yet teachable by the Father of lights. But if this veil of the old man be first removed by mortification, & thou shalt in the second place put on the new man, wherein is the image of God (light agreeable to his light, and a love of him who is Love, and of that which he loves) then God will delight in thee, as a father in the son that resembles him; and as a father his son, he will delight to teach and nurture thee. If thou keep this image clear, that God may see his face in it, he will therein also see his covenant, and seeing his covenant, he will take thee for his friend, yea, for his spouse; and by all these, as by so many cords of love, he will be drawn to teach thee. Being thus pure in heart, thou shalt see God: thou shalt see him here guiding and teaching thee, and hereafter in presentiall vision eternally blessing thee.

CHAP. IX.

HEE that will be taught of God, must come diligently to his Teacher, and meet him, where & when he useth to teach. Now he teacheth both publicly in the great Assemblies, and privately in the little Temples and Sanctuaries. In the great Congregation his Spirit meets thee in the ministry of the Word, and in the seals of that Word, and offers to write that Word in thy heart; so that thou mayst see it plainly to be the wisdom of God, and mayst see in it the wonderful things of God. Thou shalt see in the Word, the mysteries which he teacheth thee; yea, thine eyes in it shall see the Teacher himself; for therein shalt thou see Christ lively set forth, and offering his flesh, his humanity, yea himself, both God and man, unto thee. Such sights mayst thou see in this great School of God, being enlightened and taught by his Spirit, which Spirit is a companion of the Word, by the virtue of the New Covenant; and by this Covenant we may claim and expect it from God. Therefore is the New Covenant called, The Ministry of the Spirit, in an excellency above the Law, which was called, The Ministry of the Letter. And it is such indeed as it is called: for while St. Peter taught the word to Cornelius and his friends, the Spirit accompanied the Word, and fell on them that heard it. St. Paul also calls up the experience of the Galatians for a witness of this truth; Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith preached? And indeed if this truth thus covenanted by God, and actually made good by him, were accordingly believed, rested on, thirsted after, and expected, God should be more often heard speaking spirit and life with his Word, in the inward ear; and the Word should not die so often in the outward ear, or carnal heart for want of this Spirit. It is an invaluable loss, that men do so much divide the outward Teacher from the inward, & rest on the former, without respect to the latter. Whereas when we go to the outward Teacher, which is man, we should set our eyes and hearts chiefly on the inward Teacher, which is God: we should challenge him upon his covenant and promise, saying and praying; Remember thy promise to thy servant, wherein thou hast made him to hope. And therefore speak Lord, that thy servant may hear; for without thy speaking, thy servant cannot hear. He may hear the outward sound of the Word in his ear: but he cannot hear the inward sense and power in his heart. The outward Israel had seen the great wonders of God upon Egypt, they heard the thunders on mount Sinai; yet neither did they see those wonders, nor hear those thunders. And Moses tells them how it came to pass, when he saith; The Lord hath not given you eyes to see, and ears to hear until this day. They thought their own eyes sufficient to see, and their own ears to hear; and resting in this insufficient sufficiency, God left them to it; and so they did neither see nor hear: for God's works, wonders, and voice, can only kindly and truly be seen and heard, by eyes and ears given of God from Heaven.

Know therefore thy own insufficiency, yea, the insufficiency of the best Teacher in the world (for who is sufficient for these things?) to teach thee inwardly, what he teacheth thee outwardly; and know that the sufficiency of inward teaching comes only from God.

Therefore while thy outward ear expects the outward word of the outward Teacher, let thy inward ear expect the inward teaching of the inward and highest Teacher. For thus only may the planting, though of Paul himself; and the watering, though of Apollos, be made something, even when God gives an increase, which otherwise are nothing. And being thus inwardly taught to profit and increase, thou art taught according to the New Covenant; for thou art taught of God. Come therefore diligently to this school of his, where he useth thus to teach, believe his Covenant, and take it by believing.

And secondly, That thou mayest the better believe and take it, he hath given thee seals of the New Covenant, by which the New Covenant is presented unto thy faith, sealed and confirmed. By this confirmation and sealing, thy faith should be increased, and by the increase of thy faith, thy union with Christ Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant, will be increased; and by the increase of this Union there will be an increase of the Spirit (the promise of the New Covenant) which knoweth the things of God, and which will show them more unto thee, the more it is in thee. When thou wast baptized into Christ, thou didst put on Christ; and when thou eatest the spiritual meat, and drinkest the spiritual drink in the Eucharist, thou doest put him on more and more. Thy being in Christ, even thy new being, which thou receivedst before, thou doest now feed and nourish, and bring forth into manhood. And as thou growest into manhood, thou knowest by the Apostles reason, thou art enabled to grow in knowledge, to be more skillful in the word of righteousness, better to discern good & evil, & to digest the stronger meat of divine mysteries. As we grow up in our stature in Christ Jesus toward a perfect man, we leave our childish knowledge behind, and grow up to him in all things (& therefore in knowledge) which is the head, even Christ. The head is Wisdom it self, and they that grow in him grow • n wisdom, and still take higher degrees in the heavenly School, under this highest and most heavenly Teacher.

Thirdly, seeing God teacheth thee by his Spirit, and he is the Giver of the Spirit, by which he teacheth thee; go to the Giver himself for this gift. Go to him by prayer, and go to him publicly in the house of prayer, and there join with the Church in prayer, for the Spirit which he hath promised to his Church. The uniting of many hearts and voices in one petition, makes it the stronger and more powerful with God. And it may well be, that when thou joynest with the Congregation in prayer, thou mayst join with some, who shall not only double the strength of thy prayer, by an equal strength of Spirit added to thine, but by a double portion of Spirit, exceeding thine. And so by this joining of stocks in public prayer, thou mayest be a double gainer, both while thou art a partaker of many prayers, and while thou art partaker of some more powerful than thine own. And indeed Christ would not have spoken of two or three gathered together in his Name, except there had been some benefit and advantage in this gathering together, and in two or three above one. Therefore let us especially expect him as he hath promised, to be present where two or three are gathered together. Now we know that Christ is present with his Church by his Spirit, even that Comforter which leadeth into all truth. And accordingly we find, that when the Church was united in prayer, they were filled with the Holy Ghost. And because Christ is present with his Church by this Spirit, to the end of the world, illuminating and teaching both Pastors and people; our Church prayeth for the Pastors, That God would illuminate them with true understanding and knowledge of his Word: and for the people, That God, who taught the hearts of faithful people, by the light of the Holy Spirit, may give us by the same Spirit, to have a right judgment in all things. Joyne then with the Church, in the offering up, and receiving down of such petitions; and do not by dividing thyself from the offering, divide thyself also from the receiving. But for so precious a gift as the Spirit, make thy prayer as powerful as thou canst; and more powerful mayst thou make it, if thou get more power joined together by a Communion of Saints.

Seek God also by private prayer for this gift of the Spirit, which Christ himself hath taught, yea proved by undeniable arguments, that God will give to them that ask it. And the experimental truth of this saying of our Savior, many excellent Saints have found and acknowledged, professing that they received sometimes by prayer more light for the clearing of dark places, than by study and reading. And therefore we shall find that the Fathers in their Homilies and Expositions, do often interrupt their preaching with praying; and in prayer seek to be enabled by the Spirit for preaching. But come to God with faith; for the promise runs thus, That whatsoever we ask believing, we shall receive: Come also with fervency; for Christ hath taught us, That what friendship cannot do, yet importunity may obtain: And it hath been tried by the Canaanitish woman, and many others since her time, That where a denial will not be taken for an answer, there the answer hath been turned into grant. And the more to encourage us to importunity, for the obtaining of this grant of the Spirit, let us take notice first, That God doth chiefly like those prayers that are made for the Spirit. God is a Spirit, and as, because he is a Spirit, he likes best that worship, and those prayers, which are made by the Spirit, so doth he highly love those Prayers which pray for the Spirit, by which such agreeable and acceptable prayers are made. Secondly, God hath abundance of Spirit, and this abundance and fullness of Spirit hath he delivered over to his son Christ Jesus, whose humanity is Uber Deitatis, The Brest of the Deity. And as we all must receive from the fullness of this Brest, so this Brest being full, is most apt to give, and therefore most willing to meet with those, that are most desirous, and thirsty to receive. It delights to be drawn, yea, to be pressed by importunity, and is not only pleased, but (as it were) eased, when he meets with an hungry soul, and a mouth opened wide, that he may fill it.

Lastly, join meditations with thy prayers. As prayers sometimes do kindle thy meditations, so sometimes meditations may kindle thy prayers. While I mused (saith the Psalmist) my heart waxed hot: For meditation doth stir, and blow away the ashes, even earthly and carnal thoughts, and kindles the fire of the Spirit. The soul of a Saint is a little Sanctuary, or Temple, where God dwells by his Spirit; and this Spirit being sought to in this Temple by the servants of God, hath given them many times divine answers and resolutions. So hath this little Temple been turned into a School, where the souls of men enlightened have seen more than seven men upon the Watch-Tower of human speculation. And when thou goest to this School, let meditation purge thy soul from carnal drossinesse, and fire it into a spiritual purity. Let this spiritual fire burn away that corporeal grossness, which entertains and makes carnal and bodily images. Let the glass of thy soul be cleansed, and made spiritually pure, that it may be fit to entertain a pure spirit, and those spiritual sights, which the Spirit shall present unto it. And being thus pure in heart, thou shalt see God in thy soul. He who is light shall shine into thy soul, and by this light the face of thy soul shall shine, as the face of Moses on the mount. In his light thou shalt see light, and by this light shalt thou see that which all the natural light in the world cannot show thee. God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, will give thee the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And when the light of this knowledge doth appear, then know that thy Teacher is near. Then stand on thy Watch-Tower, and hear what he teacheth thee, and see what he showeth thee. A lesson of this Teacher, and of this teaching is the best learning, and makes the best Scholars, because taught in God's, that is, in the best Academie. Yea, sometimes in a minute thou shalt see that by this teaching, which thou canst not attain in many years by human teaching, or thy own study, labor, and industry. Therefore whatsoever time thou bestowest in study, be sure to set apart some time, wherein to study the Holy Ghost, who sitting in his chair of grace, teacheth his Scholars inwardly to see those divine and heavenly truths, which may advance thee in the way to heavenly glory.

CHAP. X.

THe excellency, necessity, and utility of the Heavenly Academie being discovered and seen, the judgment is easily led to give sentence, That it is good for us to be there. And it is a good ambition, not to stint & stop ourselves in the lower Academie, but to ascēd by it to the higher. It is a good ambition, because a spiritual one, which desires to get up to the highest Teacher, who is also the highest Spirit, and who alone teacheth his Scholars to see spiritual truths, with a spiritual eye. Yea, he not only makes the eye to see spiritual things, but gives to his Disciples the excellent spiritual things which they see: And then also by giving them to be tasted and enjoyed, they are yet better known and seen, even so seen as no man can see, but he that hath them, and hath tasted them. He also teacheth his Scholars to be the best Teachers; and which is best of all, he teacheth them to attain a Kingdom; and which is the Crown of this Kingdom, to see the Teacher himself in a beatifical and eternal vision.

Strive therefore to get up to this Heavenly Academie, and as seriously as thou intendest it, so diligently use the means that advance thee to it, and in it. Let him who is thy Beginning be also thy End; and propose not thyself as thy own end, much less that which is inferior to thee; neither make base creatures the end of thyself, and of thy highest Creator, and heavenly Teacher. Get out also from thine own wisdom (a very bad Teacher of heavenly things) and give thyself wholly from it, unto that Teacher who is Wisdom it self. And that thy heavenly Teacher may delight to teach thee, get and increase that likeness to him, and conformity with him, which may make a love and friendship between him and thee. Come often to his School, and wheresoever thou hast news of his teaching, there desire to meet him with thy learning. Though Martha be troubled with many things, many businesses, yea, many human Teachers; yet with Marie do thou choose the better part, and desire to sit at the feet of thy heavenly Teacher. And if any thing hinder thee for a while (for sometimes the the gathering of fruit may defer the dressing of the root) yet return eftsoons to thy Teacher, and meet him in some of his Schools. And whatsoever hinder thee, take heed that it be not carelessness of thy Teacher, nor a fullness of his teaching; for if thus thou withdraw thyself from him, thou wilt fall back in thy learning, and not being watered by the dew of his teaching, thou wilt grow dry in the root, and therefore must needs wither and decay in thy fruits.

But that thou mayest not be mistaken, concerning the true heavenly teaching, nor the use of it, take with thee some cautions. First, do not mistake a teaching of thine own for an heavenly teaching; neither set thine own imagination in the Celestial Chair. This hath misled many into many and great errors, whiles being taught by the strength of their own imaginations, they have thought themselves to be taught of God. And indeed many times, as errors do thus come from the strength of human apprehension, so their prosecution doth savor of this strength, and shows from whence they come; for too often opinions are headily nursed into schisms and divisions, as they were headily brought forth; the same flesh that was the mother, being also the nurse. But the wisdom from above being first pure, and then peaceable, such are they also, who are kindly taught by that wisdom. Wherefore to try thy teaching, whether it be of God, first try whether it be pure, 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 that is, agreeable to the Word, which (the Psalmist saith) is pure. For if it agree not with the tenor and frame of this Word, there is no true and kindly light in it. Mark also and consider, whether it do not savor of love, and agree with that meek and quiet spirit, which of God is much esteemed. For the right Disciples of God are taught to love, and the God of peace doth fill them with the peace of God. True it is, that if by the evident light of the Word, there is somewhat discovered that bears the true shape of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, and thou seest that God hates it, this mayest thou also hate: but even the desire and love of peace must not go out of thy heart; yea, the love of peace must manage thy war with error, and even by oppugning it, thou must follow peace and ensue it. And still take heed that thou do not make little errors great, nor condemn the wheat for the tares, nor seek to amend lesser errors by a greater fault of schism and division.

Secondly judge rightly of thy own measure, and measure thyself rightly by it. And when thou hast first measured thyself aright, then also measure thy actions and undertakings by it. St. Paul will have every man to keep in, and bound his thoughts concerning himself, by the measure of faith given him of God. Strive what thou canst to increase thy measure, yet use it as it is, and neither think of thy ability beyond that which it is, nor think to produce effects beyond the cause; which is indeed to make something out of nothing. Make use of that which thou hast, which will not only increase the fruits of thy gift, but increase the gift it self, and turn two talents into four. But if thou goest beyond thy gift, in thy opinion of it, thou goest from truth into error, from sobriety into presumption and pride. If thou go beyond thy gift in thy practice, thou goest beyond strength to weakness, beyond that which is, to that which is not, and doest not advance, but lessen thy own end. For beyond thy sight thou canst not see; neither canst thou finish the house, for the building whereof thou hast not the costs. In the mean time, if thou have a willing mind, God accepts thy doing out of that which thou hast, and expects it not out of that which thou hast not. And if thou be faithful in that (though little) which thou hast, God will make thee Ruler over much. It hath been a fault in divers, though well-meaning souls, sometimes to undertake that which they are not enabled to effect; sometimes to condemn that which they are not enabled to comprehend; and sometimes to approve what they do not attain and understand. I uttered, saith Job, that I understood not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew not: but Job being taught by God, learned a remedy for this disease, even a cure by contraries; a cure of inordinate speech, by an orderly silence. Once have I spoken, but I will not answer: yea twice, but I will proceed no further. Therefore if something be revealed to a second, which was not to the first, let the first hold his peace. Silence is his first part, who sees not what he should say, and hearing his second. Therefore according to that which we have attained, let us walk and speak; and leave that to which we have not attained, to those that have, until God shall reveal it. And let those that have a greater measure, help those that have the lesser, not despising their lesser measure, because it is lesser; but even therefore strive to increase it. For thus, in some sort, that equality of Manna may be kept, while the abundance of one supplies the want of another, and the lesser is filled up by the greater. And let the greater know, that to whom much is given, of him much shall be required; and if a man have received five talents, the proportion of gain returned, is expressed to be five; and not two, as for two. And if thou hast gained many, thou shalt rule over many Cities.

Thirdly, (as before of the measure so now) judge aright of the kind of thy gift. True it is, that all those that are taught of God according to the promise of the New Covenant, are all taught the Law of faith, and the Law of love. They shall all know me, saith the Lord, from the greatest to the least; even according to that knowledge which is life eternal. And this must needs be the knowledge of faith; for by faith are we saved, even that faith which is the gift of God. The Disciples of God are also taught to love one another; and by this love are they known to be Disciples. And thus by faith have they unity with the Head, and by love with the Body. Yet is it also true, that the Spirit which gives the light of faith, gives also to divers of the Faithful divers other powers and operations of light. To one is given wisdom to govern; to another, judgment to decide controversies, doubts, and difficulties; to another, a sharp sight of secrets and mysteries. One excels in contemplative ability, another in practical. One knows best how to give advice, another knows better how to obey and follow. Let every man therefore find out his different ability and excellency, and with his greatest ability let him make his greatest traffick. As every man hath received the gift, so let him exercise and dispence it, as a good Steward of the manifold grace of God. The grace of God is therefore divers and manifold in many, that in many his manifold grace may more evidently & gloriously appear; and that each having need of other, there may be a mutual help from each to other, as from the members of one body. Therefore if thou art a foot, do not strive to do the work of an hand, but help the work of an hand, if thou mayest by the work of a foot. For a foot may indeed thus have a part in the work of an hand, while in the work of a foot it supports and carries the hand to the work of an hand. Be then chiefly tha • which God would have thee to be; and what by his gift he hath shown thee thou shouldest be. Keep thou especially in thine own line, neither trouble thyself (much less boast) for the line of another. When Christ speaks to thee to follow him one way, thou mayest not with Peter make quarrels and questions concerning John's other way; for so mayest thou receive Peters answer from the Master: What is that to thee? follow thou me. It is the Masters part to allot the way and work of his Disciples; and therefore let both Peter and John walk that different way, to which their Master hath differently directed them. A contrary course is a mere confusion, and therefore agrees not with him, who is the God of order, and not of confusion. And as it brings all out of order, so it brings all to nothing. For while that gift is neglected, by which some good may be done, and that gift is affected, by which (not being attained) no good can be done; God's work is either undone, or ill done. Therefore use thine own gift, according to the will of the Giver, and so shall it go on in the right way, to thy brothers profit, thine own reward, and thy Lord's glory.

Lastly, for thy heavenly teaching, and all the knowledge taught by it, take no glory to thy self, but give it whole and entire to thy heavenly Teacher. If flesh and blood have not taught thee, but the Father in Heaven, let not flesh and blood, but the Father in Heaven, have all the glory of his own teaching. If thou hast nothing in this kind, but what thou hast received, and much receiving causeth much owing, how canst thou glory in the increase of thy receipts, except thou wilt also glory in the increase of thy debts? But indeed the more thou hast received, the more thanks and glory shouldst thou return to the Giver. And surely, God hath a plot of glory in the dispensation of his teaching. For to make safe his glory to himself, he often leaves the wise and great of the world to the blindness of their natural wisdom, and takes the mean and despised ones of the world, even babes, and things that are not, and gives them his teaching. And this he doth, That no flesh may rejoice in his presence; but that all glorying may be excluded from man, and kept wholly for himself. Then do not think it safe to rob God of his glory, which he hath thus plotted and contrived. Know that to rob God of his glory, is a highest kind of sacrilege: And not so only, but it is also a highest kind of ingratitude, to take from God because he hath given to thee. Yea rather, because he hath been large in his grace to thee, be thou enlarged in thy return of thanks and glory to him. This plentiful return of glory to God, is the best way to get an increase of that grace, for which thou givest him glory. Yea, to take all glory from thy self, and to give it to God, is the way to receive true and solid glory from God. For God will honor those that honor him; and so shall it be a most gainful course for thee, while by putting from thee a glory that belongs not to thee, God will freely give thee a glory, that shall by this gift truly belong unto thee. And whereas that would be but a false, guilty, and transitory glory, which man would give unto himself, this shall be a pure, true, and eternal glory, which shall be given by God unto man. Do not then make thyself vain, and sinful, and miserable, by stealing glory from God to thyself; but make thyself happy by glorifying him, and being glorified of him.

Neither do thou glorify him only in words, but in works; let it appear in the excellence of thy works, that thou hast had an excellent Teacher. Let the light of thy works so shine before men, that they may glorify God the Father of this light. Christ tells his Disciples, that by bringing forth much fruit his Father is glorified. Let therefore both the plenty and the excellency of thy fruit, gain glory and praise to the heavenly Husbandman. And indeed Christ our Master, punctually and expressly doth call for excellent fruits of his Disciples. He thinks it not enough for his glory, if his Scholars, being taught of God, bring forth only the fruits of such as are taught by men. Therefore he raiseth them up to a higher kind of fruitfulness, by this question: What excellent thing do ye? He expecteth fruits of an eminent virtue beyond others, who beyond others have had an eminent teaching and Teacher. Do then some excellent things, ye that have so excellent a Master; and glorify your Master, by doing things more excellent than the mere Scholars of earthly Teachers. To this end, let your fruits issue from the new man, which is taught of God; and not from the old man, which came in by the teaching of Satan. Let the excellent & unmatchable ointments of Christ Jesus give an excellent savor to your works, and let the house of the Church be filled with the savor of these ointments. Let the sweetness thereof so ravish & overcome men, that they may be forced to confess, That God is in you of a truth, and that you have been taught of God. And to this God, which is in you, and hath taught you to excel in virtue, let them give all the glory.

And thus after you have a while advanced the glory of your Teacher, your Teacher shall advance you into the sight of his glory. These drops and dew of grace, by which you are now taught, shall bring you to the sight and fruition of the Teacher himself, who is an ever-flowing Fountain, and boundless Ocean of light, wisdom, grace & glory. Then the most glorious Sun-light and influence of God's presence, irradiating and overflowing thee, and so more than fully teaching thee, shall drown the Star-light of this teaching, which thou receivedst here below. Yet shalt thou magnify this lesser teaching, because it hath brought thee to this great and glorious Teacher, whose light shall give thee the sight of the highest wisdom; whose presence shall inebriate thee with the fullness of joy, whose right hand shall give thee the pleasures of eternity. And in these eternal pleasures shalt thou eternally glorify thy supreme Teacher, who hath taught thee to a Kingdom, and that not an earthly, fading, and vanishing Kingdom, but to a Kingdom of Heaven that cannot be shaken, a Kingdom of bliss that hath no end, a Kingdom wherein the Righteous shall forever shine in the glory of their Father: for the Lord shall be their everlasting light, and their God their glory.

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