A75287:1071
Media: the middle things, in reference to the first and last things: or, The…
Media: the middle things, in reference to the first and last things: or, The means, duties, ordinances, both secret, private and public, for continuance and increase of a godly life, once begun, till we come to Heaven. Wherein are discovered many blessed medium's or duties, in their right method, manner and proceedings; that so a Christian (the spirit of Christ assisting) may walk on in the holy path, which leads from his new birth to everlasting life. / Drawn, for the most part, out of the most eminently pious, and learned writings of our native practical divines: with additionals of his own, by Isaac Ambrose, minister of the Gospel at Preston in Amoundernes.Media: the middle things, in reference to the first and last things: or, The means, duties, ordinances, both secret, private and publike, for continuance and increase of a godly life, once begun, till we come to Heaven. Wherein are discovered many blessed medium's or duties, in their right method, manner and proceedings; that so a Christian (the spirit of Christ assisting) may walk on in the holy path, which leads from his new birth to everlasting life. / Drawn, for the most part, out of the most eminently pious, and learned writings of our native practical divines: with additionals of his own, by Isaac Ambrose, minister of the Gospel at Preston in Amoundernes.
London: printed by John Field for Nathanael Webb and William Grantham, 1649London: printed by John Field for Nathanaell Webb and William Grantham, 1649
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. That faith makes a man heavenly-minded in the use and possession of a prosperous estate; as it receives all earthly blessings ⟨p. 174⟩from God, so it winds and pulls up the soul to God again: and if it be rightly considered, prosperity is the fittest season for heavenly contemplation; the less trouble lies upon our estate, the more liberty we have to think of heavenly things: howsoever, faith considers these things as pledges of Gods love, as parts of our child's-portion, and so it makes us look at the better part, those never-fading riches which God hath reserved in heaven for all that fear him.
2. That faith makes a man heavenly-minded in the use and possession of a prosperous estate; as it receives all earthly blessings ⟨p. 174⟩from God, so it windes and pulls up the soul to God again: and if it be rightly considered, prosperity is the fittest season for heavenly contemplation; the less trouble lies upon our estate, the more liberty we have to think of heavenly things: howsoever, faith considers these things as pledges of Gods love, as parts of our childes-portion, and so it makes us look at the better part, those never-fading riches which God hath reserved in heaven for all that fear him.
3. That faith breeds a godly jealousy and suspicion, lest the heart should be drawn away with the pleasing delights of things transitory, for by grace it is that we are made conscious of our own weakness, and of the snare that is in every creature, to take and entangle us: Prosperity is pleasing, but dangerous; a man may quickly surfeit of sweet meats. This makes the waking believer circumspect and watchful, and jealous, and suspicious of his own heart, lest he miscarry in prosperity, considering there is a snare in it.
3. That faith breeds a godly jealousie and suspition, lest the heart should be drawn away with the pleasing delights of things transitory, for by grace it is that we are made conscious of our own weakness, and of the snare that is in every creature, to take and intangle us: Prosperity is pleasing, but dangerous; a man may quickly surfet of sweet meats. This makes the waking believer circumspect and watchful, and jealous, and suspitious of his own heart, lest he miscarry in prosperity, considering there is a snare in it.