A75287:118
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.
Answ. O yes! For first, in every Duty we perform, there are two things; there ⟨p. 17⟩is the sacrifice, and there is the obedience in offering of the sacrifice; the sacrifice may be imperfect, and yet our obedience in offering the sacrifice may be perfect with Gospel perfection. Secondly, God deals with our Duties as with our persons; though he find a great deal of ungodliness in them, yet he imputes his righteousness unto them, and so he justifies our Duties, which in our eyes are most ungodly. This indeed is a wonder; did we ever hear or read of any seal, that when it was set upon the wax, would change the wax into its own metal? or did we ever hear or read of any stamp, that being set upon brass, it would change the brass into silver, or being set upon silver, it would change the silver into gold? O but when Christ comes unto a Duty, and sets his own stamp, and his own righteousness upon a Duty, that which was brass before, (i.) full of failings, and much unrighteousness, he changes it into silver, into gold; he only hath the Philosophers Stone (as I may so speak) and all that Christ toucheth, it presently turns into gold; he turns all our Duties into golden Duties, and so presents them unto God the Father.
Answ. O yes! For first, in every Duty we perform, there are two things; there ⟨p. 17⟩is the sacrifice, and there is the obedience in offering of the sacrifice; the sacrifice may be imperfect, and yet our obedience in offering the sacrifice may be perfect with Gospel perfection. Secondly, God deals with our Duties as with our persons; though he finde a great deal of ungodliness in them, yet he imputes his righteousness unto them, and so he justifies our Duties, which in our eyes are most ungodly. This indeed is a wonder; did we ever hear or read of any seal, that when it was set upon the wax, would change the wax into its own mettal? or did we ever hear or read of any stamp, that being set upon brass, it would change the brass into silver, or being set upon silver, it would change the silver into gold? O but when Christ comes unto a Duty, and sets his own stamp, and his own righteousness upon a Duty, that which was brass before, (i.) full of failings, and much unrighteousness, he changes it into silver, into gold; he onely hath the Philosophers Stone (as I may so speak) and all that Christ toucheth, it presently turns into gold; he turns all our Duties into golden Duties, and so presents them unto God the Father.