A75287:13
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.
TO THE READER.
OF many Books there is no end, and much study is a weariness to the flesh: The Experience of this Truth (especially in these latter days) hath sometimes put me to sad and serious thoughts, How should a Christian furnish himself with a sufficient Library, to help him on in his way Heaven-ward? Should he buy up all the Ancients, or (in case he want the Tongues) should he buy up all our Modern English Writers, Positive and Polemical, they might fill his Closet, but he should find no end of buying, as there is no end of making Books: and if he resolvedly fell to reading he might conclude with the wise man, Much study is a weariness of the flesh; nay, in in such variety, he would find the most of his study so impertinent, so unprofitable, that he might further conclude, Such a study is a loss to his Soul, and rather an hinderer, then an helper of it in the way to Heaven. To prevent this, some have advised Christians to choose out, amongst that world of variety we now enjoy, such Authors as are most suitable to their Genius and Employment. The Lord Verulam, with some others, give their opinions, That if the choice and best Observations, which have been made dispersedly in our English Sermons (leaving out the largeness of Exhortations and Applications thereupon) were set down in a Continuance, it would ⟨image 4⟩be the best work in Divinity that hath been written since the Apostles times. And Dr. Hackwith repeats almost the same words, saying, That the Sermons of this latter Age, specially in this Land, have doubtless been more exquisite and effectual, then ordinarily they have been in any precedent Age; insomuch as it is observed, that if there were a choice Collection made of the most accurate since the entrance of Queen Elizabeth to these present times (omitting the large Applications thereupon) it would prove one of the rarest Pieces that hath been published since the Apostles times: Dr. Hackwith's Apology of the Power and Providence of God in the Government of the World, lib. 3. Cap. 7. Sect. 2. Indeed, had we such a Book extant, I would advise the Christians of our Age to buy the Bible, and that Book, and to study them, and no more, as to their Spiritual good. But alas, this Book is rather wished for, then hoped after; we may expect and wait for it till our eyes sink in our heads, and be never the nearer.