A75287:141
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.
5. That these Duties may turn to our comforts: Not so, as to put confidence in them, to take comfort from them as a cause; that cannot be, for who can look upon any thing he doth with that boldness? but as the testimony of Gods eternal love to us.1 Thus Hezekiah, not as a proud Pharisee, but as a thankful acknowledger of what was in him, prayed, I beseech thee, O Lord, remember me, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight: Some suppose, that such a temptation as this might fall on Hezekiah, that when he had laboured to demolish all those Superstitions, and now became dangerously sick, that he had not done well; and therefore he comforts himself in his heart, That he did those things with a perfect heart, not absolutely, but comparatively perfect: We may therefore take comfort from Duties, not so as to rest in them, but so as to praise God thereby. It's a good way, nesciendo scire, in not knowing, to know, that so we may praise God for them; and sciendo nescire, in knowing, not to know, that so we may be humble in our selves.
5. That these Duties may turn to our comforts: Not so, as to put confidence in them, to take comfort from them as a cause; that cannot be, for who can look upon any thing he doth with that boldness? but as the testimony of Gods eternal love to us.1 Thus Hezekiah, not as a proud Pharisee, but as a thankful acknowledger of what was in him, prayed, I beseech thee, O Lord, remember me, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight: Some suppose, that such a temptation as this might fall on Hezekiah, that when he had labored to demolish all those Superstitions, and now became dangerously sick, that he had not done well; and therefore he comforts himself in his heart, That he did those things with a perfect heart, not absolutely, but comparatively perfect: We may therefore take comfort from Duties, not so as to rest in them, but so as to praise God thereby. It's a good way, nesciendo scire, in not knowing, to know, that so we may praise God for them; and sciendo nescire, in knowing, not to know, that so we may be humble in our selves.
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