A75287:143
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.
There's an Exhortation to wives, so to walk, 1that their husbands may he won to the Lord: Sweet soul, it may be thou prayest for thy husband, in a carnal condition, thou desirest him to go to hear such a Minister, such a Sermon; go on in these Duties, adding this to the rest, See that thy life also may convert him.
7. That Duties may carry us to the Lord Jesus,1 the only Saviour; he alone is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him (i.) in the use of the means: Hear a Sermon to carry thee to the Lord Jesus; Fast, and pray,2 and get a full tide of affections in them, to carry thee to the Lord Jesus Christ (i.) to get a more love of him, more acquaintance with him, more union in him, and communion with him; use thy Duties, as Noah's Dove did her wings, to carry thee to the Ark of the Lord Jesus Christ, where only there is rest: If she had never used her wings, she had fallen in the waters; and if she had not returned to the Ark, she had found no rest: So, if thou shalt use no Duties, but cast them all off, thou art sure to perish; and if they convey thee not to Christ, thou mayest lie down in sorrow: or as it is with a poor man, that is to get over a great water for a treasure on the other side, though he cannot fetch the Boat, he calls for it, and useth it, to carry him over to the treasure: So Christ is in heaven, and thou on earth, he doth not come to thee, and thou canst not get to him, now call for a Boat; though there is no grace, no good, no salvation in a pithless Duty, yet use it to carry thee over to the treasure, The Lord Jesus Christ: When thou comest to hear, say, Have over, Lord, by this Sermon; when thou comest to pray, say. Have over, Lord, by this Prayer to a Saviour: But this is the misery of people, like foolish Lovers, when they are to woo for the Lady, they fall in love with her Handmaid, that is only to lead them to her: So men fall in love with, and dote upon their own Duties, and rest contented with the naked performance of them, which are only Handmaids, to lead the soul unto the Lord Jesus Christ.