A75287:2008
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.
Quest. 1 But whether may not ungenerate men have a delight in Gods Ordinances?
Answ. I answer, 1. Most of them have no delight at all in Gods Ordinances: To whom shall I speak and give warning, 1that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken; behold, the Word of the Lord is to them a reproach, they have no delight in it; and if this be our case, if we can hear sweet Gospel-preaching, the free offer of Jesus Christ, with all his glories and excellencies, to poor sinners, to vile, lost, undone souls, and are no whit taken therewith; woe to our souls, can we sleep away such a sermon? can we slight or neglect such Gospel-offers, ⟨p. 272⟩nay, do we attend them coldly? have we not heart-risings? no stirrings and workings? no longings and desires? and thus we pass Sermon after Sermon, and Sabbath after Sabbath: O then we are wholly dead unto the life of grace, Jesus Christ as yet hath not given us his true light, no work of Conversion doth at all appear in us: The end which Jesus Christ had in sending out Preachers, was to discover his love to poor perishing sinners, that so they might be affected with him, and long after him, and if we have no such relish, our condition is sad.
Answ. I answer, 1. Most of them have no delight at all in Gods Ordinances: To whom shall I speak and give warning, 1that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken; behold, the Word of the Lord is to them a reproach, they have no delight in it; and if this be our case, if we can hear sweet Gospel-preaching, the free offer of Jesus Christ, with all his glories and excellencies, to poor sinners, to vile, lost, undone souls, and are no whit taken therewith; wo to our souls, can we sleep away such a sermon? can we slight or neglect such Gospel-offers, ⟨p. 272⟩