A75287:27
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 Conscientious Reader.
IT is thy privilege who readest, for Soul-help, to receive this Conscientious Contexture, a teaching and exciting pattern of choice Piety, out of the hand of thy dearest Husband Jesus Christ, who gave himself for thee, that he might give himself to thee; and with himself, that which doth convey himself, the Gifts, Graces, Evidences, Experiences, Improvements, and Spiritual actings of all those that are partakers of the Root and Fatness of that Olive. Here is then a Love-token, thy loving Husband hath been preparing for thee weeks and months (it may be some years) by the Study, Pains, Prayers, Tears, the Soul and Body-travel of a tender-hearted Brother; be thou ready for a meeting of Loves, that at the receipt, of this, comfortable fruit of love, Christ and thy Soul may rejoice together. Is there not not a cause? doth he not rejoice over thee with joy? doth he not rest in his love? doth not he joy over thee with singing? let this Love-token speak; herein thy free given Royalties are heaped up as high as Heaven, Justification, Reconciliation, Adoption, Sanctification, Glorification; Thy helpful Experiences remembered, and improved; thy heart-cheering Evidences collected, and cleared; thy love-Duty discovered, and precious Directions given, for an advantageous performance of them, in Secret, in Family, in Public, for the mutual overflowings of love betwixt Christ and thy Soul. Upon serious and sad thoughts, that the godly generally of later times, have been taken up with wrangling Disputes, and thereby taken off from Christian affection, and Communion (and I fear from Christ too in dangerous measure) It hath been amongst my desires, That God would stir up the hearts of some of his Servants, to call off his people from these Soul-hurting Contendings, unto the Reading, and Study of Soul-helping Treatises; assuring my self, That if the people of God were helped against their contentious, and jarring Corruptions, the differences in their heads would be more easily reconciled, as to dear love, and due Spiritual Communion.