A75287:919
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.
3. Causes.
But whence is this love, O my soul? The Apostle is plain,1 We love him, because he first loved us: When the Spirit of God in the promises lets in some intimation of Gods love into the soul, then she loves him again: That expression of the Psalmist, The Lord will command his loving kindnesses in the day time, 2is pertinent to this; it is a phrase taken from Kings and Princes, and great Commanders in the field, whose words of Command stand for Laws: so the Lord sends out his loving kindness, saying, Go out, my everlasting love and kindness, take a Commission from ⟨p. 144⟩me, go to that humble, thirsty, hungry soul; go and prosper, and prevail, and settle my love effectually upon him; I command thee do it: It may be at the first visit, the poor soul cries out, What, I love? What, I mercy? will Christ Jesus accept of me? Oh, I am the worst of sinners; could I pray, or perform duties as some others do, I might have some hopes of mercy; but what? is it possible that the Lord of Heaven should love me? Yes, thee, even thee, saith the Lord: go out my loving kindness to that poor soul, break open the doors of that weary weltering heart, knock off those bolts of carnal reason, and all base arguments, and clear and warm that broken, bruised, humbled soul, and tell him from me, That his sins are pardoned, his sighs and prayers are heard, and he shall be saved; I charge thee do the work before thou comest in again: Here, O my soul, is the immediate cause, Gods love thus affecting the heart, it breeds a love in the heart to God again: I drew them (saith God) with the cords of a man, 3