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.

SECT. 2. Of the maner of preparation to hear the Word.

THe maner of this preparation consists in these particulars: 1. In Prayer. 2. In Meditation. 3. In Examination. 4. In the purging or cleansing our hearts. 5. In a right disposition of our hearts.

1. In Prayer: If thou cryest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voyce for understanding;— then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and finde out the knowledge of God. Christ bids us pray for our daily bread, and a blessing upon it; much more should we pray for a blessing upon our Spiritual food, for Man doth not live by bread onely, but by every word that pro∣ceedeth

out of the mouth of the Lord, doth man live. Now the particulars we are to pray for, are these:

1. For the Minister, that God would open unto him a door of utterance, to speak the mysteries of Christ; — and that he may make it manifest as he ought to speak. Direct him, Lord (should every soul say) that he may speak fitly to me, somewhat for my understanding, somewhat for my affections, somewhat to help me against such or such a temptation.

2. For the Congregation, that Christ may ride with triumph in the midst of them, that some may be converted, others may be confirmed and strengthned in their most holy faith.

3. For our selves, that through Gods assistance we may hear profitably, and be blessed in the hearing; that God would help us in our Preparation, Meditation, Examination, in the purging of our hearts, and putting them into a right disposition and frame: Open thou mine eyes (said David) that I may see the won∣derful things contained in thy law.

2. In Meditation: I thought on my ways (said David) and turned my feet unto thy testimonies; he first looked over his own ways, before he would set his feet into Gods ways.— Now the matter of our Meditation is, 1. Who we are, to hear Gods Word: Alas, poor handfuls of dust and ashes, base and vile; thus Abraham and Job in their converses with God confess: and this consideration will stir-up our humility and repentance in us. 2. Into whose presence we come: Is it not into the presence of an high, and holy, and powerful God? Is it not the Lord, a per∣son both of greatest place, and supreme authority? This conside∣ration will further our reverence and respect of God. When Iobs eye did see God, he abhorred himself in dust and ashes. 3. By whose assistance we come; we have no strength of our own to do any good, nor is there any thing in us, that can procure fa∣vor and acceptance with God, we must therefore by faith de∣pend upon Christ for assistance and acceptance: This considera∣tion will stir up our humility and faith. 4. With what affecti∣ons we come; if we come to purpose, we must come with in∣ward Spiritual affections, with willingness, chearfulness, reve∣rence, repentance, love, humility and faith. 5. To what end we come; whether it be to Gods glory, and our own souls good.

3. In Examination, let us search and try our ways:— Com∣mune with your own hearts; — and then offer to God the sacrifice of righteousness.— Now the matter of Examination is, 1. The general frame and temper of our hearts, whether they be in a better or worse temper then formerly. 2. The special occa∣sions, for which our souls at such or such a time desire to meet God: It is the complaint of some, I am weak in knowledge; of others, I want such and such graces; of others, I am like to en∣counter such and such temptations: of all these we are to exa∣mine our selves, that we may accordingly receive supply. 3. Our sins, that we might have them slain by the sword of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word. 4. Our graces, that we may have them strengthned and nourished by the Spiritual food of our souls. But the handling of these at large, I shall leave to the Receiving of the Lords Supper.

4. In the purging or cleansing of our hearts, 1. From sin; Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls: with which agrees that parallel place, Wherefore putting away all malice, as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word; as it is with the body, when the stomack is foul and clogged with bad humors, we should first purge it, before we feed it, other∣wise whatsoever we eat, will but nourish and increase the corrupt humors: so when the soul is stuffed or clogged with sin, what∣soever is heard in the Ministery of the word, will but be abused by it, and wrested to the destruction of it. 2. From worldly cares and thoughts, which may draw away the heart: The cares of the world (saith Christ) do choak the seed of the word. When Abraham went up to the Mount to sacrifice, he left his servants in the valley; and when we go up to the Mount where God ap∣pears, we should leave all our servile affections, and worldly thoughts in the valley; or if any enter, we should do by them as Abraham did by the birds that would have eaten up his sacri∣fice, chase them away. It is said, that in the Temple, though there was much flesh for sacrifice, yet there was not one flie ap∣peared stirring. O that it might be so with us, that not one thought might arise upon our hearts, unsuitable to the place or work at hand: But this is the misery, we have not Spiritual hearts in temporal imployments, and therefore we have carnal

hearts in spiritual imployments, the less of the Sabbath in the week, the more of the week we finde in the Sabbath.

5. In a right disposition in our hearts: We must have hearts seasoned, 1. With softness, for if the heart be not soft and flexi∣ble, the power of the Word will not make any print or deep impression upon it; all holy admonitions, reproofs and instructi∣ons will be but as arrows shot against a stone wall. 2. With hu∣mility, For them that be meek will he guide in judgement, and teach the humble his way: The proud heart is so swelled with the wind of vanity and vain-glory, of self-love and over-weening con∣ceit, that there is left no room in it for the precious treasures of saving Grace to enter. 3. With honesty, For honest hearts are the profitable and fruitful hearers, resembled by the good ground; hearts that have no maner of purpose to live and continue in any one known sin; hearts ready and resolved to serve and please God in all the ways of his Commandments, and that sincerely and continually. 4. With faith, for this makes the Word sink and soak into the soul with power and profit. The old Jews heard the Word, but it profited them not, because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it: Faith animates and inspires the promises of the Gospel, with such a soveraign sweetness, that they are able to raise us from the depth of fears, yea, to put us into a Paradice of spiritual pleasures, and possession of Heaven, as it were already. 5. With teachableness: Sacrifice and burnt offerings thou wouldst not (saith David) but mine ears hast thou prepared; q.d. Thou hast boared new ears in my heart, that I can now reverently attend unto, rightly conceive, and with an holy greediness devour (as it were) the mysteries of Grace.

6. With openness, or readiness to receive every truth that God shall teach us: It is said of the Bereans, That they received the Word with all readiness of minde: When there is such an holy disposition in us, as to receive both in judgement and practice whatsoever God shall reveal to us out of his holy Word, this is a precious disposition.

Thus much of preparation, before we hear: what follows, but that we open our hearts and hands? Surely the windows of hea∣ven will be set wide open, that all maner of spiritual comforts, all the blessings of peace and happiness, may in abundance be showered down upon us; the rich treasury of everlasting glory

and mortality, shall be now unlocked to us, and we may row and tumble our selves amidst the mountains of heavenly pearls, and golden pleasures, joys that no heart can comprehend, but that which is weaned from all worldly pleasures, and set apart, and sanctified for all holy services and business of Heaven.

Notes

• Prov. 2.3, 5.
• Deut. 8.3. Mat. 4 4.
• Col. 4.3, 4.
• Psal. 119.18.
• Psal. 119.59.
• Iob 4••.16.
• Lam. 3 40.
• Psal. 4.4, 5.
• Iames 1.21.
• 1 Pet 2.1, 2.
• Mat. 13.22.
• Psal. 25.9.
• Luke 8.15.
• Heb. 4.2.
• Psal. 40.6.
• Acts 17.11.