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. 4. The Duties required after hearing.

THe Duties required after hearing the word, are these:—

1. That we carefully remember, and keep that which we have heard: My son, let thine heart retain my words,—keep them in the midst of thine heart. As a man that hath a Jewel will be careful to lock it up in his safest Chest, so should we keep the word in our hearts, in the midst of our hearts. Many hear the word desirously, but (as we say) it goes in at one ear, and out at the other, it stays not for any after-use, but a little present admiration: others hear, and the word smites them a little on their Consciences, and wounds them, and one would think some good thing would be wrought on them, but they go away, and the motion dyes; like unto mettals which are soft and plyable, whilest they are in the fire, but shortly after they become harder then before. Take earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip; or let them run out as a leaking vessel, for so the Original bears it.

2. That we meditate, and seriously think of that we have heard: Meditate upon these things (said Paul to Timothy) give thy self wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all: Thus Mary pondred the words of the Angel in her heart, and David meditated all the day on Gods law: Meditation is as the bel∣lows of the soul, that doth kindle and inflame holy affections: Meditation is of a seperating and setling nature, it seperates hea∣venly thoughts from earthly, for it often goes over with thoughts, and at last settles the heart on such thoughts as these, O this is the word of God, this is the law, the proclamation of the great King, whereby I must be judged: This may be the last Ser∣mon that ever I shall hear whiles I live, such a gale of Gods Spi∣rit may never be offered to me again: I will be wise therefore, and give way to the Spirit of God, I will not beat it back again, but

yield to the blessed motions of Gods Spirit, that this day have been made.

3. That we repeat what we have heard, and confer of it, and examine the Scriptures about the truth of it: My tongue (saith David) shall speak of thy word, for all thy Commandments are righteousness: and, You shall lay up these my words in your hearts (saith God) and you shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house. This is it for which the no∣ble Bereans are commended to us, They searched the Scriptures daily, concerning the things that were delivered by Paul: A man that comes into a pleasant garden, will not content himself with the present scent onely, but will carry some of the flowers away with him: So after we have been in the Garden of spices, and have felt the savor of Christs oyntments in Church-Assemblies, let us take some of the flowers away with us, and smell of them again and again. Repeating, conferring, examining the word, is as the pounding of spices, that will make them smell more.

4. That we put in practice whatsoever we hear: Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers onely, deceiving your own souls; we must do it, we must bring it nearer to us, that it may be an ingrafted word in our understanding and affections, that it may be written in our souls, and in the tables of our hearts; that it may be incor∣porated and naturalized into our inward man, that so we may speak and think, and do nothing but that which is divine: and in doing, observe we this frame of Spirit, to be quick and speedy about it: I made haste, and prolonged not the time to keep thy com∣mandments; This speedy, this immediate putting of the word into practice, is much advantage to the hearer; the affections of the heart are then lively and quick, which with delays dye and decay suddenly.

5. That (when the word is heard, and we are returned home) that we pray again for a blessing on that we have heard, and as our memories will bear, let us turn the word into prayer, espe∣cially the heads or principal parts of it: Prayer must be the Al∣pha and Omega, the beginning and ending of this Spiritual duty; we must pray in preparation, and pray in conclusion, and pray always. And thus much concerning our Duties before, in, and after the Hearing the Word.

Notes

• Prov. 4.4, 21.
• Heb. 2.1.
• 1 Tim. 4.15.
• Luke 2.19. Psal. 119.97.
• Psa. 119.172.
• Deut. 11.18, 19.
• Act. 17.11, 12
• Iames 1.22.
• Psal. 119.60.
• Luke 21.36.