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 duties required in Fasting.

IN the action of Fasting there are duties

• inward.
• outward.

1. The inward duties are

• general.
• more special.

1. The duties that more generally concern the nature of the day, are such as these:—

1. In the true spiritual Fast, there must be fasting from sin, or the forsaking of all our sins; for whiles we abstain from lawful things, we are admonished much more to abstain from all things that are utterly unlawful at all times: It is the Lords complaint, Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and smite with the fist of wickedness, ye shall not fast as ye do this day. It is plain, the Lord will endure no Fast of those that go on still in their wickedness.

2. The word and prayer must be added: I fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven, said Nehemiah:—And they stood up in their place, and read in the Book of the Law of the Lord their God, one fourth part of the day, and another fourth part they con∣fessed and worshipped the Lord their God: But whereas prayer is a daily and ordinary exercise of the Saints, it is manifest, that by Prayer coupled with Fasting, is understood a special and peer∣less kinde of Prayer, wherein two things are required: 1. Fer∣vency of desire; now we must not onely pray, but cry unto the Lord; yea, as the Ninevites speak, We are to cry mightily unto him: For the use of our outward abstinence, is but the wing of prayer, wherewith it might more easily fly up to heaven. 2. In such a prayer there should be an assurance of faith: The Lord hath made a gracious promise in many places to this Ordinance, 2 Chron. 7.14. Isa. 58.8, 13. Joel 2.18, 19. and let all the Fasts of the Church of Christ, both in the Old and New Testament, be looked at, as Judges 20.23. Ezra 9.6. Esth. 4.16. Acts 13.2, 3. and it will appear, that the end of their fasts (kept in any

measure of truth and sincerity) was a feast, and the issue of their mourning, great rejoycing; all which may serve wonderfully to strengthen our faith in this holy performance.

3. Works of mercy must be added, Is not this the fast that I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness, to deal the bread unto the hungry, to bring the poor that are cast out, into thine house, and when thou seest the naked, to cover them? In all our fasts this must be observed, that the poor may have the gain of our fast∣ing; If their loyns and bowels bless us, the Lord also will bless us abundantly.

4. We must ever in these days of humiliation, renew our Co∣venant with the Lord; and not onely unfeinedly purpose, but faithfully promise amendment of life; this making, renewing and keeping our Covenant, is the life and sum, and the one most necessary thing in this excellent and extraordinary exercise of fasting and prayer.

2. The particular duties, wherein we must seriously exercise our souls on such a day, are these:—

1. In a right survey and full comprehension of all our vileness, iniquities, transgressions and sins.

2. In a right apprehension of Gods dreadful wrath and flaming vengeance against sin.

3. In a feeling sence of our own unspeakable, unconceiveable misery by reason thereof.

4. In a vile and base conceit and esteem of our selves, abhor∣ring our selves in dust and ashes.

5. In an inward sorrow, renting of the heart, bleeding of the soul, accompanied with an outward bewailing, with a plen∣tiful and heart-piercing confession of all our sins before Gods gracious throne.

6. In a resolute hatred, dislike and aversion in the will; in an impregnable resolution and strong reasoning of the minde; in a constant endeavor and watchful opposition against sin.

7. In an hearty grieving, that we cannot perform all these more heartily, sincerely and soundly.

2. The outward duties consist especially in outward absti∣nence: As—

1. From full sleep, whence that exhortation in some sence, Watch unto prayer, Col. 4.2. 1 Pet. 4.7.

2. From costly apparel, from ornaments, and better attire, Exod. 33.4, 5, 6. Jonah 3.6.

3. From matrimonial Benevolence, from that society which God hath sanctified by his word to married persons, 1 Cor. 7.5. Joel 2.16.

4. From bodily labors and worldly business, Lev. 16.29, 31.— 23.32. Joel 1.14.—2.15.

5. From food wholly; and yet this total abstinence from meat and drink is not so strictly required, but that they whose health cannot bear it, may in case of true necessity, take some little refreshing, lest otherwise they hazard or hurt their health, and unfit themselves for the spiritual exercise and duty; indeed we have no example of this case propounded in Scripture, yet we have a sufficient ground for it, Hosea 6.6. Mat. 12.7.

6. From all carnal delights and pleasures of this life, Joel 2.16. David and Daniel would. not anoint themselves at such a time, 1 Sam. 12.20. Dan. 10.3. And all these outward duties are to be observed, 1. Partly as helps to our humiliation, in renouncing the hindrances thereof. 2. Partly as signs of our humiliation, whereby we acknowledge our selves unworthy of these delights. 3. Partly as evidences of our repentance, in that by way of god∣ly revenge, we deprive our senses (which have all sinned) of their several delights.

Notes

• Isa. 58.4.
• N••h. 1.4. N••h. 9.3.
• Ioel 1.14. Ionah 3.8.
• Isa 58.6, 7.