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. 6. Of the Saints abilities or power to do Duties.

[Obj.] BƲt alas, how should I perform my Duty? by nature I am dead, and except God give me an heart and strength, what can I do? There is no power in my hands, I am nothing in my self, and therefore till God come, or naked Christ come, I will sit down in discouragements; Let God do all, I see I have no ability at all, &c.

[Ans.] What sayest thou (O my soul?) surely this is thine infirmity; these conclusions are ill drawn from a true Principle: It is true, all is of God, and by nature I am dead; but it is ill urged in this case, for that the Regenerate have in them a Seed, a Spiri∣tual Principle, a power to do good: First, because such are living, and all life is a power to act. 2. Else there is no specifical dif∣ference betwixt a man regenerate and unregenerate, if both were still dead, and without strength. 3. Grace is a renewing of that image of God and Holiness which we lost in Adam; but that was a power to do what God required, therefore so far as that image is repaired, so far there is power. 4. Else we should not have as much benefit by the second Adam, as we had by the first: for the first would have communicated his power to do good, and being corrupted, doth communicate power to do sin; therefore much more by Christ have we a life, a power to do good in our measure.

[Obj.] It may be objected, Without me ye can do nothing.

The meaning is, Except ye be implanted into me, ye can do no∣thing: The word [Without me] signifieth, Seperate from me, or apart from me; and intimateth this onely, That till we are knit unto Christ, we are but dead, and barren branches, and so Christ explains himself, As the branch cannot bring forth fruit of it self, except it abide in the Vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

[Obj.] It may be objected again, It is God that worketh, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

[Sol.] This denies not that the Saints have in them A seed, a spring, a principle of life, a power; but on the contrary, it affirms, That they have a power, onely that this power is of God: We should work

out our salvation in humility, not boasting in our own selves, for all is received of God: More fully, God is said to work the will and the deed, 1. By giving a principle of Spiritual life, habitual grace, a renewed frame of heart. 2. By exciting and strength∣ning this grace: and both these are ever afforded to the Saints, onely the latter is more or less, according to his pleasure: So that in the worst times, a Believer hath power to do good, though not alike at all times; and this power we must use, and put forth our selves as we are able, or we cannot with reason ex∣pect his help. A Ship hath instruments of motion (though not an internal principle) and if the Mariner would have help by the winds, he must loose his Cables, and hoise his Sails; so must we, or else we may lie still.

Now that which we are to do, is, —

First, To stir up our selves; for God hath promised to meet us, and to reach out his hand to help us, if we be not wanting to our selves: It is certain, a godly man cannot by his own en∣deavors alone raise up his soul, nor recover his loss, though he should lay Mountain upon Mountain, and pile endeavors upon endeavors; yet as endeavors without God cannot, so God without endeavors will not help us herein, and therefore labor we to quicken our selves (i.) work we upon our own hearts, by our understandings; as the striking of the Flint and Steel to∣gether begetteth fire, so the meeting of these two faculties, ha∣ving an internal life in them, do quicken the soul. Thus we see David pleading with himself, sometimes chiding, Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? some∣times exciting himself to Duty, Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, praise his holy Name: sometimes comforting himself in God, Turn to thy rest, O my soul, for God hath dealt bountifully with thee: It was an usual thing for him to talk with himself, and he found so much good in this way, that he puts all upon it, Commune with your own hearts upon your beds, and be still; the understanding is to the heart, as the stomack to the body, all is fed by it: Set therefore upon our hearts with quick∣ning thoughts: for as rubbing and chafing the hands with hot Oyls, is a means to recover them, when they are benumb'd; so the plying of the heart with stirring thoughts, and inforcing argu∣ments, is a means to revive it: And amongst all thoughts, there

are none more prevalent, then Of sins past, Of Heaven, Hell, Eternity, Love of Christ, these are strong Cordials to chear up the Spirits.

2. To fall on the Duty; for if we be doing, he will work with us, in us, and for us. Is it thus (O my soul) that thy heart is stirred, rowzed, revived? then set to thy hands, idle beggars must be whipped, he that will not work, must not eat: Remem∣ber, we have a life in us, if we be in Christ; and as we have a life, so there is a never-failing presence of the Spirit, to attend that power which we have: If then we put forth our selves to that we are able, and as far as our power extends, God will draw near to us. It is true, that which we want is out of our reach, we are not able to make crooked things to become straight, to lay those swelling Mountains of Corruption level, but yet we must set to the work: Joshua could not with the strength of Rams horns sounding, cast down the walls of Jericho, but yet he must set upon the work; when the Midianites fall, there must be The Sword of the Lord, and Gideon: The father holdeth an Apple to the childe, the childe cannot reach it, yet his short arm must be put forth, and then the father, whose arm is long enough, will reach it to him; we must be doing, and yet when all is done, our hearts must learn habitually to say, Not I, but Christ in me: Let us still interest Christ in all we do, as the efficient-final cause.

Notes

• Psal. 77.10.
• Eph. 4.24.
• Iohn 15.5. Sol. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sco••sm a me. Calv. Iohn 15.5.
• Phil 2.13.
• Psal. 42.5. Psal 103.1.
• Psal. 116.7.
• Psal. 4 4.
• Iudg. 7.18.