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. Of the maner of examining our special sins.

THat we may examine our special sins, our Dalilah sins, ob∣serve we these Rules:

1. Endeavor we to finde out this sin; and in our scrutiny, our examination, we may discover it by these marks:

1. That it is the Dalilah, which thy own Conscience and the finger of God in the Ministery many times meets with, and chiefly checks thee for.

2. That which thou art lothest to leave, hast least power to resist, and which most hinders the resignation and submission of thy soul and body to the Word and Will of God.

3. That which God often corrects in thee, even in the inter∣pretation and guilty acknowledgement of thy self-accusing heart; and if ever the sword of the Spirit shall cleave it from thy bosom (which is infinitely to be desired) it will cost the bitterest tears, and deepest groans.

4. Thoughts, Plots, and Projects about it (a thousand to one) ordinarily seize upon thy heart at the very first waking, if they have not broken thy sleep, and troubled thee in thy dreams.

2. The sin once found out, do we pursue it, and make we a so∣lemn Confession to God of it; mourn we under it, and desire we help from God for his mortifying Grace.

3. Settle we in our selves a purpose of heart, to forbear it for time to come: In undertaking of which purpose, it will be ex∣pedient to set our selves some short space of time, as for a day or a moneth, &c. and when the prefixed time is come, we should then question our selves, How well we have performed? or how, or wherein we have failed? and then begin a new purpose.

4. Be we ever jealous of our selves, and of our infirmity and proneness to this sin. Now we have two grounds of this jea∣lousie:

• 1. Lest we be deceived about it.
• 2. Lest we be overtaken with it.

1. We may be deceived, in supposing that we are utterly di∣vorced, and quite delivered from this bosom-sin, when it is no∣thing so; as thus:—

1. We may change onely in the outward form, and not in truth: For instance, whereas the same sin of Covetousness doth utter and express it self by Usury, Symony, Sacriledge, Bribery, Grinding the faces of the poor, Detaining ill-gotten goods, without restitution; we may perhaps insensibly glide out of one gulf of griping cruelty into another, or it may be from one of these more notorious, to some other less observed, and less odious in the world, and yet still abide in the chambers of Death, and under the tyranny of this reigning sin.

2. We may surcease, and refrain from the outward gross acts of such hateful villanies, and yet our inwards be still de∣filed with insatiable, sensual hankerings after them: For instance, Whereas the foul sin of Uncleanness doth actuate it self by Fornication, Adultery, Self-pollution, immoderate abuse of the Marriage-bed, Speculative wantonness, we may perhaps forbear the external acts of uncleanness, and yet lie and languish in the delightful revolvings of them in our minde, in adulteries of thought.

3. We may change the kinde of our bosom-sin, in respect of the matter, form, object, every way; and yet upon the matter it self, it is but the exchange of one foul fiend for another: For instance, Wantonness may be our sweet sin in youth, and World∣liness in old age; Hypocrisie may reign at one time, Apostacy at another; Furious Zeal for one while, Prophane Irreligiousness for another.

4. We may for a time pull our necks out of this strong yoke of Satan (out of a melancholick pang of slavish terror, serious fore-thought of death, lying everlastingly in Hell) but because it is not the work of the word, humbling us soundly under Gods mighty hand, planting Faith, and infusing mortifying power, anon will this unclean Spirit return, and rule in us again far more imperiously then before.— I know it is not impossible, but that a man after his conversion, by the sudden surprisal of some violent temptation, and cunning train of Satan, may be haled back to commit his sweet sin again (though it be an heavy case, and to be lamented, if it were possible, with tears of blood) yet he never doth, nor never can return to wallow in it again, or to al∣low it: Here is the difference, The temporary man, after his formal enforced forbearance, engulphs himself again with more greediness into the sensuality and pleasures of his bosom-sin, he lies in it, and delights in it, and hardens himself more obstinate∣ly in it: but the sound convert after a relapse, his heart bleeds a∣fresh with extraordinary bitterness, and he cryes more mightily to God, for the return of his pleased countenance, and he prayes, and fortifies the breach with stronger resolution, and more invincible watchfulness against future assaults; observe then, if our change be but formal, outward, mistaken, tempora∣ry, we are utterly deceived, and therefore we had need to be jealous of our selves.

2. We may be overtaken with this sin, before we be aware; our nature is very apt to take fire, our corrupt heart is like Tin∣der or Gunpowder: This sin is called Pecatum in deliciis, our darling pleasure, our minion delight; it is ever ready at every turn to allure us, tempt us, perswade us; and the soul by a secret sensual inclination is apt to follow it, to feed upon it, with much affectionate sweetness: It may be we have sometimes given it a deaths wound, by the power of his might, who is our all in all, and yet as it is said of the first Beast, this deadly wound is ready to be healed again; it is an Hydra with many heads,* 1.1 and if we be not still hacking and hewing, it will revive and recollect strength, and at last rage more then before; and therefore what need have we to this holy jealousie?

5. Above all, without which all the rest are nothing, believe we the Promises of Pardon, and of Sanctification: The Pro∣mises

of the first sort, I spoke to in our Watchfulness over this sin, and therefore now I shall speak of the latter. The Lord hath promised to deliver us from all our enemies,* 1.2 that we may serve him in righteousness and holiness all the days of our life; The Lord hath promised to write his Law in our hearts, and that can never be, except he obliterate all the old-writing: Now then believe these Promises, and press the Lord with them, or we shall never be able to outwrestle our lusts; what though we finde our sweet sins, confess them, resolve against them, be jea∣lous over them? unless we go to God and Christ in the Promises for strength, we shall lie down in sorrow: Could we of our selves subdue our Corruptions, God would not take this upon him, to give us new hearts, and new Spirits, to sanctifie us, to make us new creatures, to crucifie the flesh, to weaken the do∣minion of sin: Alas, he knows our weakness, and he knows all is in his own power; and therefore if we would mortifie these lusts, we must go to him, and beseech him to do it. When a man is once in Christ, he lives by a Principle without himself: I live by the faith of the Son of God (said Paul) who loved me,* 1.3 and gave himself for me: If we ask, Why will the Lord have our strength out of our selves? why may not a man have suf∣ficient habitual strength in himself, by which he may be able to outwrestle lusts, and overcome temptations? The reason is, Be∣cause no flesh shall rejoyce in it self, and therefore Christ is made Sanctification unto us: O let us believe these Promises, and have continual dependance on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rev. 13.12.
• * 1.2

  Luke 1 72, 74, 75. Heb. 10.16.
• * 1.3

  Gal. 2.20.