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. 5. Of the maner of examining our hearts.

THat we may rightly examine our hearts, observe we these Rules:

1. Use we retiredness when we fall on this work: To this purpose, saith the Psalmist, Commune with your own hearts on your beds, and be still: When we get alone purposely to study our hearts, our hearts will then come to us, they will be more

apt to discourse with us privately, then in a crowd; and there∣fore set we some time apart out of our publike or particular occasions to deal with our hearts, as David, who after the pub∣like business was done, turned home to visit, and to bless his own house.

2. Examine what thoughts are within, and which way runs the stream of our thoughts: The heart is an house of common resort, into which multitudes of thoughts, like so many guests, enter, and have free and open access; onely if it be sancti∣fied, it ordinarily distils holy, sweet, and useful Meditations out of all objects; as the Bee sucks honey out of every flower, and a good stomack sucks sweet and wholesom nourishment out of what it takes to it self: So doth a holy heart (so far as sanctified) convert and digest all into Spiritual and useful thoughts: But on the contrary, if it be wicked, then a world of vain, light, wanton, prophane, and dissolute thoughts lodge there, and defile those rooms they lodge in; which made the Lord say to Jerusalem, O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved: How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

3. If upon examination we finde a lothness to entertain holy thoughts, and unsteadiness in them, a misplacing of them (which disorder is a vanity and sin, be the thought materially never so good) or if we finde in us many times a taking thought to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, a representing or acting over sin in our thoughts (O how much of that precious sand of our thoughts run out this way) then let us humble our selves for them; and thus Agur teacheth, If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thy self, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth; (i.) be humbled, be ashamed of these thoughts.

4. After humiliation, we must proceed to Judgement: And to that end consider, what will be the subject of that great Inquest at the last day? The Apostle answers, The counsels of the heart: And who will be the Executioner? even Thoughts accusing: O then let us prevent this doom, and this execu∣tion, by our own Judgement and Self-condemnation; let us sen∣tence our hearts, and whip out our evil thoughts, and give them their pass.

5. Let us watch over, and observe our hearts ever after: Thoughts will be crowding in, when we have done all we can, yet let them know that they past not unseen; where strict watch and ward is kept, where Magistrates, and Marshals, and Con∣stables are diligent to examine vagrant persons, you shall have few of them there: The reason that such swarms of vagrant thoughts make their Rendezvouz, and pass in our hearts, is, Be∣cause there is no strict watch kept, we observe not our hearts with all diligence.

6. Set our thoughts in order every morning, strengthen and perfume our Spirits with some gracious Meditations on Gods Holiness, Majesty, Omnipresence, Omniscience: My soul waiteth for the Lord (said David) more then they that watch for the morning; observe it, if you please, when we first open our eyes, there stand many suitors attending on us to speak with our thoughts, even as Clyents at Lawyers doors; but speak we first with our God, and he will say something to our hearts, and settle them for all the day after.

7. Now and then propose we to our hearts these two que∣stions: 1. Heart, how dost thou? a few words, but a very serious question: you know, this is the first question, and the first salute that we use to one another, How do you Sir? I would to God we would sometimes thus speak to our hearts, Heart, how dost thou? how is it with thee for thy Spiritual estate? 2. Heart, what wilt thou do? or, Heart, what dost thou think will become of thee and me? as that dying Roman once said, Animula; va∣gula, blandula, &c. Poor, wretched, miserable soul, whither art thou and I agoing, and what wi••l become of thee, when thou and I shall part? This very thing doth Moses propose to Israel, though in other terms, O that they would consider their latter ends! And O that we would propose this question constantly to our hearts to consider and debate upon! Commune with your own hearts, said David; q.d. debate the matter betwixt you and your own hearts to the very utmost: Let your hearts be so put to it in communing with them, as that they may speak their very bottom. Commune,] or hold a serious communication, and clear intelligence and acquaintance with your own hearts: It was the Confession of a Divine, sensible of his neglect in this kinde, I have lived (saith he) forty years, and somewhat more,

and carried my heart in my bosom all this while, and yet my heart and I are as great strangers, and as utterly unacquainted, as if we had never come near one another: — Nay, I know not my heart, I have forgotten my heart; Ah my bowels, my bowels! that I could be grieved at the very heart, that my poor heart and I have been so unacquainted! We are fallen into an Athenian age, spending our time in nothing more then in telling or hearing News: How go things here? How there? How in one place? How in another? But who is there that is inquisitive, How are things with my poor heart? Weigh but in the Ballance of a se∣rious Consideration, what time we have spent in this Duty, and what time otherwise? and for many scores and hundreds of hours or days that we owe to our hearts in this Duty, Can we write Fifty? or where there should have been fifty vessels full of this Duty, can we finde Twenty or Ten? O the days, moneths, years we bestow upon sin, vanity, the affairs of this world, whiles we afford not a minute in converse with our own hearts, concerning their case.

Notes

• Psal. 4.4.
• 2 Sam 6.20.
• Ier. 4.14.
• Rom. 13.14.
• Prov. 30.32.
• 1 Cor. 4.5.
• Psal. 130.6.
• Deut. 32.29.
• Psal 4.4.
• Mr. Lightfoot.
• Acts 17.21.