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.

2. Distribution.

There is a twofold love, one of desire, which is an earnest long∣ing after that which we believe would do us much good, if we could attain to it; another of complacency, when having at∣tained that which we desire, we hugge and embrace it, and solace our selves in the fruition of it: Now the first of these loves is an Introduction to the second, and both of them (in re∣lation to Christ) issue from a proportionable act of faith prece∣dent: 1. That affectionate longing, and thirsty love, wherewith we pant and gasp after Christ, proceeds from the first acts of faith, whereby we assent to all Gospel-promises, as true and good in themselves, and better unto as then any thing in the world, could we but once be assured that they belong unto us. 2. That other love of complacency, when (with the Psalmist) we return unto our rest,* 1.1 because the Lord hath dealt bountifully with us; when sweetly we repose our selves in the lap of our Savior, with content

unspeakable, and ful of glory, it proceeds from the last act of faith, wherby we are actual perswaded by those welcom whistlers of the Spirit of adoption, that certainly Christ is our Savior, & that our debts are cancelled to the very last mite; only observe (O my soul) these two things of this love: 1. That 'tis subject to all variati∣ons or changes, ebbings and flowings of that perswasion; some∣times in a violent temptation, or in a sensible desertion, our per∣swasion fails, and so this love of complacency is either stupified, or it falls back into that thirsty auxious love of desire. 2. That this love of complacency admits of degrees, proportionable to the degrees of our perswasion; if that be clear and strong, this love is more cheerful and pleasant; if that be weak and obscure, this love is more cold, with many fears and jealousies,—whence this love of complacency may not unfitly be subdivided into an Ordina∣ry and Heroical love; ordinary love proceeds from a weak degree of that last act of Faith; Heroical love springeth from a more eminent and transcendent pitch of perswasion, concerning our own reconciliation in particular: It is called Ordinary, because most Christians (though effectually called) do ordinarily feel but such a timerous love in themselves; it is called Heroical, because it is constantly onely in such, as either besides the evidence of the Word and Spirit, have had some special revelation to put them out of all doubt, concerning their estate to God-ward; or in such as by a certain close walking with God, have been long ex∣ercised in a Christian course, have often entertained Christ Jesus at supper in their hearts, and habituated themselves into a more familiar acquaintance with that holy Spirit, which brings all the good news from Heaven, to those diligent souls which carefully wait for it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psa. 116.7.