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. 3. Of the maner of this Life of Faith in particular, as in Temporal evils.

IN particular that we may live by faith, observe we,—

• 1. The Promises.
• 2. The exercise of faith concerning the Promises.

And both these are considerable, either in regard of

• Our selves.
• Others.

1. In regard of our selves; and therein we shall consider matters

• ...Temporal.
• ...Spiritual.
• ...Eternal.

Things Temporal are either

• ...Evil.
• ...Good.

We shall begin first with Temporal Evils; and concerning them, first give you the Promises; and secondly, the exercise of faith in respect of those Promises.

1. The Promises that concern Temporal Evils, have reference to those evils, either in

• ...General.
• ...Special.

1. Evils general, are afflictions and dangers, concerning which we have Promises, some to

• Prevent,
• Qualifie,
• Remove those Afflictions.

1. The Promises to prevent Afflictions, you may read in the Word, and they are these and the like: Psal. 91.10. Psal. 121.7. Job 5.19. Zech. 2.5. where the Lord promiseth to be a wall of fire to his people; not of stone, or brass, saith Theodoret, that it may both fray afar off, and keep off too at hand; protect them, and destroy their enemies.

2. The Promises to qualifie evils, are these and the like: Psal.

103.13, 14. Isa. 49.13, 14, 15. Hos. 11.8, 9. In this last Promise, God imitates Parents (saith Theodoret) when any misery is upon their childe, their bowels yern more; never sits the childe so much on the Mothers lap, never lies so much in her bosom, as when he is sick: So the Spouse being sick of love (i.) in some misery,* 1.1 Christ stayeth her with flaggons, comforts her with apples, his left hand is under her head, and his right hand doth embrace her: Psal. 56.8. where we may read Gods compassion to his chil∣dren in their calamities, that he narrowly observes every one of them; Thou tellest my wandrings] yea, he makes so precious a reckoning of their griefs and sorrows, that not a tear falls to the ground, but he keeps it, preserves it (as precious liquor) in his bottle; Put my tears into thy bottle] yea, he keeps them in memory, he notes them and writes them his book, as if he would chronicle our tears for everlasting remembrance; Are they not in thy book?] 2 Chron. 4.17. Is there or can there be any richer or fuller expression in Tully, then there is in the Greek, where there is both an elegant Antithesis, and double Hyperbole, beyond Eng∣lishing, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; for affliction, glory; for light affliction, heavy, massie, substantial glory, a weight of glory; for momentany affliction, eternal glory: nay, the Apostle addes degrees of comparison, yea goes beyond all degrees, calling it more excellent, far more excellent, an Hyperbole, Hyperbole, ex∣ceeding excessive, eternal weight of glory.

3. The Promises to bear them, or in due time to remove them, are these and the like: Psal. 37.24. Jer. 29.11. Micah 7.8, 9. Psal. 97.11. as sure as harvest follows a seeding, so to the righte∣ous, comfort follows mourning, John 16.20. 1 Cor. 10.13.

2. Evils special, are Sickness, Poverty, Famine, War, Captivi∣ty, Witchcraft, Possession, Oppression.

1. For sickness, we have Promises, some to

• Prevent,
• Qualifie,
• Remove sickness.

1. The Promises to prevent, are these and the like: Exo. 15.26. Deut. 7.15. Psal. 91.10.

2. Promises to qualifie sickness, are these and the like: Ps. 41.3. Heb. 12.6, 7, 8.

3. Promises to remove sickness, are these and the like: Exo. 23.25. Deut. 7.15. Isa. 4.31.

2. For Poverty, we may store up these Promises, Psal. 23. throughout, Psal. 34.9, 10. Psal. 37.25. Heb. 13.15. The wicked indeed may have more abundance then the Christian, but here's the difference, the wicked hath all by a Providence, the Christian hath all by a Promise: and this distinction the poor Christian would not part with for a world of gold.

3. For Famine, we may store up these Promises, Job 5.19, 20. Psal. 33.18, 19. Prov. 10.2, 3. Psal. 37.18, 19. Isa. 41.17, 18. Some Martyrs being cast into Prison, and denyed necessary food, they had faith to return this answer, If men will give us no meat, we believe God will give us no stomack. When Christ was an hun∣gred, and Satan tempts him to command stones to be made bread, he answered,* 1.2 Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God; q.d. a man may feed on a Promise, he must depend on Gods allowance, and when provision fails, then not to distrust the provision of God, is a notable tryal of faith.

4. For War, we may gather up these Promises and the like, Job 5.20. Prov. 3.24, 25, 26. Jer. 39.17, 18.

5. For Captivity, gather in these Promises and the like, Deut. 30.3, 4. which very Promise Nehemiah sueth out, Nehem. 1.9. Psal. 106.46. Ezek. 11.16.

6. For Witchcraft or Possession, consider that Promise, Numb. 23.23.

7. For Oppression, we have these Promises, Psa. 12.5. Psa. 68.5. Psa. 146.7, 8, 9.

2. For the exercise of faith, concerning these Promises, that we may live by them, go to

• ...Meditation.
• ...Prayer.

1. For Meditation, and the matter of it, consider these things, and let your faith chew on them.

* 1.31. That all affliction comes from God: Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it? I form the light, and I create darkness;* 1.4 I make peace, and I create evil: I the Lord do all these things. I know, O Lord, (saith David) that thy judgements are right, and that thou in thy faithfulness hast afflicted me.

2. That as God sends it, so none can deliver us out of it but God alone:* 1.5 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? We have no might

against this great company that cometh against us, neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. This Meditation draws the heart from carnal repose, in means or friends; it expels vex∣atious and distracting cares, and estrangeth from the use of un∣lawful means of deliverance: The horse is prepared against the day of battel, but safety is of the Lord.

3. The causes of all miseries and sorrow, is sin, and therefore its time for us to examine our ways, to humble our selves, and to set upon Reformation:* 1.6 I thought on my ways (said David) and turned my feet unto thy testimonies:* 1.7 when Manasses was in af∣fliction, He besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself great∣ly before the God of his Fathers: Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have born chastisement, I will not offend any more:* 1.8 That which I see not teach thou me; If I have done iniquity, I will do no more: The end of chastisement, is amendment of life, whence it receives the name of Correction, which signifieth, to set aright or straight.

4. That now God tryeth our faith, patience, contentation, and meekness of Spirit, He hath said unto Crosses, Go ye to such a man, not to weaken his faith, or to waste any Grace of the Spirit, but to purge him, refine him, try him, exercise him, to breed the quiet fruits of Righteousness, to confirm his patience, sup∣port his hope, &c. — Hence Gods servants by their faith have been enabled to say, I will bear the indignation of the Lord,* 1.9 be∣cause I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and exe∣cute judgement for me: And if he say thus,* 1.10 I have no pleasure in thee: Behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good to him. This Meditation makes the heart willingly, freely and constant∣ly to resign it self to the good pleasure of God in all things.

5. That 'tis Gods will, after we have gone to the promise, to use all lawful means of help which God in his providence affords; but in point of dependance, that we solely rest on Gods promises: Faith coupleth the means and the end, but looketh to the Pro∣miser (whose truth, and wisdom, and power, and mercy, never fails) and not to the probability of the thing promised: Abra∣ham against hope, believed in hope, —That what God had promised,* 1.11 he was able to perform.

6. That the promises are in Christ, Yea and Amen, and there∣fore set it down and conclude, that God will do whatsoever he

hath promised, and we shall receive it in the ways of his pro∣vidence;* 1.12 it may be not yet, what then? He that believes will not make haste: Daniel waited Seventy years for deliverance out of captivity in Babylon, and may not we wait Seventy weeks, Seventy days?

2. For prayer, and the parts and maner of it, observe this method:

1. Lay open our sorrows before the Lord, pour out our com∣plaints into his bosom:* 1.13 I am the man that have seen affliction by the rod of thine anger, thou hast brought me into darkness but not into light:* 1.14 —Lord, how am I beset with miseries? how do my sor∣rows increase daily?* 1.15 how are they encreased that trouble me?

2. Confess our sins with hatred and godly sorrow: I will de∣clare my iniquity,* 1.16 I will be sorry for my sins: For want of this, God threatned the Israelites, I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offences, and seek my face, in their af∣fliction they will seek me early.

3. Importune the Lord, and direct we our supplications to our God: Lord, how long wilt thou look on? O rescue my soul from their destruction,* 1.17 my darling from the Lyons; look upon mine affliction and my tears, for I am brought very low.

* 1.184. Then press we the Lord with his promises: Lord, thou hast said, The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the Righteous:* 1.19 Thou hast said, Yet a little while and the indignation shall cease:* 1.20 Thou hast said, In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindeness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer: O these are thy promises, Lord, make them effectual to my poor soul.

5. For conclusion, tell we the Lord, whatever becomes of us we will trust in him:* 1.21 Though thou shouldst slay me, yet will I trust in thee:—For what time I am afraid, I will will trust in thee.

These are the acts of faith by which it puts forth, and exerciseth it self in time of afflictions.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cant. 2.5, 6.
• * 1.2

  Matth. 4.4.
• * 1.3

  Amos 3.6.
• * 1.4

  Isa 45.7. Psal. 119.75.
• * 1.5

  •• Chr. 20.12.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 119.59.
• * 1.7

  2 Chro. 33.12
• * 1.8

  Iob 34.31, 32
• * 1.9

  Micah 7.9.
• * 1.10

  2 Sam. 15.26.
• * 1.11

  Rom. 4 18, 21
• * 1.12

  Isa. 28.16.
• * 1.13

  Lam 3.22.
• * 1.14

  Psal. 3.1.
• * 1.15

  Psal. 38.18.
• * 1.16

  Hos. 5.15.
• * 1.17

  Psal 35 17.
• * 1.18

  Psal. 125.3.
• * 1.19

  Isa. 10.25.
• * 1.20

  Isa. 54.8.
• * 1.21

  Iob 13.15. Psa 56.3.