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A69449 The doctrine & directions but more especially the practice and behavior of a man in the act of the nevv birth A treatise by way of appendix to the former. By Isaac Ambrose, minister of Christ at Preston in Amounderness in Lancashire. Ambrose, Isaac, 1604-1664. 1650 (1650) Wing A2955; ESTC R37037 61,894 74

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THE Doctrine Directions But more especially The Practice and Behavior of a Man in the act of the NEVV BIRTH A TREATISE By way of APPENDIX to the former By ISAAC AMBROSE Minister of Christ at Preston in Amounderness in Lancashire LONDON Printed by J. F. for Nathanael Webb and William Grantham at the Greyhound in Pauls Church-yard MDCL AN APPENDIX Containing both the Doctrine and Directions but more especially the Practice and Behavior of a man in the act of The Second Birth The occasion of this TREATISE HItherto I have given the Doctrine and Application of the Soul-saving Second Birth but some there are whose hearts are so steely that all this cannot work upon them If any such desire yet any more and desire they must or there is no remedy for them I have for their help in the practice brought a Practitioner afore them It was Cesars great praise that he bade his Soldiers still Come and if men had but many Cesars or leaders in these practical points I suppose there would be more followers A plain Doctrine may win some and a particular Direction may win more but a good Example wins most Howsoever then concerning the New Birth I have delivered the Doctrine in the Sermons and Directions in the Appendix yet one thing is wanting which may help more then either to wit the Practice of some Saint in this one necessary thing And what Saint what man that hath writ more on this subject then T. H it was said of blessed Mr. Bolton That for himself he could profess to his comfort on his Deaths-bed That he never taught any godly point but he first wrought it on his own heart the same do I more then probably think was the practice of this man Now therefore I thought fit not onely to contract his Books in this Appendix which some without his privity have unskilfully put out but also and that more especially to set afore you whosoever you are those prime powerful pathetical expressions of his Soul-pangs in the New Birth as matter for your imitation These expressions indeed are they I most especially aym at which if you observe are always delivered in the first person I and I verily believe they were not fained but feeling from his own heart and soul What needs more if either Doctrine in the first part or Direction in the second part or Practice in the third part of the Book which consists most of Practice can work on your souls I hope some of these or all of these will help you on in the way from Corruption to Christianity and from the state of Nature into the Kingdom of Grace CHAP. I. The Souls Preparation BEfore the Soul can share in Christs Merits to speak in the Authors stile or language without any alteration two things are required 1. A preparation to receive and entertain Christ 2. An implantation of the Soul into Christ That there must be a Preparation is the first ground we lay and herein observe we The Matter Maner Means of this Preparation 1. For Matter The soul of a sinner must be prepared for Christ before he can entertain him When Kings go to any place they send to make readiness their Harbengers afore them if Christ the King of Saints come into a Soul there must be a Preparation before he enter and good Reason he is not a meer man an ordinary person but a King a King of Glory David in this case could call upon his Soul so we may expound his Gates and Doors Lift up your heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting Doors and the King of Glory shall come in as who should say Be enlarged Love Joy Hope set open give way for the Lord is coming But who is the Lord it is the Lord of Hosts the Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battel And with that he knocks again Lift up your heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting Doors and the King of Glory shall come in as if he should say What shall the Lord knock shall the King of Glory stand open suddenly and make all preparation 2. The Maner of this Preparation consists in these three passages First the Soul breaks that League which formerly it hath had with Corruptions and reserves it self for Christ And secondly the Soul is most willing to give way to Christ Jesus and to let him overthrow whatsoever shall oppose him Thirdly the Soul is content that God should rule all not onely the eye or hand or tongue or heart but the whole man it opens all the Gates and desires Christ to come and take all the Keys of the house upon him 3. The Means of this Preparation is the powerful Ministery which God hath appointed for this work and it is discovered in three particulars First in a particular Application of the Truth to the Souls of men with courage Secondly in a confirmation of the Truth by soundness of Argument and plain evidence of Scriptures Thirdly in a kinde of Spiritual heat in the heart and affections of the Minister answerable to that which he communicates to the people And this powerful Ministery works on the soul 1. By discovering what is in a mans heart so that the soul seeth that it never saw before and so is driven to a stand 2. By driving the soul into an awe of sin so that it dares not now meddle with sin as formerly it hath done If any soul that hath enjoyed these Means any while is not yet fitted and prepared it is a fearful suspition that God will never confer any good to that soul Go home then if there be any such and reason with your own souls and plead with your own hearts saying Lord why not yet am I humbled and prepared will Exhortations never prevail with me will Terrors and Reproofs never break my heart into pieces I have heard Sermons that would have shaken the very stones I trod on that would have moved the very seat I sate on the very fire of Hell hath flashed in my face I have seen even the plagues of Hell and if any thing can do me any good why not then those Exhortations Instructions Admonitions and Reproofs that I have often had I have had as powerful means as may be which never yet did me good The Lord be merciful to such a poor soul the Lord turn the heart of such a poor sinner that he may lay hold of mercy in due time CHAP. II. SECT. 1. The general Circumstances of Preparation on Gods part BUt for a further distribution which shall be our method In this Preparation two things are considerable The General circumstances Substantial parts The general circumstances are twofold some on Gods part Mans part On Gods part they are these 1. The offer of Christ and Grace 2. The condition of this offer 3. The easiness of this condition On Mans part two things are considerable 1. That corruption doth oppose this