A69449:111
The doctrine & directions but more especially the practice and behaviour of a man…The doctrine & directions but more especially the practice and behavior of a man…
The doctrine & directions but more especially the practice and behaviour of a man in the act of the new birth A treatise by way of appendix to the former. By Isaac Ambrose, minister of Christ at Preston in Amounderness in Lancashire.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, 1650
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Object. But some may object, Must the soul, or ought the soul to be thus content to be left in this damnable condition?
Ans. For answer, This Contentedness implies two things: First, a carnal security, and a regardlessness of a mans estate, and and this is a most cursed sin. Secondly, a calmness of Soul, not murmuring against the Lords dispensation towards him; and this Contentedness is ever accompanied with the Sight of a mans sin, and Suing for Mercy: It ever improves all means and helps that may bring him nearer to God; but if Mercy shall deny it, the Soul is satisfied, and rests well apaid. And this, Contentedness (opposed against quarrelling with the Almighty) every humbled Soul doth attain to, although in every one it is not so plainly seen. To give it in a Comparison: A Thief taken for Robbery, on whom the Sentence of Death hath passed, he should not neglect the means to get a Pardon; and yet if he cannot procure it, he must not murmur against the Judge for condemning him to death, because he hath done nothing but Law: So we should not be careless in using all means for our good, but still seek to God for Mercy: yet thus we must be, and thus we ought to be contented with whatsoever Mercy shall deny, because we are not worthy of any favour. The Soul in a depth of Humiliation, it first stoops to the condition that the Lord will appoint, he dares not fly away from God, nor repine against the Lord, but he lies down meekly. 2. As he is content with the hardest measure, so he is content with the longest time, he will stay for mercy ⟨p. 33⟩be it never so long: I will wait upon the Lord (saith Isaiah) that hath hid his face from Jacob; and I will look for him: so the humbled sinner, Although the Lord hide his face, and turn away his loving countenance from me, yet I will look towards Heaven, so long as I have an eye to see, and a hand to lift up; the Lord may take his own time, it is manners for me to wait: nay, the poor broken heart resolves thus, If I lie and lick, the dust all my days, and cry for mercy all my life long, if my last words might be Mercy, mercy, it were well I might get mercy at my last gasp. Thirdly, as he is content to stay the longest time, so is he content with the least pittance of mercy; Let my condition be never so hard (saith the soul) do Lord what thou wilt for me, let the fire of thy wrath consume me here, only recover me hereafter; if I find mercy at the last I am content, and whatsoever thou givest I bless thy name for it;