A69449:216
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.
2. For Examination; If thy heart be therefore estranged from such as walk exactly before God, because they are humble 1and faithful; it is an ill sign; when they are made one spirit with Christ, wilt thou be of two spirits with them? I confess a godly heart will have his fits and excursions now and then, but all this while this is poison, and the soul of a godly man sees this and is weary of it, and is marvellously burdened with it, and saith, O vile wretch that I am, what would I have! and what is he, that I cannot love him? Is it because the good Spirit of the Lord is there? shall I resist the good spirit of the Lord? and so commit the sin against the holy Ghost? away thou vile wretched heart, I will love him: Thus the soul labours and strives for that exactness, and would fain have that goodness which he sees in another.
2. For Examination; If thy heart be therefore estranged from such as walk exactly before God, because they are humble 1and faithful; it is an ill sign; when they are made one spirit with Christ, wilt thou be of two spirits with them? I confess a godly heart wil have his fits and excursions now and then, but all this while this is poyson, and the soul of a godly man sees this and is weary of it, and is marvellously burthened with it, and saith, O vile wretch that I am, what would I have! and what is he, that I cannot love him? Is it because the good Spirit of the Lord is there? shall I resist the good spirit of the Lord? and so commit the sin against the holy Ghost? away thou vile wretched heart, I will love him: Thus the soul labors and strives for that exactness, and would fain have that goodness which he sees in another.
- 1Use 2. of Examination.Ʋse 2. of Examination.
Secondly, as there is an Union with Christ, so there is a conveyance of all spiritual grace from Christ, to all those that believe in him: If you would know the Tenure of this Covenant, and how Christ conveyeth these spiritual graces unto us, it discovers it self in these Particulars: 1. There is fully enough in the Lord Jesus Christ for every faithful soul. 2. As there is enough in Christ, so Christ doth supply or communicate whatsoever is most fit. 3. As the Lord doth communicate what is fit, so he doth preserve what he doth bestow and communicate. 4. As the Lord doth preserve what he communicates, so he quickens the grace that he now doth preserve. 5. As the Lord quickens what he preserves, so he never leaves till he perfects what he quickens. 6. As the Lord perfects what he quickens, so in the end he crowns all the grace he hath perfected: And now may I read your Feoffment to you, You poor Saints of God, you live beggarly and basely here: Oh! if you have a Saviour you are made for ever; it is that which will maintain you, not only Christianly, but Triumphantly; what you want, Christ hath, and what is fit, Christ will bestow; if you cannot keep it, he will preserve it for you; if you be sluggish, he will quicken it in you; what would you have more? he will perfect what he quickens; and