A69449:96
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.
The first part of Humiliation, is Submission, which is wrought thus: The sinner having now had a Sight of his Sins, and a Sorrow in some measure for Sin, he seeks far and wide, improves all means, and takes up all Duties, that (if it were possible) he might heal his wounded soul: Thus seeking, and seeking, but finding no succour in what he hath or doth, he is forced at last (in his despairing condition) to make trial of the Lord: It is true, for the present he apprehends God to be just, and to be incensed against him, he hath no experience of Gods favour for the while no certainty how he shall speed, if he go to the Lord; yet because he sees he cannot be worse then he is, and that none can help him but God, if it would please him: therefore he falls at the footstool of Mercy, and he lies grovelling at the gate of Grace, and submits himself to the Lord, to do with him as pleaseth himself, or as it seemeth good in his eyes.
The first part of Humiliation, is Submission, which is wrought thus: The sinner having now had a Sight of his Sins, and a Sorrow in some measure for Sin, he seeks far and wide, improves all means, and takes up all Duties, that (if it were possible) he might heal his wounded soul: Thus seeking, and seeking, but finding no succor in what he hath or doth, he is forced at last (in his despairing condition) to make tryal of the Lord: It is true, for the present he apprehends God to be just, and to be incensed against him, he hath no experience of Gods favor for the while no certainty how he shall speed, if he go to the Lord; yet because he sees he cannot be worse then he is, and that none can help him but God, if it would please him: therefore he falls at the footstool of Mercy, and he lies grovelling at the gate of Grace, and submits himself to the Lord, to do with him as pleaseth himself, or as it seemeth good in his eyes.
This was the Ninevites case, when Jonah had denounced that heavy Judgement, and (as it were) thrown wild fire about the streets, saying, Within forty days Nineveh shall be destroyed: See what they resolved upon, They fasted, and prayed, and put on 1sackcloth and ashes; who can tell (said they) but God may turn, and repent him of his fierce wrath, that we perish not? as if they had said, We know not what God will do, but this we know, that we cannot oppose his Judgements, nor succour our selves: Thus it is with a sinner, when he seeth hell fire to flash in his face, and that he cannot succour himself, then he saith, This I know, that all the means in the world cannot save me, yet who can tell, but the Lord may have mercy on me, and cure his tdistressed Conscience, and heal all these wounds that sin hath made in my soul? This is the lively picture of the soul in this case.