Doctrine of a Man in the Act of the New Birth, Treatise · Introduction – Chapter 1
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. Mr. Boltons funeral Sermon by Mr. Eſtwick.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 onelyonly 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 Pſal. 24. 7.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 onelyonly 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 Ʋſe.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.