Background
Isaac Ambrose was born on May 29, 1604 in Ormskirk, England. He was the son of Richard Ambrose, vicar of Ormskirk, and was probably descended from the Ambroses of Lowick in Furness, a well-known Roman Catholic family.
( Isaac Ambrose (1591 1664) was an English Puritan div...)
Isaac Ambrose (1591 1664) was an English Puritan divine. He was one of king's four preachers in Lancashire in 1631. He was twice imprisoned by commissioners of array. He worked for establishment of Presbyterianism; successively at Leeds, Preston, and Garstang, whence he was ejected for nonconformity in 1662. He also published religious works. As a religious writer Ambrose has a vividness and freshness of imagination possessed by scarcely any of the Puritan Nonconformists. Many who have no love for Puritan doctrine, nor sympathy with Puritan experience, have appreciated the pathos and beauty of his writings, and his Looking unto Jesus long held its own in popular appreciation with the writings of John Bunyan. The author of this work was one of the Nonconformist divines, whoso writings are akin to those of Baxter, Flavel, Howe, and othors who have greatly enriched our stores of theological literature. He takes up, in this book, and discusses with great clearness and devotion, tho character, life, and work of our blessed Lord. A prefatory letter says of Ambrose: "He is described by Calamy as a man of substantial worth, eminent piety, and exemplary life; and the same author relates of him, that it was his custom, once a year for the space of a month, to retire into a hut in a wood, and avoiding all human intercourse, to devote himself to contemplation." Those who love to dwell upon their Saviour's life will find in Ambrose's writings much to enkindle their feelings of devotion, and many topics for meditation. Were we to study such books more, their beneficial influence would be seen in our sermons and in our lives.
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(To the Worniipful, The MAYOR. ALDERMEN, And other Inhabit...)
To the Worniipful, The MAYOR. ALDERMEN, And other Inhabitants of the Town of Prefton in A moundernefs, 1H EA poftle Peter knowing (as he faith 2P et. i. 14, 15.) that (hortly he was to put off that his tabernacle of the flefh, as our Lord Jefus Ghrifl: had fliewed him; he therefore endeavoured that God speople, after his deceafe, might have thofe things he taught them always in remembrance :A nd thus it came to pafs, that to this day we have that portion of holy writ, which he then left in writing. If Peter spractice be imitable in this kind, I fuppofc the fame duty lies on me. Revelation I have none, but many flitches and infirmities, which I take tofce forerunners of my departure hence. Some things, and among the reft, thefe FirJ Things I have taught you ;what remains now, but that, after my deceafe, you might have thefe things always in remembrance IT othat purpofe, the fame I delivered once to your ears, I now prefent to your eyes; as you were then pleafed to hear them, fo I truft you will now perufe them :only, one thing you may pleafe to obferve through this treatife. That whereas, in the name of Chrift, I often befeech, exhort, command the unregenerate to believe, to be reconciled to God, to pray, to fall on this, or that duty; it is not as if they could do any thing of their own ftrength or power, but becaufe Jefus Chrift, in exhorting, entreating, commanding, puts forth his own power, and his own flrengih to enp.ble them. While Paul exhorted the Jaylor to believe in the Lord Jefus, that he might be faved, God enabled the Jaylor to believe. Life and power is conveyed to the foul in gofpel-commands and exhortations. While Ezekiel prophefied over dead bones, breath came into them, and they Uved :fo, while the prophets of the Lord do preach over finful, and impenitent hearers, who are like to the Prophet sdry bones, the breath of Heaven, the Spirit of t (Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)
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( In substance Ambrose's book "THE CHRISTIAN WARRIOR, Wres...)
In substance Ambrose's book "THE CHRISTIAN WARRIOR, Wrestling with Sin, Satan, the World and the Flesh" (Republished in 1837) is truly precious. The author opens a deep view of the power and craft with which every Christian must expect to be assailed by his great enemy, and furnishes the militant soul with cautions, directions, and encouragements, of inestimable value to all engaged in warring the good warfare; that is, to every real Christian upon earth. Isaac Ambrose (1591 1664) was an English Puritan divine. He was one of king's four preachers in Lancashire in 1631. He was twice imprisoned by commissioners of array. He worked for establishment of Presbyterianism; successively at Leeds, Preston, and Garstang, whence he was ejected for nonconformity in 1662. He also published religious works. As a religious writer Ambrose has a vividness and freshness of imagination possessed by scarcely any of the Puritan Nonconformists. Many who have no love for Puritan doctrine, nor sympathy with Puritan experience, have appreciated the pathos and beauty of his writings, and his Looking unto Jesus long held its own in popular appreciation with the writings of John Bunyan. If God be for you, who is he that can overcome you, and put you to death, when you are hid in the Lord's pavilion, and surrounded with the wall of salvation? While in the heat of the battle, be filled with the hope of victory, and feel assured, that you shall finally obtain a complete and glorious conquest over all that come against you; for hath not the Captain of your salvation engaged to subdue Satan and all his armies, shortly under your feet? Trust him, and take courage, then, you cannot meet with disappointment, "for faithful is he that promised, who also will do it." With a view to strengthen your hope of victory, keep in mind that you have not an enemy, difficulty, or danger to encounter, but which has been already conquered and subdued for you, by the great Captain of your salvation.
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Isaac Ambrose was born on May 29, 1604 in Ormskirk, England. He was the son of Richard Ambrose, vicar of Ormskirk, and was probably descended from the Ambroses of Lowick in Furness, a well-known Roman Catholic family.
He entered Brasenose College, Oxford, in 1621, in his seventeenth year. He graduated with a BA. from Brasenose College, Oxford, on 1624.
In 1624 he was ordained, Ambroses received in 1627 the little cure of Castleton in Derbyshire. By the influence of William Russell, earl of Bedford, he was appointed one of the king's itinerant preachers in Lancashire, and after living for a time in Garstang, he was selected by the Lady Margaret Hoghton as vicar of Preston.
So long as Ambrose continued at Preston he was favoured with the warm friendship of the Hoghton family, their ancestral woods and the tower near Blackburn affording him sequestered places for those devout meditations and "experiences" that give such a charm to his diary, portions of which are quoted in his Prima Media and Ultima (1650, 1659). The immense auditory of his sermon (Redeeming the Time) at the funeral of Lady Hoghton was long a living tradition all over the county. On account of the feeling engendered by the civil war Ambrose left his great church of Preston in 1654, and became minister of Garstang, whence, however, in 1662 he was ejected along two thousand ministers who refused to conform (see Great Ejection). His after years were passed among old friends and in quiet meditation at Preston.
He died of apoplexy about 20 January 1664.
( In substance Ambrose's book "THE CHRISTIAN WARRIOR, Wres...)
( Isaac Ambrose (1591 1664) was an English Puritan div...)
(To the Worniipful, The MAYOR. ALDERMEN, And other Inhabit...)
He associated himself with Presbyterianism, and was on the celebrated committee for the ejection of "scandalous and ignorant ministers and schoolmasters" during the Commonwealth.
He evaded the political controversies of the time. His gentleness of character and earnest presentation of the gospel attached him to his people. He was much given to secluding himself, retiring every May into the woods of Hoghton Tower and remaining there a month.
Quotes from others about the person
Dr Edmund Calamy the Elder (1600–1666) wrote about him:
Ambrose was a man of that substantial worth, that eminent piety, and that exemplary life, both as a minister and a christian, that it is to be lamented the world should not have the benefit of particular memoirs of him.
