A short memoir appears in the Works. The first part says
The subject of this Memoir, a native of Lancashire, was a descendant of an ancient and respectable family of Ambrose Hail in that County. His father was a clergyman ; but of his personal history little is known. His situation in life, however, enabled him to favour his son with a liberal education, every way suited for the ministerial functions which he was trained up to discharge.
Having obtained a competent degree of learning from local seminaries, Isaac was sent to the University of Oxford, and in 1621 was admitted into Brazen Nose College, where he took a degree of Bachelor of Arts.
In Mr. Rees' Cyclopedia it is asserted, "that in 1641 he left the Established Church, joined the Presbyterian Party, took the covenant, and preached first at Garstang, and afterwards at Preston, in his native county ; and that his zeal against the established Clergy, recommended him to the office of assistant to the commissioners, for ejecting such as were called scandalous and ignorant ministers, and schoolmasters."
Of these particulars, which, although they compliment his piety and zeal, indirectly charge him with being influenced by the fanatical spirit of the times. Dr. Calamy, in his account of the Ejected Ministers, takes no notice, with the exception of his preaching at the two places above mentioned; but even of these, the order is inverted. In the Nonconformist Memorial, we are informed, that he was for some time minister of Preston, that from thence he removed to Garstang, where the act of Uniformity found him in 1662.
It appears, that soon after the Restoration of Charles II. when the clouds began to gather round the Church, which led to the tempest, from the awful effects of which she has not yet recovered, a meeting was held at Bolton by about twenty ministers, of which number Mr. Ambrose was one, to consult what course they should take in the present alarming crisis. At this meeting Mr. Ambrose and Mr. Cole of Preston declared, in the presence of their brethren, that they would read the Common Prayer and should do it, the state of their respective places requiring it; and that otherwise their services among their congregation would necessarily be at an end. The ministers present, considering the circumstances of their case, approved of this decision. But Mr. Cole, afterwards Dr. Cole, declaring that he could not thus far comply, was turned out from Preston, he, however, found some stronger motive in Essex than operated in Preston, since he finally conformed, and became a lecturer at Dedham in that county.
With respect to Mr. Ambrose, notwithstanding the preceding declaration, it is well known that he lived and died a Nonconformist; but of the particular circumstances which led to the steps in which his character became decided, we have no account. We are, however, in possession of facts that are of much more importance; namely, that he was a man of substantial worth, of eminent piety, and that, for his exemplary life, he was highly respected both as a private Christian, and an approved minister of God. It is to be lamented, that his contemporaries had not collected and preserved a narrative of the various incidents which marked his life, of his unwearied assiduity in composing his various publications, of his manner of living, of his family, and associates, and of the superintending providence of God over him, when for conscience sake he abandoned his prospects of aggrandisement, and even surrendered his livelihood.
In his manner of life, there is one particular circumstance that deserves to be recorded. It was his custom, once in every year, to withdraw from all human society for about a month, which time he spent in a small hut that w\as erected in a wood not far from his dwelling, giving himself up to meditation, prayer, and divine contemplation. Much of this spirit, which may be supposed to be cherished by a holy man in solitude, appears in his writings; and no doubt, by this means he became better qualified for the discharge of his ministerial duties throughout the rest of the year.
The latter part of his life was spent at Preston, in warning and exhorting those around him, to make preparation for their approaching dissolution, enforcing, by his pious example, the precepts which he taught. As his end drew near, he appears to have had a strong presentiment of the solemn event. Though in perfect health, on paying a visit to his distant friends, he took his leave of them under a serious conviction that he should see them no more ; and on his returning to his home, he proceeded to set every thing m order against the termination of his mortal career.
Having obtained a competent degree of learning from local seminaries, Isaac was sent to the University of Oxford, and in 1621 was admitted into Brazen Nose College, where he took a degree of Bachelor of Arts.
In Mr. Rees' Cyclopedia it is asserted, "that in 1641 he left the Established Church, joined the Presbyterian Party, took the covenant, and preached first at Garstang, and afterwards at Preston, in his native county ; and that his zeal against the established Clergy, recommended him to the office of assistant to the commissioners, for ejecting such as were called scandalous and ignorant ministers, and schoolmasters."
Of these particulars, which, although they compliment his piety and zeal, indirectly charge him with being influenced by the fanatical spirit of the times. Dr. Calamy, in his account of the Ejected Ministers, takes no notice, with the exception of his preaching at the two places above mentioned; but even of these, the order is inverted. In the Nonconformist Memorial, we are informed, that he was for some time minister of Preston, that from thence he removed to Garstang, where the act of Uniformity found him in 1662.
It appears, that soon after the Restoration of Charles II. when the clouds began to gather round the Church, which led to the tempest, from the awful effects of which she has not yet recovered, a meeting was held at Bolton by about twenty ministers, of which number Mr. Ambrose was one, to consult what course they should take in the present alarming crisis. At this meeting Mr. Ambrose and Mr. Cole of Preston declared, in the presence of their brethren, that they would read the Common Prayer and should do it, the state of their respective places requiring it; and that otherwise their services among their congregation would necessarily be at an end. The ministers present, considering the circumstances of their case, approved of this decision. But Mr. Cole, afterwards Dr. Cole, declaring that he could not thus far comply, was turned out from Preston, he, however, found some stronger motive in Essex than operated in Preston, since he finally conformed, and became a lecturer at Dedham in that county.
With respect to Mr. Ambrose, notwithstanding the preceding declaration, it is well known that he lived and died a Nonconformist; but of the particular circumstances which led to the steps in which his character became decided, we have no account. We are, however, in possession of facts that are of much more importance; namely, that he was a man of substantial worth, of eminent piety, and that, for his exemplary life, he was highly respected both as a private Christian, and an approved minister of God. It is to be lamented, that his contemporaries had not collected and preserved a narrative of the various incidents which marked his life, of his unwearied assiduity in composing his various publications, of his manner of living, of his family, and associates, and of the superintending providence of God over him, when for conscience sake he abandoned his prospects of aggrandisement, and even surrendered his livelihood.
In his manner of life, there is one particular circumstance that deserves to be recorded. It was his custom, once in every year, to withdraw from all human society for about a month, which time he spent in a small hut that w\as erected in a wood not far from his dwelling, giving himself up to meditation, prayer, and divine contemplation. Much of this spirit, which may be supposed to be cherished by a holy man in solitude, appears in his writings; and no doubt, by this means he became better qualified for the discharge of his ministerial duties throughout the rest of the year.
The latter part of his life was spent at Preston, in warning and exhorting those around him, to make preparation for their approaching dissolution, enforcing, by his pious example, the precepts which he taught. As his end drew near, he appears to have had a strong presentiment of the solemn event. Though in perfect health, on paying a visit to his distant friends, he took his leave of them under a serious conviction that he should see them no more ; and on his returning to his home, he proceeded to set every thing m order against the termination of his mortal career.
