Iain H. Murray quoted this excellent portion from Ambrose in his 2008 Westminster Conference lecture on "What can we learn from the Puritans?"
"Now the reason why God's people find such delight in Duties, is, 1. Because in Duties they come to see the face of God in Christ: Hence Duties are called, The face or presence of God: The Worship of the Jews was called, An appearing before God. David breaths out his desires in the same expression, When shall I come and appear before God? The Queen of Sheba counted it an high favour to stand before Solomon: What high favour then is this, to stand before Jesus Christ, and to hear wisdom itself speak to our Souls? 2. Because in Duties they have converses, and communion with God, who is the God of all consolation; and with the Spirit of God, who is called the Comforter: Now as a man that walks amongst perfumes, must needs smell of the perfumes; so they that converse with the God of all joy, must needs be filled with all joy: And therefore David calls God His exceeding joy. The Saints look upon Duties (the Word, Sacraments, Prayers, &c.) as Bridges to give them a passage to God, as Boats to carry them into the Bosom of Christ, as means to bring them into more intimate communion with their Heavenly Father, and therefore are they so much taken with them: When they go to the Word, they go as one goes to hear news of a Friend; when they go to pray, they go to talk with a Friend; when they go to read, they go to read a Letter from a Friend; when they go to receive, they go to sup with a Friend: They look upon Duties and Ordinances, as those things whereby they have to do with God and Christ, and therefore are Duties so precious. Indeed, to them who have to do with nothing but Duty in Duty, but Prayer in Prayer, but Hearing in Hearing, to them Duties are dead and dry, and spiritless things; but they that have to do with God and Christ in Duty, to them Duties are passing sweet and precious. This seems a Riddle to unregenerate men, they wonder what the Saints find in Duties where the sweetness, what the comfort is, what secret Golden Mines they find in these diggings, when themselves find nothing but burdensome Stones and Clay: Oh! The Saints meet with Christ in Duties, and therefore they cannot but find great Treasure: David's Soul was athirst, not for a Kingdom, but for God, for the living God, Psal. 42.2. It is the highest reward, they very wages which the Saints look for in Duties, to find God in them; Blessed is the main whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy Courts: We shall be satisfied with the great goodness of thy house, even of thy Holy Temple.
A good Caveat these days, when so many do cry down Duties: What, my Brethren, Shall we look upon that as our Brethren, which is our delight? Our Bondage which is our Privilege? What is the Happiness of a Glorified Saint, but that he is always under the line of Love, even in the Contemplation of, and converses with God; and shall that be thought our burden here, which is our glory hereafter? Take heed of this; take heed you do not think it an Hell, a pain, a vexation, to be in God-approaching, and Christ-meeting Duties, I know weariness may be upon the flesh, there are weaknesses and distempers there, but chide them away, entertain them not; Number it among your choicest Privileges, Comforts, Delights, to converse with God in Christ: Consider if there be an Heaven, it is the very presence of this God in Christ. Hence they who meet with God in duty, usually find their Hearts sweetly refreshed, as if Heaven were in them: For in thy presence there is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
Isaac Ambrose, "Prima, Media, & Ultima; The First, Middle, and Last Things" in The Complete Works of that Eminent Minister of God's Word Mr. Isaac Ambrose (London: Printed for R. Chiswel, B. Tooke, T. Sawbridge, and are to be Sold by T. Cockerill at the Three Legs in the Poultry, and R. Taylor near Stationers-Hall, 1689), 70.
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