geographical distance between himself and his friends and therefore he declares, “I
desire therefore to retire, and to go back again from a publick to a more private place,
even from Preston to Garstange. And now my dear Brethren farewell.”^228
The petition from Garstang requesting Ambrose is quite revealing of their love
and admiration for him, “hauving longe desired Mr. Ambrose to bee our Minister,
diuers both of them and us being able to call him our spiritual father, of whose godly
life and orthodox doctrine our whole Countie hath a singular and eminent esteeme, a
truth (we believe) not unknown to many of your selves.”^229 As Ambrose was
preparing to leave Preston he discovered that they were deeply saddened to lose him
as their minister. In response to their affection Ambrose declares; “[c]ould you have
wept more if you had brought me to my grave? Such chaines were these tears and
prayers that (notwithstanding my resolutions), [you have expressed for me].”^230
It is likely that there were other factors that weighed in Ambrose’s decision to
move to Garstang. Previously he had maintained that “there is work enough for foure
or five priests who have their constant residence in that parish (Preston), what work
may you imagine for one Gospel Minister.”^231 His request for an assistant to help in
the pastoral responsibilities was declined apparently creating a greater sense of
exhaustion. Ambrose candidly confesses, “I shall walk the silent fields and woods and
hear more frequently the various tunes of melodious birds and keep consort with
them, who without jarres are ever in their kind praising God.”^232 This provides a
(^228) Ambrose, Looking Unto Jesus (^) , 256.
(^229) Fishwick, History of Garstang, 168.
(^230) Ambrose, Looking Unto Jesus, 52.
(^231232) Ambrose, Looking Unto Jesus, 1012-3.
Ambrose, Looking Unto Jesus, 256.