A25250:509
Ultima, = the last things in reference to the first and middle things
Ultima, = the last things in reference to the first and middle things: or certain meditations on life, death, judgement, hell, right purgatory, and heaven: delivered by Isaac Ambrose, minister of the Gospel at Preston in Amoundernes in Lancashire.
London: printed for J.A., 1650
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Heavens happiness.
LUKE 23.43. To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
HE that purged our sins is here disposing of Paradise, at the same time when he hung on the Cross, even giving up the ghost, he is dealing Crowns and Kingdoms to a poor penitent soul: thus like a glorious Sun that breaks through the watery clouds ere it appear unto us, our Saviour (the Sun of Righteousness) shoots forth his rays of Majesty through all his sufferings on a dejected sinner. Two malefactors suffer with him, the one rails on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thy self and us: but the other prays to him, Lord, remember me when thou comest to thy Kingdom: in the midst of his thraldom he proclaims his Kingdom, and whom he sees a Captive, he believes a Lord: Lord remember me; is it not strange, that through so many, such thick clouds of misery, this dying thief should behold his glory? but where grace aboundeth, what marvel is it?1 The Natural man knoweth not the things of God, but he that is spiritual discerneth all things. No sooner was this penitent thief converted a Christian, but on a sudden, even on the very rack of torture he confesseth himself a sinner, and Christ his Saviour; and therefore desires to be remembered ⟨p. 198⟩