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.

He]

VVE have observed the time When he purged, and now time it is that you know the Physician who administers it: the Apostle tells you it is He] that is, Christ our Saviour, who seeing us labour in the pains and pangs of sinne, he bows the heavens and comes down; he takes upon him our frailty, that we through him might have the remedie to escape hell fire. Come then, and behold the man, who undertakes this cure of souls; He cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hils, saith Solomon in his Songs: and would you know his leaps, saith Gregory? See then how he leaps from his Throne to his Cratch, from his Cratch to his Crosse, from his Crosse to his Crown; downwards and upwards, like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of spices.

His first leap downwards was from heaven, and this tels us how he was God from everlasting: so said the Centurion, Sure∣ly this man was the Sonne of God, Mark 15.39. How else? the sinne of man could no otherwise be expiated, but by the Sonne of God; man had sinned and God was offended, therefore God became man, to reconcile man to God: Had he been man alone, not God, he might have suffered, but he could not have satisfied; therefore this man was God, that in his man-hood he might suffer, and by his God-head he might satisfie: O won∣derfull Redemption! that God must take upon him our frailty: had we thus far run upon the score of vengeance, that none could satisfie but God himself? could not he have made his Angels Embassadours, but he himself must come in person? no; An∣gels, or Saints could neither super-erogate, but if God will save us, God himself must come and die for us: it were sure no little benefit, if the King would pardon a Thief; but that the King himself should die for this Malefactor; this were most wonder∣full, and indeed beyond all exspectation; and yet thus will the King of heaven deal with us, he will not onely pardon our faults, but satisfie the Law: we sinne against God, and God against whom we sin, must die for it: this is a depth beyond founding, an height above all humane reach, what is he? God.

But we must fall a note, the Creatour is become a Creature; if you ask what Creature? I must tell you, though it were an Angel, yet this were a great leap, which no created understand∣ing could measure; what are the Angels in respect of God? he is their Lord, they but his servants, ministers, messengers, and howsoever it would dazle us to behold their faces, yet cannot the brightest Angels stand before God, but they are fain to co∣ver their own faces with a pair of wings: the difference may ap∣pear in Revel. 5.13, 14. where the Lambe is said to sit upon the Throne, but the four Beasts and four and twenty Elders fall down and worship him. Is not here a great distance betwixt the Lamb in his Throne, and the Beasts at his feet? and yet thus farre will the Lamb descend that for our sakes he will disthrone himself, reject his state, take the office of an Angel, to bring us the glad ti∣dings of salvation in purging our sinnes.

And was he an Angel? nay that was too much, he was made (saith the Apostle) a little lower then the Angels for the suffer∣ing

of death, Heb. 2.9. What? the Son of God to be made lower then the Angels? here was a leap beyond the reach or compass of all humane thoughts; he that made the Angels, is made lower by a little then the Angels; the Creator is not onely become a creature, but inferiour to some creatures that he did create: O yee Angels, how stand yee amazed at this humility? that God your Master should become meaner then his servants, that the Lord of heaven should deny the dignity of powers, prin∣cipalities, Cherubims, Seraphims, Arch-Angell, or Angell: O Iesu! how contrary art thou to thy aspiring Creatures? some Angels through pride would needs be as God, but God through humility is made lower then the Angels, not equall with them, but a note below them, as David that sweet singer of Israel sung, thou madest him little lower then the Angels, Psalm 8.9.

But how much lower? by a little (saith Paul) and if you would know what that little was, he tels you again, that he took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham, Heb. 2.16. Here is that great abysse, which all the powers of heaven could no less but wonder at: Abrahams Lord is become Abrahams Son; the God of Abraham, the God of Jsaac, and the God of Iacob, hath took upon him the seed of Abraham, the seed of Isaac, and the seed of Iacob; wonder above wonders! that God should take the shape of Angels, is more then we can think, but to take on him the na∣ture of man, is more then the tongue of Angels can express; that the King of heaven should leave his glorious mansion, and from the bosome of his Father come into the womb of his mother, from that company of Angels, and Arch-Angels, to a rude rout of sinfull men: Tell ye the daughters of Sion, behold thy King cometh unto thee, saith the Prophet Esay in the 62. Chap. 11. vers. what could he lesse? and what canst thou more? won∣derfull love that he would come, but more wonderfull is the manner of his coming; he that before made man a soul after the image of God, now makes himself a body after the image of man; and he that was more excellent then all Angels, becomes lesser, lower then the Angells, even a mortall, miserable, wret∣ched man.

But what man? as he is King of heaven, let him be King of all the world; if he be man, let him be the ruler of Mankinde:

no, thou art deceived (O Jew) that exspectest in thy Saviour the glory of the world; fear not Herod the loss of thy Diadem, for this child is born, not to be thy successor, but if thou wilt believe, to be thy Saviour; was he a King on earth? alas! look through the Chronicles of his life, and you finde him so far from a King, that he is the meanest subject of all men: where was he born but at Bethlehem, a little City? where did the shepherds find him, but in a sorry cottage? who were his Disciples, but poor Fisher-men? who his companions, but Publicans and sinners? is he hungry? where stands his Table, but on plain ground? what are his dainties, but bread and a few fishes? who are his guests, but a rout of hungry starved creatures? and where is his lodging, but at the stern of a ship? here is a poor King, without either presence or bed-chamber, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head, Matth. 8.20.

[ 6] Descend we a little lower, and place him in our own rank, what was he but a Carpenter, say the Jews in scorn? Is not this the Carpenter, Maries son? Mark. 6.3. A poor trade sure, but to shew us that he was man, and how much he hated idle∣ness, some time he will bestow in the labours of mans life: but O wonder! if he will reject majesty, let him use at least some of those liberall arts; or if he will be mechanicall, let him choose to some noble trade, Thy Merchants were the great men of the earth, said the Angell to Babylon, Apoc. 18.23. Ay, but our Saviour is no Adventurer, neither is he so stockt to follow any such profession; once indeed he travelled into Aegypt with Io∣seph and Mary, but to shew us that it was no prize, you may see Mary his mother steal him away by night, without further preparation: what, gone on a suddain? it seems there was no treasure to hide, no hangings to take down, no lands to secure, his mother needs do no more but lock the doors and away: what portion then is for the Lord of heaven? O sweet Jesu, thou must be content for us to hew sticks and stocks, besides which (after his coming out of Aegypt, about the seventh year of his age, untill his baptisme by Iohn, which was the thirtieth) we find little else recorded in any Writers, profane or Ecclesiasti∣call.

And are we now at our just Quantum? alas, what quantity,

what bounds hath the humility of our Saviour? is he a Carpen∣ter? that were to be master of a trade, but he took on him (saith the Apostle) the form of a servant, not a master, Phil. 2.7. It is true, he could say to his Apostles, Ye call me master, and Lord, and yee say well, for so I am, Ioh. 13.13. and yet at that very instant mark but his gestures, and you may see their Lord and Master, become a servant to his servants: his many offices express his services, when he rose from supper, and laid a side his upper garments, and took a towell and girded himself, and after that he had poured water in a basen, begun to wash his disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towell wherewith he was girded. O ye blessed spirits, look down from heaven, and you may see even the Almighty kneeling at the feet of men! O yee blessed Apostles, why tremble ye not at this so wonderfull sight of your lovely, lowly Creatour? Peter, what doest thou? Is not he the beauty of the heavens, the Paradise of Angels, the brightness of God, the Redeemer of men? and wilt thou (notwithstan∣ding all this) let him wash thy feet? no, leave, O Lord, leave this base office for thy servants, lay down the towell, put on thy apparell, see Peter is resolute. Lord, doest thou wash my feet? no Lord, thou shalt never do it. Yes Peter thus it must be, to leave thee and us a memoriall of his humility; I have given you an example (saith Christ) that ye should do as I have done unto you: and what hath he done, but for our sakes is become a servant, yea his servants servant, washing and wiping, not their hands, or heads, but the very meanest, lowest parts, their feet.

[ 8] And yet there is a lower fall, How many hired servants (said the Prodigall) at my fathers house have bread enough, and I die for hunger? and as if our Saviours case were like the Prodigals, you may see him little lower then a servant, yea little better then a beggar: Yee know (saith the Apostle) the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, 2 Cor. 8.9. poor indeed, and so poor, that he was not worth a penny to pay tribute, till he had borrowed it of a fish, Mat. 17.27. See him in his birth, in his life, in his death, and what was he but a pilgrim, that never had house to harbour in? a while he lodges in an oxen-stall, thence he flies into Aegypt, back he comes into Galilee, anon he travels to Jerusalem, within a while (as if all his life were but a wandring) you may

see him on mount Calvary hanging on the cross, was ever any beggars life more miserable? he hath no house, no money, no friends, no lands, and howsoever he was God the disposer of all; yet for us he became man, a poor man, a mean man, yea the meanest of all men: and this another step downwards.

[ 9] But this now low enough, men are the image of God: ay but the Son of God is not used as a man, but rather as a poor dumb beast appointed to the slaughter: what was he but a sleep, said Esay of him? Esai. 53.7. a sheep indeed, and that more especially in these two qualities. First, as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth: and to this pur∣pose was that silence of our Saviour: when all those evidences came against him, he would not so much as drop one syllable to defend his cause: if the high Priests question him, What is the matter that these men witness against thee? Matthew tells us that Iesus held his peace, Mat. 26.63. If Pilate say unto him. Behold how many things they witness against thee, Mark tells us, that Iesus answered him nothing, Mark. 15.5. If Herod question with him in many words, because he had heard many things of him, Luke tells us, that he answered him nothing, Luk. 23.9. As a poor sheep in the hands of the shearer, he is dumb before his Judges and accusers, whence briefly we may observe, Christ came not to defend, but to suffer condemnation. Secondly (as a sheep he is dumb, and) as a sheep he is slain; He was led (saith the Prophet) as a sheep to the slaughter. O Jesu! art thou come to this? to be a man who art God, a sheep, who art man, and so for our sakes far inferiour to our selves: nay worse, a sheep: how? not free, as one that is leaping on the mountains, or skipping on the hills; no, but a sheep that is led:] led whether? not thither as David was, who could say of his Shepherd, that he fed him in green pastures, and led him forth besides the waters of comfort: no, but led to the slaughter. He is a sheep, a sheep led, a sheep led to the slaughter; and such a slaughter, that were he a dumb creature, yet great ruth it were to see him so handled as he was by the Jewes.

[ 10] And yet will his humility descend a little lower, as he was the poorest of men, so the least of sheep; like a lamb, saith the Apostle, Act. 8.32. and, Behold the Lamb (said Iohn the Bap∣tist) even the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world,

Joh. 1.29. This was that Lamb which the Paschall Lamb pre∣figured, Your Lamb (saith God to the Israelites) shall be a Lamb without blemish, and the bloud shall be a token for you, that I will pass over you, Exod. 12.13. But was ever lamb like the Lamb of God? he is without blemish, saith Pilate, I find no fault in him, Luk. 23.4. and the sprinkling of his bloud (saith Peter) is the right token of election, 1 Pet. 1.2. Such a lamb was this Lamb without blemish in his life, and whose bloud was sprink∣led at his death, in life and death ever suffering for us, who (had he not done so) should for ever and ever have suffered our selves. Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest! saith the Church in Canticles. tell me? yes: If thou knowest not (saith our Saviour) go thy way forth by the foot-steps of the flock, Cant. 1.8. Our Saviour is become a man, a sheep, a lamb, or if this be not humility enough, he will yet take a leap lower.

What is he but a worm, and no man yea the very scorn of men, and the outcast of the people, Psal. 22.6. Did you ever think we could have brought our Saviour to thus low a degree? what, beneath a lamb, and no better then a worm? Heaven and earth may well ring of this, as being the greatest wonder that ever was: there is any bitter potion due to man, which the Son of God will not partake of to the utmost dregs; and therefor•• if Iob say to the worm, thou art my sister, and mother; nay, if Bil∣dad say, Man is a worm, and the son of man is but a worm; which is more then kindred: behold our Saviour stooping thus low himself, what is he but a man? nay, as if that were too much, a worm, and not a man, as sung the Psalmist of him.

[ 12] I am so low, that unless we think him no body, we can down no lower; and yet here is one leap more, that if we take a view of it, we may suppose him to be nothing in esteem, a No-body indeed. Look we at every man in respect of God, and the Pro∣phet tells us, All nations before him are as nothing, Esai. 40.17. And if man be thus, why sure the son of man will be no lesse: see then (to the wondrous astonishment of men and Angels) how greatness it self, to bring man from nothing, Exinanivit se, hath made himself nothing, or of no reputation, Phil. 2.7. How? nothing: yes, saith Beza; He that was all in all, hath reduced himself to that which is nothing at all: and Tertullian little less, Exhausit se, He hath emptied himself, or as our translation gives

it, He hath made himself (not of little, but) of no reputa∣tion.

Lo here those steps (the Scripture lighting us all the way) by which our Saviour descended; he that is God for us be∣came an Angell, a man, a Serving-man, a poor man, a sheep, a lamb, a worm, a nothing in esteem, a man of no reputa∣tion.

[Ʋse. 1] Let every soul learn his duty from hence; what should we do for him, who hath done all this for us? There is a crew of unbelievers that hear and heed not: all the sufferings of our Sa∣viour cannot move them a jot, either towards God, or from sin, and is not this a wofull lamentable case? I remember a passage in Cyprian, how he brings in the Devill triumphing over Christ in this manner: As for my followers, I never dyed for them, as Christ did for his, I never promised them so great a reward, as Christ hath done to his; and yet I have more followers then he, and they do more for me, then his doe for him: hear, O heaven! and hearken O earth? Was ever the like phrensie? The Devill, like a roaring Lion, seeks ever and anon to devour our souls, and how many thousands, and millions of souls yield themselves to his service, though he never died for them, nor will ever do for them the poorest favour whatsoever, but pay them everlastingly with pains and pangs, death and damnation? On the other side, see our Saviour (God Almighty) take on him the nature of a man, a poor man, a sheep, a lamh, a worm, a no∣thing in esteem; and why all this? but onely to save our souls, and to give them heaven and salvation: yet such is the con∣dition of a stubborn heart, that (to choose) it will spurn at heavens crown, and run upon hell, and be a slave to Satan, and scoffe at Christs suffering, yea and let out his bloud, and pull out his heart, and bring him a degree lower then very beelzebub himself, rather then it will submit to his will, and march under his banner to the kingdome of heaven. Hence it is, that the De∣vill so triumphs over Christ, As for my followers (saith he) I never died for them as Christ did for his: no Devill, thou never diedst for them, but thou will put them to a death without all ease or end. Think of this, yee unbelievers; me thinks like a thunderbolt, it might shake all your hearts, and dash them into pieces.

But a word more to you, of whom I hope better things; let me exhort the Saints, that you for your parts, will ever love, and serve, and honour, and obey, and praise the Lord of glory, for this so wonderfull a mercy; I pray, have you not cause? had your Saviour onely sent his creatures to serve you, or some Pro∣phets to advise you in the way of salvation, had he onely sent his Angels to attend you, and to minister unto you; or had he come down in his glory, like a King that would not onely send to the prison, but come himself to the dungeon, and ask, saying, Is such a man here? or had he onely come and wept over you, saying, Oh that you had never sinned; all these had been great mercies: But that Christ himself should come, and strive with you in mercy and patience, that he should be so fond of a com∣pany of Rebels and Hel-hounds, (and yet we are not at the lowest) that he would for us become a man, a mean man, a lamb, a worm, a nothing in esteem. O all ye stubborn hearts, (too much stubborn are we all) if judgement and the hammer can∣not break your hearts, yet let this mercy break you, and let eve∣ry one say, O Iesu hast thou done all this for me? certainly I will love thee, and praise thee, and serve thee, and obey thee as long as I live. Say so, and the Lord say Amen to the good desires of your hearts. To whet this on the more, remember still, it is you that should have suffered, but to prevent this, it is he that was humbled, it is he that was crucified, it is he that was purged: what needs more? I am he, said Christ to the Iews when they apprehended him; He? what he? I know not what: but be he what he will, he it is our Saviour, Redeemer, Physician, Patient, VVho had by himself purged our sinnes.

Thus far we have measured his steps downwards, and should we go up again the same stairs, we might bring him as high as vve have placed him lovv: but his asscent belongs rather to the words following my Text; for after he had purged, then he sate down on Gods right hand on high. Come we then to the next words, and as you have seen the Person, so let us look for a companion; This may in miserie yield some comfort, if but any society bears a share in his misery; But me thinks I hear you say to me, as the Athenians said to Paul, We wil hear thee again of this matter another time.

Notes

• Cant. 2.8.
• Greg. hom. 39.
• Mar. 15.39.
• Rev. 5.13, 14.
• Esai. 6.2.
• Heb. 2.9.
• Psal. 8.9. ci∣ted also in the person of Christ. Heb. 2.7.
• Heb. 2.16.
• Isai. 62.11.
• Matth. 8.20.
• Mark. 6.3.
• Apoc. 18.23.
• Phil. 2.7.
• Ioh. 13.13.
• Ioh. 13.4, 5.
• Vers. 15.
• Luk. 15.17.
• 2 Cor. 8.9.
• Matth. 17.27.
• Esay 53.7.
• Matth. 26.63.
• Mark. 15.5.
• Luk. 23.9.
• Esa. ibid.
• Psal. 23.2.
• Act. 8.32.
• Joh. 1.29.
• Exod. 12.5. and 13.
• Luk. 23.4.
• 1 Pet. 1.2.
• Cant. 1.8.
• Psal. 22.6.
• Iob 17.14. Iob. 25.6.
• Esai. 40.17.
• Ex omni seip∣sum ad nihil redegit: Beza in loc. Tert. ad Mar. l. 5.
• Phil. 2.7.
• John 18.5.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 32.