Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	believe_v	heart_n	word_n	5,244	5	4.1630	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25250	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.; Prima, media, & ultima. Ultima.	Ambrose, Isaac, 1604-1664.	1650 (1650)	Wing A2970; ESTC R27187	201,728	236

ye do these things ye shall never fall 2. Our second and best assurance is the testimonie of Gods Spirit which sometimes may suggest and testifie to the sanctified conscience thus or in the like manner Thou shalt be saved thou shalt be with me in Paradise But here I must satisfie two doubts first by what meanes the Spirit of God gives this particular assurance secondly how a man may discern betwixt the assurance of this Spirit and the illusion of Satan who is the spirit of lies To the first we say the means is either by an immediate revelation or by a particular application of the promises in the Gospel John 3.36 in form of an experimentall syllogisme as Whosoever believes on the Son shall be saved but I believe on the Sonne therefore I shall be saved The major is Scripture the minor is confirmed by our faith which if I have I may say I believe True flesh and bloud cannot say this it is the operation of the holy Ghost but if the work be wrought and I feel this faith within my soul what need I doubt but this assumption is true I believe on the Son Yet I hear some complain they have neither sight nor sense of faith and thus it is often with Gods dearest children the Sunne that in a clear sky discovers and manifests it self may sometimes with clouds be overcast and darkened and faith that in the calmnesse of a Christian course shines shews it self clearly to the sanctified heart may sometimes in the damp of spirituall desertion or darknesse of temptation lie hid and obscured there is therefore in the Saints Certitudo evidentiae adhaerentiae the assurance of evidence and the assurance of adherence The assurance of evidence is that which is without scruple and brings an admirable joy with it and this more especially appears either in our more fervent prayers or in our heavenly meditations or in time of martyrdome or in some quickening exercises of extraordinarie humiliation or in beginning of our spirituall or end of our naturall life as most needfull times then doth Gods spirit speak comfortably to us whispering to our souls the assurance of our happinesse that we shall be inheritours of his Kingdome The assurance of adherence is that which I doubt not the Saints have in their greatest extremitie for instance many a faithfull soul that makes conscience of sinne lies and languishes upon the rack of fears and terrours he shels nothing but a dead heart and a spirituall desertion yet in the mean time his soul cleaves unto Christ as to the surest rock he cries and longs after him and for all his fears and sorrows he will still rest upon him Job-like though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 Job 13.15 Now this adherence unto Christ may assure him of salvation for if we speak punctually and properly faith justifying is not to be assured of pardon but to trust wholly upon Christ for pardon and thus if he do then may he with freedome of spirit say I believe on the Sonne whence ariseth this conclusion which is the testimonie of Gods Spirit therefore I shall be saved To our second doubt how we may discern betwixt the testimonie of Gods Spirit and the illusion of Satan I answer First the testimony of Gods Spirit is ever agreeable to the Word and thus to trie us the Scripture tels us that Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sinne 1 John 3.9 which is not to be understood simply of the act of sinning for who can say my heart is clean but in this sense he doth not commit sinne that is he makes not a trade of sinne it doth not reign in him if then thou allowest any lust in thine heart or goest on in the willing practice of any one known sin yet hast a conceit that thou art sure of salvation alas thou art deceived thou hast made a lie thy refuge and hid thy self under falshood Secondly Gods Spirit breeds in the soul a Reverend love and insatiable longing after all good means appointed and sanctified for our spiritual good and therefore that heart which sweetly is affected and inflamed with the word and prayer and meditation and conference and vows and singing of Psalms and use of good books we doubt not but it is breath'd on by the Spirit of God whilst others that use all these Ordinances out of custome or formalitie or some other sinister end alas their conceit of being right is built on the sands and therefore down it fals at deaths floud and is overwhelmed in destruction Thirdly Gods Spirit is ever attended with the spirit of Prayer and therefore saith the Apostle We know not how to pray but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Rom. 8.26 Rom. 8.26 O the blessed operation of this Spirit it even warms the spirit of a man with quickning life to pour out it self in the presence of the Lord his God sometimes in more hearty prayers and sometimes in more faint and cold yet alwayes edged with infinite desires that they were farre more fervent then they are But on the other side every deluded Pharisee is a mere stranger to the power of Prayer if he prayes often as I make it a question yet never prayes he from a broken heart and this argues that all his confidence is no better then a weed which grows of its own accord therefore like Jonahs gourd when affliction comes it withers on a sudden Fourthly the testimonie of Gods Spirit is often exercised and accompanied with fears and jealousies and doubts and distrusts and varieties of temptations which many times will drive the soul thus distrest to cry mightily to God to re-examine her grounds to confirm her watch to resort for counsell where it may be had whilest on the contrary the Pharisees groundlesse conceit lies in his bosome without fears or jealousies or doubts or distrusts or any such ado why so alas Sathan is too subtle to trouble him in that case he knows his foundation is falshood his hope of Heaven no better then a golden dream and therefore in policie he holds his peace that he may hold him the faster Fifthly the testimony of Gods Spirit is ever most refreshing at those times when we retire our selves to converse with God in a more solemn manner when we feel that we have conquered or well curbed some corruption of nature when we are well exercised in the Ordinances of God or in our sufferings by man for a good cause and conscience sake then or at such times shall we feel that sweetnesse of the spirit cherishing our hearts with a lightsome comfort that cannot be uttered whilest on the contrary the deluded man is alwaies alike peremptorie in his confidence you shall not take him at any time without a bold perswasion that he hopes to be saved as wel as the best thus like a man who lying

that it might shine in heaven But this was but the beginning of his dayes now they are past they have been Go a little further we left him at school but how learned he Christ 1. Cor. 2.2 Psal 8.2 and him crucified this was the knowledge taught him by the Spirit of God in a wonderfull manner Out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings hast thou O God ordained strength To consider again his religious words his upright actions his hearty devotions his fear of God all then concluded as they did of John Luke 1.66 What manner of child shall this be No question the grace of God was with him If I should instance in any of these his frequencie in prayer his reading of Scripture his reasoning with others to get knowledge to himself we may wonder at Gods power in this childs poor weakness Excuse me whiles I tell nothing but truths and I hope they will tend to our own instruction In the morning he would not stir out of doors before he had poured out his prayers at noon he would not eat any meat before he had given the Lord thanks at night he would not lie down on his bed before he had kneeled down on his knees we may remember those times when sometimes that he had forgotten this dutie no sooner had he been in bed but up he would have got again and so kneeling down on his bare knees covered with no garment but his linens he would ask God forgiveness for that sinne of forgetfulness neither have his brothers escaped without his reprehension for had they eat any meal or meat without a grace his check was usuall Dare you do thus unless God be mercifull unto us this bit of bread might choke us The wise sentences the religious words which often dropt from his mouth like honey can we remember them and not grieve at the death of him that spake them What comfort had we in those dayes What sorrow have we to think those dayes are done Surely we cannot speak it without bitterness of soul they are gone they have been Thus he lived will you know how he died First a lingring sickness seized upon him against which to comfort him one tells him of possessions that must fall to his portion And what are they said he I had rather have the Kingdome of Heaven then a thousand such inheritances Thus he minds Heaven and God so minding him presently sent him his sickness that should summon him thither And now how should I repeat his words with the life that he spake them dying No sooner had God struck his body with that fatall sickness but he asks and needs would know his souls estate I have heard of the soul said he but what is the soul the mind he questions and questioning answers better I fear then many too many gray headed amongst us but the answer given how the soul consisted of the Will and the Understanding he sayes he is satisfied and now understands better then he did before Another comes to him and then he begins another question now he knows the soul he desires yet to know further How his soul may be saved O blessed soul how wisely couldst thou question for thine own souls good The answer given by faith applying Christs merits he heard it and had it anon telling them who before had taught it him Resolved in these questions he questions no further but will now answer them that go about to question him One asks him whether he had rather live or die he gives the answer and not without Pauls reason I desire to die said he that I might go to my Saviour O blessed Spirit bow didst thou inspire into this child thy wisdome and goodnesse This done his pain begins again to afflict him and this occasions another thus to question him whether he would rather still endure those pains or forsake his Christ Alas said he I know not what to say as a child for these pains might stagger a strong man but I will strive to endure the best I can Upon this he presently calls to mind that Martyr who being in prison Thom. Bilney the night before his burning put his finger in the candle to know how he could endure the fire O said he had I lived then I would have runne through the fire to have gone to Christ Sweet resolution of a silly child who can hear and not wonder wonder and not desire to hear that he may wonder still Blessed child hadst thou lived that we might have wondred at thy wisdome but his daies were determined and now is the number turned to this poor cypher they are not they have been I cannot leave him yet his sicknesse lasts long and at least three dayes before his death he prophesies his departure and how strange a prophecie not onely that he must die but fore-telling the very day On the Lords day said he look to me Neither was this a word of course which you may guesse by his often repetition every day asking till the day came indeed What is Sunday come At last the lookt-for day came on and no sooner had the Sun beautified that morning with his light but he falls into a trance What think ye meant his blessed soul whilest the body it self used such an action his eyes were fixed his face chearfull his lips smiling his hands and arms clasping in a bow as if he would have received some blessed Angel that there was at hand to receive his soul but he comes to himself and tells them how he saw the sweetest boy that ever eyes beheld and bids them Be of good chear for he must presently go with him One standing near as now suspecting his time of dissolution bids him say Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit Psal 31.5 Yes said he Into thy hands Lord I commit my spirit which is thy due for why thou hast redeemed it O Lord my God most true Who will not believe this child now sings in Heaven that so soon had learned this Davids Psalm on earth I cannot hold my self nor will I hold you long but how may I omit his heavenly ejaculations Beloved I beseech you pardon me whilest I speak his words and I will promise you to speak no word but the very same formally which were his own Pray pray pray nay yet pray and the more prayers the better all prospers God is the best Physician into his hands I commend my spirit O Lord Jesus receive my soul Now close mine eyes forgive me father mother brothers sister all the world Now I am well my pain is almost gone my joy is at hand Lord have mercy on me O Lord receive my soul unto thee Where am I whilest I speak these words Blessed Saint now thou singest in Heaven God hath bid thee welcome the Angels are hugging thee the Saints rejoyce with thee this day is the Crown set on thy head this day is the Palm of victory in thy hand

then shall your souls be hurried by Devils to that infernall lake whence there is no redemption O beloved O wretch whosoever thou art Canst thou possibly sleep in such a case as this Canst thou go to bed with a conscience laden with sin Canst thou take any sleep which is the brother of death when thou lyest now in danger of eternall death Consider I pray what space what distance how far off is thy soul from death from hell from eternity no more but a breath one breath and no more no more but a step one step and more O beloved were not this lamentable that some one of us that now are standing or sitting should this night sleep his last and to morrow have his body brought to be buried yea and before to morrow morning have his soul which the Lord forbid cast from his bed of feathers to a bed of fire and yet alas alas if any of us this night dye in his sin or in a state unregenerate thus will it be with him whosoever he be to morrow may his body lye could under earth and his soul lodg in hell with this miserable rich man Vse 2 But let me speake to you of whom I hope better things it is good counsell for you all to exspect death every day and by this means death fore-seen cannot possibly be sudden no it is he onely dyes suddenly that dyes unpreparedly Watch therefore saith our Saviour be ever in a readiness and finally that this rich man may be your warning you that tender your souls learn that lessen of our Saviour Lay not up for your selves treasure upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break thorow and steal but lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break thorow nor steal Mat. 6.19 20. Mat. 6.19 20. You will say What treasures are those I answer These treasures are those stocks of grace that will last for ever it is that circumspect walking Ephes 5.15 Ephes 5.15 that fervency of spirit Rom. 12.11 Rom 12.11 that zeal of good works Tit. 2 14. Tit. 2.14 that purity which St. Iohn makes a property of every true hearted professour 1 Joh. 3.3 1 Joh. 3.3 In a word it is the work the life the power of that prayer that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy these are heavenly hoords indeed O that we would treasure up such provision against the day of calamity If while it is called to day we would make our peace with his heavenly Highness by an humble continued exercise of repentance if in this time of grace we would purchase Gods favour and those rarest jewells of faith and a good conscience if now before we appear at the dreadfull Tribunall we would make God and his Angels our friends in the Court of Heaven O then how blessed would out deaths be to us came it never so suddenly still should death find us ready and if ready no matter how suddenly yea though it were this this night I have broke ope the writ and you see when it must be served this night but in this Quando there is both suddenness and sadness it is not this day but this night Let this end this dayes discourse and the next day we will lay open the nights dark sadness it is a dismall time and God give us grace so to provide that we may be ready with oyle in our lamps and enter with our Saviour into his blessed Kingdome Night HE sins all day and dyes at night and why at night This you know is frequent and there is reason most are begot and born and therefore dye at night but we must further then the lists of nature this night was more then ordinary as being the fittest time to aggravate his griefe weigh but the circumstances First It was a night of darkness and this may encrease the horrour of his judgment think but what a fear seized on the Aegyptians Wisd 17.5 when no power of the fire must give them light nor might the clear flames of the stars lighten the horrible night that fell upon them The Husband-men the Shepherds the work-men Exod. 10.23 all were bound with one chain of darkness No man saw another neither rose up from the place where he was for three days Exod. 10.23 Was not this fearfull darkness you may guesse it by the effects they were troubled and terrified and swooned as though their own souls should betray them Wisd 17.18 19. Whether it were an hissing wind or a sweet noyse of birds among the spreading branches or a pleasing fall of waters running violently or a terrible sound of stones or the running of skipping beasts or the noyse of cruell beasts or the eccho that answereth again in the hollow mountains these fearfull things made them to swoon for fear And if thus the Egyptians how was it with this Worldling a darknesse seized on him that engendred a thousand times more intolerable torments Wisd 17.21 This was the image of that darkness which should afterward receive him and yet was he unto himself more grievous then the darknesse It was not an outward but an utter darknesse not onely to be not seen but to be felt and feared Imagine then what visions what sounds what sights what sudden fires appeared unto him Unhappy Worldling look round about thee although it be dark here is something to be seen above is the angry Judge beneath is the burning lake before is gloomy darknesse behind is infallibe death on thy right and left hand a legion of evil angels exspecting every moment to receive the prey Here is a sight indeed able to break the very heart-strings of each seer If some have lost their wits by means of some dreadfull sight yea if the very suspicion of Devils have caused many men to tremble and the hairs of their heads to stand staring upright what then was the fear and terrour of this man when so many dreadfull horrible hellish monsters stood round about him now readie to receive him O ye sonnes of men stand in aw and sinne not Psal 4.4 commune with your own heart and in your chamber and be still Will not this fear you from your sinnes Suppose then you lay on your beds of death were the Judge in his throne your souls at the Barre ths accuser at your elbows and hell ready open to shut her mouth upon you O then how would you curse your selves and bewail your sins What horrible visions would appear to you in the dark horrible indeed In so much saith * Cyril de vitae beati Hieron ad fin Epist one that were there no other punishment then the appearing of Devils you would rather burn to ashes then endure their sights Good God that any Christian should live in this danger and yet never heed it till he sees its terrour How many have gone thus

then of thorns Thus for the beginning what then is the increase of this This increase say Physitians is when the symptomes more manifestly appear either of life or death and no sooner was our Saviour born but he had manifest tokens evidently showing that for us he must die If you run through his life what was it but a sicknesse and a purge Consider his parcitie in abstinence his constancie in watching his frequencie in prayer his assiduity in labour But how soon and Herod makes him flee into Egypt and live an exile in a strange land At his return he dwels at Nazareth and there is accounted Jesus the carpenter Mark 6.3 When he enters into his Ministerie he hath no house to repose him no money to relieve him no friends to comfort him See him first set on by Satan then by men he is led into the wildernesse by the spirit and there he fasts fourty dayes and fourty nights without bit of bread or drop of water The devil seeing this opportunitie begins his temptation who presently overcome the Jews follow after him with hue and cry mark but their words and works In word they call him a glutton a drunkard a deceiver a sinner Matt. 11.19.27.63 John 9.24.10.20.8.48 Psal 35.12 a mad-man a Samaritane and one possessed with a devil Good words I pray is not he the anointed of God the Saviour of men yes but they rendred me evil for good and hatred for my good will said the Psalmist in his person When therefore he did miracles he was a sorcerer when he reproved sinners he was a seducer when he received sinners he was their favourer when he healed the sick he was a breaker of the Sabbath when he cast out devils it was by the power of devils what and how many unjust contumelies indured he of the Pharises who sometimes cast him out of the citie accused him of blasphemy cryed Out upon him he was a man not worthy to live And as they say they do observe but their works First they send officers to apprehend him but they being overcome with the grace of his speeches return onely with this answer John 7.46 Never man spake like this man Then took they up stones to stone him but by his miraculous passage whiles they are a conspiring his death he escapes out of their hands John 10.39 then lead they him to an hill thinking to throw him down headlong and yet all would not do for ere they are aware of it Luke 4.30 he fairly passeth through the midst of them all At last his last passion draws near and then men and devils combine in one to make him at once wretched and miserable He is despised and rejected of men yea he is a man full of sorrows saith the Prophet and hath experience of infirmities Esay 53.3 Esay 53.3 Or for a further inquirie let us do what our Saviour bids Search the Scriptures John 5.39 for they are they which testifie of him We have but two Testaments in the whole Bible and both these give full evidence of Christs miserable life In the Old Testament it was prefigured by Adams penalties Abels death Abrahams exile Isaacs offering Jacobs wrestling Josephs bonds Jobs suffering Davids mourning yea the Prophets themselves were both figures and delivered prophesies of our Saviours afflictions Thus Esay of him Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did not esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted Esa 53.4 Esay 53.4 Thus Jeremy of him He gives his cheeks to him that smites him he is filled full with reproach Lam. 3.30 Lam. 3.30 Thus Daniel of him After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be slain and shall have nothing Dan. 9.26 Dan. 9.26 Thus Zechary of him What are these wounds in the midst of thy hands and he shall say With these wounds was I wounded in the house of my friends Zach. 13.6 Zech. 13.6 But come we to the New Testament and in every Gospell we may not onely read but see him suffer Matthew who relates the history of his life what writes he but a tragedy wherein every chapter is a scene Look through the whole book and you read in the first Chapter Matth. Chap. 1 Ioseph will not father him in the second 2 Herod seeks to kill him in the third 3 Iohn the Baptist would needs out his humility deny him baptisme in the fourth 4 he fasts fourty days and fourty nights and is tempted in the wilderness in the fifth 5 he fotetells persecutions and all manner of evill against his Apostles in the sixth 6 he teacheth his church that strict course of life in fasting praying giving of almes and forgiving of enemies in the seventh 7 he concluds his Sermon made on the top of a mountain in the eighth 8 he comes down and towards night hath no house to harbour in nor pillow to rest his head on in the ninth 9 he is rebuked of the Pharises for not fasting in the tenth 10 all men hate his disciples for his sake in the eleventh 11 they call him that knew no excesse a glutton and a drunkard in the twelfth 12 they tell him how he casts out devils through Beelzebub prince of devils in the thirteenth 13 they are offended at him and derive his pedigree from a Carpenter in the fourteenth 14 Herod thinks him to be Iohn Baptists ghost in the fifteenth 15 the Scribes reprehend him for the breach of their traditions in the sixteenth 16 the Sadduces tempt him for a token in the seventeen 17 he pays tribute to Cesar in all the rest he foretels and executes his passion now count not chapters but hours from that hour wherein he was saught for untill the sixth hour of his crucifying one betrayes him another apprehends him one binds him another leads him bound from Pilate to Herod from Herod back again to Pilate thus they never leave him till his soul leave the world and he be a dead man amongst them You have seen the beginning and increase and we 'll now draw the Curtains that you may behold the Bridegroom where he lyeth at Noon day to wit in the state or vigour of his grievous sufferings This state or Akmen say Physitians is when nature and the disease are in greatest contention when all the symptomes are become most vehement so that neither nature or the infirmity must needs have the victory and although say Divines all Christs life was full of miseries Kecker Syst l. 3. c. 4. yet principally and chiefly is that called his passion in Scripture which he indured two days before death and to this extream passion saith a Modern is the purging of sins chiefly attributed Come then ye that passe by behold and see if there was ever any sorrow like unto this sorrows which is done unto him in the day of Gods anger Lament

fast asleep on the edge of a Rock he dreams merrily of Crowns and Kingdomes and will not off it but on a sudden starting for joy he tumbles into the bottome of the Sea and there lies drowned in the deep that assurance which is ever secure is but a dream whereas the testimony of Gods Spirit is sometimes mixed with doubts and sometimes to our unspeakable comfort with a secret still heart-ravishing voice thus speaks to our consciences thou shalt be thou shalt be with me in paradise You see the testimonie of Gods Spirit how it works in us and how it is discerned by us it works in us by a particular application of the promises in the Gospel and is discerned by us by the word by our love our prayers our fears our joys at some times while we are a doing our duties Vse O blessed man that feels in his soul this blessed testimonie what is here comparable to it riches are deceitfull pleasure is a toy the world is but a bubble onely our assurance of Heaven is the onely reall comfort that we have on earth who then would not studie to make this certain if we purchase an inheritance on earth we make it as sure and our tenure as strong as the brawn of the Law or the brain of Lawyers can devise we have conveyance and bonds and fines no strength too much and shall we not be more curious in the setling our eternall inherit●nce in Paradise a man can never be too sure of going to Heaven and therefore in Gods fear let us examine the testimonie of our spirits by the inward tokens and by the outward fruits let us examine the testimonie of Gods Spirit by the means and the difference and if we find both these testimonies to accord within us how blessed are we in this vale of tears it is an heaven upon earth a Paradise in a wildernesse in a word a comfort in all miseries be they never so embittered See a Thief hanging on the Crosse an Engine of most grievous torture but who can tell the joy that entred into him before he entred into Heaven you may guesse it by his desire to be remembred of Christ when he came into his Kingdome he begs not for life nor pleasure nor riches nor honour no there is one thing necessary give him Heaven and he cares for nothing to this purpose doth he addresse himself to our blessed Saviour Luke 23.37 39. and he asks what if thou be Christ save thy self said the Jews in derision and if thou be Christ save thy self and us said the other Thief to him but this was onely for the bodies safetie and here is a man quite of another mind let the Jews rack him tear him break all his bones and pull him into atomes if our Saviour will but do so much as remember him in his kingdome he desires nothing more O blessed Christ speak comfortably to his soul that begs it thus vehemently at thy hands but why do I prevent the bowels of our Saviour yearn to hear him remember him yes he will remember him and he shall be with him comfortable news how leaps his heart at these so blessed words his desire is granted and Heaven is assured and the Spirit of God yea the God of Spirits thus testifies it to him to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Thus farre of the certainty of his salvation thou shalt be but as the grant is sweet that is certain so is it yet more acceptable if done with expedition and here is both the certainty and expedition thou shalt be when to day with me in paradise To day OUr Saviour deferres not that he promises but as he quickly hears and quickly grants so he quickly gives him Paradise and a kingdome This sudden unexspected joy makes all more gratefull to tell us of Crowns and Kingdomes that we must inherit and then to put us off with delayes abates the sweetnesse of the promise men that go to suits for lands and livings though Lawyers feed them with hopes yet one order after another spinning out time to a multitude of Terms makes them weary of the businesse it is the happinesse of this suitour that he comes to an hearing but the highest degree of his happiness was the expedition of his suit no sooner he motions Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome but the Lord gives him that he asks upon his first motion to day ere the Sun be down the Kingdome shall be thine thou shalt be with me in Paradise But you may object Was there no Limbus Patrum no Purgatory to run through but the very same day he died he must then go to Paradise no unlesse Limbus or Purgatorie be Paradise it self there is no such thing at all Some there are that rather then say nothing speak thus Christ giving up the ghost Mox ut Deus exspiravit ipse secundum animam ad infernos descendit Guliel Paris cap. 21. secundum verbum his soul descended into hel and the very same day was this Malefactour partaker of Christs beatificall vision with the other Patriarchs in Limbus But of how great difference is Paradise and Limbus we shall hear another time sure it is Christ promised not a Dungeon in stead of a Kingdome nor is Paradise a place of pleasure of any such imaginary melancholy nature we conclude then To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise it is all one as to say To day thy day of death thou shalt be with me in Heaven and there enjoy me in my Kingdome But again you may object That Christ rather that day descended into hel then ascended into heaven The Creed teacheth that after he was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell To answer the objection some go about thus by hel say they is meant Paradise where the soul of Christ was all the time that his body lay in the grave If this be not a misconstruction I am sure it is no literall Exposition and me thinks a very strange kind of figure it is to expresse Christs ascent into Paradise by his descent into hell Others more probably understand Christs abode in the grave for the space of three dayes Aug. Epist 57. Austin after some turns and wrenches concludeth thus Est autem sensus multò expeditior c. It is a farre easier sense and freer from all ambiguity if we take Christ to speak thesc words This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise not of his Manhood but of his Godhead for the man Christ was that day in the grave according to the flesh and in hell as touching his soul but the same Christ as God is alwayes every where Thus he But this will not satisfie all Perkins on the Creed and therefore they argue thus against it These words say they must be understood of his Manhood not his God-head and why so For they are an answer unto a demand and unto it they must be