NOTE. Though 'Paradise Opened' makes a 'Second Part' to the Golden Key,' (ante,) it forms two separate treatises: one, 'Paradise Opened,' having a lengthy 'Epistle Dedicatory,' and occupying pp. 1-194; the other, 'A Word in Season,' having its own title. page and a long 'Epistle,' and occupying pp. 3-223. The title-page of the former will be found below,* that of the latter in its own place.-G. Paradice opened, OR THE SECREETS, MYSTERIES, AND RARITIES Of Divine Love, of Infinite Wisdom, and of ALSO The Covenant of Grace, and the high and glorious Transactions of the Father and the Son in the Covenant of Redemption opened and improved at large, with the Resolution of divers important Questions and Cases concern. ing both Covenants. YOU HAVE FURTHER, Several singular Pleas, that all sincere Christians may safely and groundedly make to those Ten Scriptures in the Old and New Testament, that speak of the general Judgment, and of that particular Judgment, that must certainly pass upon them all after Death. With some other Points of high Importance, that tend to the Peace, Comfort, Settlement and Satisfaction of all serious sincere Christians. To which is added a sober and serious Discourse, about the Favourable, Signal and Eminent Presence of the Lord with his People in their greatest Troubles, deepest Distresses, and most deadly Dangers. Being the Second and Last Part of the Golden Key. By Thomas Brooks, late Preacher of the Gospel, at LONDON, Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms in the Poultry Southwark-side, 1675. [4to.-G.] THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. To his honoured friends, Sir JOHN MORE, Knight and Alderman of the City of London; and to his good Lady, MARY MORE, his most affectionate Consort.1 The Father of all mercies, and the God of all blessings, bless you both with grace and peace here, and glory hereafter. 26 6 Honoured Friends,-Christian friendship makes such a knot, that great Alexander cannot cut. It was well observed by Sir Francis Bacon, That old wood is best to burn, and old books best to read, and old friends best to trust. It was a witty saying of the Duke of Buckingham to Bishop Morton,3 in Richard the III. his time, Faithful friends,' saith he, are in this age for the most part gone all in pilgrimage, and their return is uncertain.' They seem to take away the sun out of the world,' said the heathen orator,4 who take away friendship from the life of men, and we do not more need fire and water than true friendship.5 In this epistle I shall endeavour so to acquit myself as becomes a real friend, a cordial friend, a faithful friend, and a soul-friend, as to your great and everlasting concernments, that it may go well with you for ever and ever. Sir, The points that are handled in this following treatise, and in the first part, are of as high, choice, necessary, noble, useful, and comfortable a nature, as any that can be treated on by mortal man. The 1 More, or Moore, was elected Alderman of Walbrook in 1671; served the office of Sheriff in 1672, and that of Lord Mayor in 1682. See Northoack's History of London,' (1773.) He was of the Grocers' Company. Buried in St Dunstan's-in-the-East, Thames Street.-Herbert's History of the Twelve Companies of London,' i. 330.-G. Bacon's Works, by Spedding, vii. 139. Apophthegms, No. 97 of edition of 1625, and 75 of those printed in the Resuscitatio. Brooks quotes evidently from memory. The following is the passage:-Alonso of Arragon was wont to say in commendation of age, that age appeared to be best in four things: old wood best to burn; old wine to drink; old friends to trust; and old authors to read.'-G. 3 Misprinted Monton.' A full account of Morton is to be found in Godwin de Prasulibus,' (ed.: Richardson, p. 130.) He was John Morton, then Bishop of Ely, but afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury: and the above saying was probably uttered while the bishop was under Buckingham's wardship at Brecon, by command of Richard III. See Foss's Judges of England,' v. 59.-G. Cicero: de Amicitiâ.-G. It is the saying of Euripides, That a faithful friend is better than a calm sea to a weather-beaten mariner.' [Orestes 717 chorus, ed. Porson; cf. also two passages of the Andromache, 748, 749, and in 891.-G.] four things which God minds most and loves most are, (1.) His honour. (2.) His worship. (3.) His people. (4.) His truth. Surely their souls must needs be of a very sad complexion who can read the great truths that are here opened and applied, and not (1.) dearly love thein, (2.) highly prize them, (3.) cordially bless God for them, (4.) seriously ponder and meditate upon them, (5.) and not frequently and diligently study them, and make a gracious and daily improvement of them. The covenant of grace, and the covenant of redemption, are a rich armoury, out of which you may furnish yourselves with all sorts of spiritual weapons, wherewith you may encounter Satan's temptations, wiles, devices, methods, depths, stratagems. Nothing of Satan's can stand before the covenant of grace and the covenant of redemption, well understood and well applied, Eph. vi. 11; 2 Cor. ii. 11; Rev. ii. 24. In the covenant of grace and the covenant of redemption that is passed betwixt God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, you will find many rich and rare cordials, which have a strong tendency to preserve all gracious souls from desponding and fainting: (1.) in times of afflictions; (2.) in times of temptations; (3.) in times of desertion; (4.) in times of sufferings for Christ's sake and the gospel's sake; (5.) in times of opposition; (6.) and at the time of death and dissolution. There are no comforts nor cordials that can reach the souls of Christians in their deep distresses, but such as flow from these two covenants. The more it concerns all such Christians to study these two covenants, and to be well acquainted with them, that so they may the more readily have recourse to such cordials as their present estate and condition calls for. In these two covenants you will find much matter which has a strong tendency (1.) to inflame your love to God and Christ, and all in the covenant of grace; (2.). to strengthen your faith; (3.) to raise your hopes; (4.) to cheer your souls; (5.) to quiet and satisfy your consciences; (6.) to engage you to a close and holy walking with God; (7.) to provoke you to triumph in free grace, and in the Lord Jesus Christ; (8.) to sit loose from this world.2 The riches and treasures that are wrapt up in both these covenants are so great, so sure, so durable, and so suitable to all believers, as may well deaden their hearts to all the riches and glories of this lower world, Rev. xii. 1. In these two covenants every sincere Christian will find (1.) a special salve for every spiritual sore; (2.) a special remedy against every spiritual malady; (3.) a special plaster against every spiritual wound; (4.) a spiritual magazine to supply all their spiritual wants; and (5.) a spiritual shelter under every spiritual storm. In these two covenants you will find food to nourish you, a staff to support you, a guide to lead you, a fire to warm you, and springs of life to cheer and refresh you. In this covenant of grace and the covenant of redemption, you may clearly see the wisdom, counsel, love, and transactions between the Father and the Son sparkling and shining, there being nothing under 1 2 Sam. xxiii. 5; Isa. liv. 9, 10; Jer. xxxii. 38-41; Zech. ix. 11; Heb. xiii. 20. * 2 Ps. cxvi. 1–9, 16, and iii.; 2 Sam. xxiii. 5; Ps. ciii. 17, 18, and cxi. 5, 9, 17; 2 Cor. ii. 14; Gal. vi. 14. heaven that contributes more to the peace, comfort, assurance, settlement, and satisfaction of sincere Christians than such a sight. 1 The main reason why so many gracious souls are so full of fears, doubts, darkness, and disputes about their internal and eternal estates, is because they have no more clear and full understanding of these two covenants; and if such Christians would but more seriously buckle to the study of those two covenants, as they are opened and applied in the following treatise, their fears and doubts, &c., would quickly vanish; and they would have their triumphant songs: their mourning would soon be turned into rejoicing, and their complaints into hallelujahs. Neither do I know anything in all this world that would contribute more to seriousness, spiritualness, heavenliness, humbleness, holiness, and fruitfulness, than a right understanding of these two covenants, and a divine improvement of them. There are many choice Christians who have always either tears in their eyes, complaints in their mouths, or sighs in their breasts; and oh that these, above all all others, would make these two covenants their daily companions! Let these few hints suffice concerning the following treatise. Now, Sir John, I shall crave leave to put you and your lady a little in mind of your deceased and glorified father. 3 'He is a true friend,' saith the Smyrnean poet of old, who continueth the memory of his deceased friend.' 4 When a friend of Austin's died, he professed he was put into a great strait, whether he himself should be willing to live or willing to die: he was unwilling to live, because one half of himself was dead; yet he was not willing to die, because his friend did partly live in him, though he was dead. Let you and I make the application as we see cause: your glorified father's name and memory remains to this day as fresh and fragrant as the Rose of SharonCant. ii. 1-among all those that fear the Lord, and had the happiness of inward acquaintance with him. The memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot,' Prov. x. 7. In the original it is, The memory of the just 7 in benedictionem, shall be for a blessing;' the very remembering of them shall bring a bless. ing to such as do remember them.5 The moralists say of fame, or of a man's good name 6 i.e, Whatsoever commodity you lose, be sure yet to preserve that jewel of a good name.7 This jewel, among others, your honoured father It was the saying of an eminent saint, on his death-bed, that he had much peace and quietness, not so much from a greater measure of grace than other Christians had, or from any immediate witness of the Spirit, but because he had a more clear understanding of the covenant of grace than many others, having studied it and preached it so many years as he had done. [Qu. William Strong?-G.] Misprinted kinds.'-G. Ponder upon that Deut. xiii. 6: Thy friend which is as thine own soul. Qu. Homer? Smyrna was one of the seven cities which claimed him. Strabo, l. c. Cicero, Arch. 8.-G. Memoria justi erit celebris, So Barn. [Qu. Bernard-G.] Ego si bonam famam serrasso, sat dives ero. If I may but keep a good name, I have wealth enough, saith the heathen-Plautus. 6 Claudian, De. Cons. Mall. Theod. v. 3.-G. 7 Heb. xi. 13, 39. A good renown is better than a golden girdle, saith the French proverb. |