A29699:142
Paradise opened, or, The secrets, mysteries, and rarities of divine love, of infinite wisdom,…Paradice opened, or, The secreets, mysteries, and rarities of divine love, of infinite wisdom,…
Paradise opened, or, The secrets, mysteries, and rarities of divine love, of infinite wisdom, and of wonderful counsel laid open to public view 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 concerning both covenants ... : being the second and last part of The golden key / by Thomas Brooks ...Paradice opened, or, The secreets, mysteries, and rarities of divine love, of infinite wisdom, and of wonderful counsel laid open to publick view 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 concerning both covenants ... : being the second and last part of The golden key / by Thomas Brooks ...
London: printed for Dorman Newman, 1675
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.
and other Christians, by their pious examples are pricked on to follow them so far as they are followers of the Lamb. But
Twelfthly, Consider. That all the Sufferings and Persecutions §12that you meet with on earth, shall advance your Glory in Heaven;1 the more Saints are persecuted on earth, the greater shall be their reward in heaven. Look, as Persecutions do increase a Christian's Grace, so they do advance a Christian's Glory; in Heaven, the Martyrs shall have the highest Degree of Glory; for though God doth not reward men simply for their Works, namely for the merit of them, yet he rewards according to their Works; and proportions the degree or measure thereof, according to the kind of work which on earth is done▪ and according to the measure of Grace whereby he enables men to do it. Now, Martyrdom is the most difficult, the most honourable, and the most acceptable Work that on earth can be done; and therefore in heaven Martyrdom shall be crowned with the highest degree of Glory; on this ground, they who set down the different degrees of Celestial Glory, by the different Fruits which the good Ground brought forth, some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred2 fold; apply the hundred fold, which is the highest and3 greatest Degree of Glory, to Martyrdom: Doubtless, God's suffering Servants; and amongst them, especially his Martyrs, shall sit down in the chiefest Mansions, and in the highest Rooms in the Kingdom of Glory: According to the Degrees of our sufferings for Christ, will be the degrees of our Glory: What shall we have, says Peter, (that have suffered so many great and grievo•• […]ngs for thy name) that have forsaken all, and followed thee? Veri•y, says our Saviour, every one that hath forsaken houses, &c. shall receive a hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life: But ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. A Christian will never repent of all the hard things that he has suffered for Christ or his Truth, when as every one of his sufferings shall be a sparkling Jewel to give a lustre to his Crown of Glory. Suffering for Christ and Religion is the most gainful kind of Merchandise. Christ is so well pleased with the sufferings of his Saints, that he has engaged himself to make up whatever they lose upon his account; yea, to repay all with Interest upon Interest, to a hundred times over. Oh, who would not then turn Spiritual Purchaser. Christ is a noble, a liberal Paymaster; and no small things can fall from so great a hand as his is: Mat.