A29699:331
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.
Christ is of our kindred by incarnation, and redeems us by his passion. The words are an allusion to the Ceremonial Law, where the nearest kinsman was to take the wife, and buy the land; we were Satan's by nature, but Christ our brother, our kinsman, hath redeemed1 us by the price of his own blood, and will deliver us from hell, and bring us to the inheritance of the saints 2in light; and therefore deserves the name of a Redeemer. Jesus Christ is near, very near, yea nearest of kin to us;3 he is flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone, and blood of our blood: For as much as the children are partakers of 4flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same. Now 'tis evident by the old Law of Redemption, that the nearest kinsman was under a special obligation to redeem; as you may see by comparing Ruth 3. 12, 13. with cap. 4. 4, 5. Boaz was a kinsman, and had right to redeem; yet, because there was a nearer kinsman, he would not engage himself, but upon his refusal: If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it; but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none to redeem it besides thee, and I am after thee. Now Jesus Christ is nearest of kin to us, and therefore, upon the strictest terms and Laws of Redemption, he is (Goel) our Redeemer. If we consider Jesus Christ as a kinsman, a brother, we must say, that he had not only a right to redeem us; but that he was also, under the highest obligation to redeem us. There is a double way of redeeming persons: 1. By force and power, thus when Lot was taken prisoner by those four Kings that5 came against Sodom; Abraham armed his servants, and by force and power redeemed them •• we were all Satan's prisoners, Satan's captives, but Christ our nearest kinsman,6 our brother, by spoiling principalities and powers, rescues us out of that Tyrant's hand. 2. There is a Redemption