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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	death_n	lazarus_n	sleep_n	764	5	10.4793	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29699	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 ...; Golden key to open hidden treasures. Part 2	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1675 (1675)	Wing B4953; ESTC R11759	249,733	284

us our sins our burdens and such constant ailments as takes away all the pleasure and comfort of life Here both our outward and inward conditions are very various sometimes heaven is open and Lamen 3 8 44 54 55 56 57. Psal 30. 7. 1 Thes 4 17 18. Isa 35. 10. sometimes heaven is shut sometimes we see the face of God and rejoyce and at other times he hides his face and we are troubled O but now death will bring us to an invariable Eternity It is always day in heaven and joy in heaven Sixthly and lastly You shall gain a clear distinct and full knowledge of all great and deep Mysteries the Mystery 1 Cor. 13. 10 12. of the Trinity the Mystery of Christ's Incarnation the Mystery of Man's Redemption the Mysteries of Providences the Mysteries of Prophecies and all those Mysteries that relate to the Nature Substances Offices Orders and Excellencies of the Angels If you please to consult my String of Pearls or the best thing reserved till last with my Sermon on Eccles 7. 1. Better is the day of death than the day of ones birth which is at the end of my Treatise on Assurance both which Treatises you have by you There you will find many more great and glorious things laid open that we gain by death And to them I refer you But Sixthly Look upon death as a sleep the Holy Ghost hath phrased it so above twenty times in Scripture to 1 Cor. 11. 30. cap. 15. 51. Joh. 11. ●● Mark 5. 39. The Greeks call their Church-yards Dormitories sleeping places and the Hebrews 〈◊〉 ●●●●im the house of the living shew that this is the true proper and genuine notion of death When the Saints die they do but sleep Mat. 9. 24. The maid is not dead but sleepeth The same phrase he also used to his Disciples concerning Lazarus our friend Lazarus sleepeth Joh. 11. 11. The death of the Godly is as a sleep Stephen fell asleep Act. 7. 60. And David fell asleep Act. 13. 36. And Christ is the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15. 20. Them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thes 4. 14. The Saints of God do but sleep when they lay down in the Grave that which we call death in such is not death indeed it is but the image of death the Shadow and Metaphor of death death 's younger Brother a mere sleep and no more I may not follow the Analogy that is between death and sleep in the latitude of it the Printer calling upon me to conclude Sleep is the Nurse of Nature the sweet Parenthesis of all a man's griefs and cares But Seventhly Look upon death as a departure 2 Tim. 4. 6. For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand He makes nothing of death It was Deut. 32. 49 50. no more betwixt God and Moses but go up and die and so betwixt Christ and Paul but launch out and land immediately at the fair Haven of heaven Phil. 1. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Paul longed for that hour wherein he should loose Anchor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solv●r● Anch ram Or it may be rendered to return home or to change roo●s ●t is a similitude ●aken from those that depart out of an I●n to take their journey towards their own Countrey and sail to Christ as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports It is a Metaphor from a Ship at Anchor importing a sailing from this present life to another Port. Paul had a desire to loose from the shore of Life and to launch out into the Main of Immortality The Apostle in this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a reference both to his bonds and to his death and his meaning is I desire to be discharged and released as out of a common Goal so also out of the prison of my body that I may presently be with Christ my Saviour in heaven in rest and bliss After Paul had been in the third heaven his constant song was I desire to be with Christ Nature teacheth that death is the end of misery but grace will teach us that death is the beginning of our felicity But Eighthly and lastly Look upon death as a going to Bed The Grave is a Bed wherein the body is laid to rest with its curtains close drawn about it that it may not be disturbed in its repose So the Holy Ghost is pleased to phrase it He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds every one walking in their uprightness Isa 57. 2. As the souls of the Saints pass to a place of rest and bliss so their bodies are laid down to rest in the Grave as in a Bed or Bed-chamber there to sleep quietly until the morning of the Resurrection Death is nothing else but a Writ of ease to the weary Saints 't is a total cessation from all their labour of nature sin and affliction Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord that they may rest Rev. 14. 13. from their labours c. Whilst the souls of the Saints do rest in Abraham's bosom their bodies do sweetly sleep in their beds of dust as in a safe and consecrated Dormitory Every sincere Christian may like the weary child call and cry to be laid to bed knowing that death will send him to his everlasting rest Now you should always look upon death under Scripture Notions and this will take off the terrour of death yea it will make the King of Terrours to be the King of desires it will make you not only willing to die but even long to die and to cry out O that I had the wings of a dove to fly away and be at rest At death you shall have an eternal Jubilee and be freed from all incumbrances Now sin shall be no more nor trouble shall be no more nor pain nor ailments shall be no more Now you shall have your Quietus est now the wicked shall cease from Job 3. 17. troubling and now the weary shall be at rest now all Rev. 7. 17. tears shall be wiped from your eyes now death shall be the way to bliss the Gate of Life and the Portal to Paradise It was well said of one so far as we tremble at death so far we want love it 's sad when the contract is made between Christ and a Christian to see a Christian afraid of the making up the Marriage Lord saith Austin one I will die that I may enjoy thee I will not live but I will die I desire to die that I may see Christ and refuse to live that I may live with Christ The broken Rings Contracts and Espousals contents not the true Lover but he longs for the Marriage day It is no credit to your Heavenly Father for you to be loth to

and applyed 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 rejoycing their complaints into Hallelujahs Neither do I know any thing in all this world that would contribute more to seriousness spiritualness heavenlyness humbleness holyness and fruitfulness then a right understanding of these two Covenants and a Divine improvement of them There are many choice Christians who have alwayes either tears in their eyes complaints in their mouths or sighs in their breasts and O that these above all others would make these two Covenants their daily Companions Let these few kinds 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 He is a true Friend saith the Smyrnean Poet of Ponder upon that Deut. 13. 6. Thy friend which is as thine own soul old who continueth the memory of his deceased Friend When a Friend of Austin's dyed he professed he was put into a great streight whether he himself should be willing to live or willing to dye he was unwilling to live because one half of himself was dead yet he was not willing to dye 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 Fathers Name and Memory remains to this day as fresh and fragant as the Rose of Sharon among all those that fear the Lord and Cant. 2. ● had the happiness of inward acquaintance with him The memory of the just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall not In the Original it is The memory of the just Prov. 10. 7. M●moria just 〈◊〉 So Bat● 〈◊〉 benam 〈◊〉 servasso 〈◊〉 Plant. If I may but keep a good Name I have wealth e 〈…〉 saith the Heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in benedictionem shall be for a blessing the very remembring of them shall bring a blessing to such as do remember them The Moralists say of Fame or of a mans good Name Omnia si perdas famam servare memento Quâ semel amissâ postea nullus eris i. e. Whatsoever commodity you lose be sure yet to preserve that Heb. 11. 1● 39. A good renown is better than a golden Girdle saith the French Proverb jewel of a good Name This jewel among others your honoured Father carried with him to the Grave yea to Heaven There is nothing raises a mans Name Fame in the World like holyness The seven Deacons that the Church chose were holy men Act. 6. 5. and they were men of good report V. 3. They were men well witnessed unto well testified off as the Greek word imports The Persians seldom write their Kings Name but in characters of gold throughout the Old and New Testament God has written the Names of just men in golden characters as I may speak Cornelius was a holy man Act. 10. 1 2 3 4. and he was a man of good report among all the Nation of the Jews V. 22. Ananias was a holy man Act. 9. 10 20. and he was a man of a good report Act. 22. 12. Gajus and Demetrius were both holy men and of a good report witness that third Epistle of John The Patriarchs and Prophets were holy men and they were men of a good report Heb. 11. 1 2. For by it the Elders obtained a good report their holyness did eternalize their Names The Apostles were holy men 1 Thes 2. 10. and they were men of good report 2 Cor. 6. 8. Now certainly it is none of the least of mercies to be well reputed and reported of next to a good God and a good conscience a good report a good name is the noblest blessing It is no great matter if a man be great and rich in the world to obtain a great report but without holyness you can never obtain a good report Holyness uprightness righteousness will imbalm your names it will make them immortal Psalm 112. 6 The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance Wicked men many times out live their names but the names of the righteous out live them Holy Abel hath been dead above this five thousand years yet his name is as fresh fragrant as it 1 John 3. 12. was the first day he was made a Martyr When a sincere Christian dyes he leaves his name as a sweet and as a lasting scent behind him his Fame shall live when he is dead This is verified in your precious Father who is now a sleep in Jesus 1 Thess 4. 14. Now you both very well know that there was no Christian Friend that had so great a room in his heart in his affections as I had and you can easily guess at the reasons of it neither can you forget how frequently both in his health sickness and before his death he would be pr●ssing of me to be a soul-Soul-friend to you and to improve all the interest I had in Heaven for your internal Mat. 25. 33. and eternal good that he might meet you both in that upper world and that you might both be found with him at the right hand of Christ in the great day of the Lord. I know that your glorified Father whil'st he was on earth did lay up many a prayer for you in Heaven My desire and prayer is that those prayers of his may return in mighty power upon both your hearts and having a fair opportunity now before me I shall endeavour to improve it for the everlasting advantage of both your souls and therefore let my following counsel be not only accepted but carefully faithfully and diligently followed by you that so you may be happy here and blessed hereafter The first word of counsel is this Let it be the principal care of both of you to look after the welfare of your precious and immortal souls If your souls are safe all is safe if they are well all is well but if they are lost all Mat. 16. 26. The Soul is a greater mir●cle in man than all the miracles wrought amongst men saith Augustine is lost and you lost and undone in both worlds Christ that only went to the price of souls hath told us That one Soul is more worth than all the world Chrysostom well observeth That whereas God hath given us many other things double viz. two eyes to see with two ears to hear with two hands to work with and two feet to walk with to the intent that the failing of the one might be supplyed with the other he hath given us but one soul if that be lost hast thou saith he another soul to give in recompense for it Ah Friends Christ left his Fathers bosom and all the glory of Heaven for the good of souls he assumed the nature of men for the happyness of the soul of man he trod the wine-press

he must provide him a ladder and climb alone to heaven we must go to heaven some other way than the Saints have done of old except we resolve of going thither through much tribulation Act. 14. 22. Thirdly That no person or persons on earth may sinfully shift off sufferings or avoid sufferings there being infinitely more evil in the least sin than there can be in the greatest sufferings that can befall us in this world 't is best 't is safest to chuse suffering rather than sinning as Moses did so Daniel chose rather to be Dan. 6. cast among Lions than that his Conscience should be a Lyon within him and the three Children or Champions rather who were cap. 3. holily wilful chose rather to burn in the fiery furnace than to bow to the Image that the King had set up He that values peace Ju●as and Spira will rather sin than suffer but whoever suffered more on this ●ide hell than they suffered with God and peace with Conscience and the honour of God and the credit of Religion the silencing of sinners and the rejoycing of the Saints must chuse to suffer rather than to sin when storms arise and troubles and dangers approach many begin to consult not how they may glorifie God by suffering but how they may provide for their own safety by sinning Plato knew much of God but as Josephus shews durst not set it down for fear of the people And Lactantius charges the same upon Tully Thou darest not saith he undertake the Patrenage of the truth for fear of the prison of Socrates And Augustine De Ci 〈…〉 lib. 6. cap. 10. doth as much for Seneca he spends a whole Chapter in shewing how he held the truth in unrighteousness telling us how he reverenced that which he reproved did that which he condemned and worshipped that which he found fault with Though these wise men saw the vanity of the Heathenish Deities and the worship that was given to them and looked upon them as utterly unworthy of respect from wise and sober men nay secretly scorned and derided them yet would they not openly declare against them and that for fear of the people who so much doted upon them But Daniel's three young Worthies were men of that heavenly gallant●y that they peremptorily resolved upon this that though they should not be delivered by their God yet they would not sin against their God nor so much as demur deliberate or take time to consider whether they should suffer or sin 't was past dispute with them brave and noble souls that they were It is observable that when Paul speaks of his afflictions 2 Cor. 4. 17. his sufferings he calls them light but when he speaks of his sin he speaks of it as a burden that prest him down and made him cry out O wretched man that I am and to cry out again we groan being burthened Moses his choice is famous and celebrated Rom. 7. 23. 2 Cor. 5. 2 4. all the world over for 't was not made when he was a child but when he came to forty years of age then he preferred Heb. 11. 25 26 27 suffering not only before sinning but before all the Honours Riches and Pleasures of Egypt accounting the worst of Christ viz. Reproaches better than the best of the world When Eleazar was promised to be saved from torments and death if he would but make shew of yielding he couragiously answered It 2 Mac. 6. 24. becometh not our age in any wise to dissemble whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar being four score and ten years old were now gone to a strange Religion Thus also one of the seven Brethren in the name of the rest We are ready to cap. 7. 2. die rather than transgress the laws of our fathers meaning such Laws as God of old had given to their Fathers to be observed by them and by their Posterity Age after Age. Polycarpus Eccl. l. 4. c. 15. when the Governour promised to let him go free if he would deny Christ answered I have served him four score and six years and he never hurt me in any thing how shall I curse him who hath saved me And the Governour adding one while promises another while threatnings Polycarpus thus cuts o●l all why dost thou make delays inflict what thou lists So Galea 〈…〉 Gentleman of great Estate who suffered Martyrdom at S 〈…〉 t-ang 〈…〉 a Italy being much pressed by his friends to recant and save his life he replied that death was much more tweet to him with the Testimony of Verity than life with the least deny● of truth Hooper desired rather to be discharged of his Bishoprick than yield to certain Ceremonies A man were better disp●●ase all his Friends all his Relations yea all the world than to displease his God and displease his own Conscience So Cyprian when Augustine relates the story the Emperour as he was going to execu 〈…〉 told him that he would give him space to consider whether 〈…〉 re not Letter cast in a grain into the fire than be so miserably 〈…〉 in to which he replyed In re tam sancta deliberation 〈…〉 There needs no deliberation in this case The lik● 〈…〉 e History of France in the year 1572. presently after 〈…〉 and persidious slaughter and massacre of so man 〈…〉 of Protestants by treacherous bloody Papists Charles th 〈…〉 of France called the Prince of Conde and prop 〈…〉 his c 〈…〉 ce either to go to Mass or to die presently or to 〈…〉 r per 〈…〉 al imprisonment To which he returned this not●e answer that by God's help he would never chuse the first and for eithe● of the two latter he left it to the King's pleasure and God's Providence Thus you see that the people of God have when put to it chose rather to suffer than to sin But Fourthly That they shall be sure to suffer with a witness that refuse to suffer or are afraid to suffer when Christ calls them to a suffering state No men can suffer so much for Christ as they shall be sure to suffer from Christ if through weakness or wickedness they either disdain or refuse to suffer for Christ Mark 8. 35. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it but whosoever There is no loss but gain in losing for Christ shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospels the same shall save it 'T is a very dangerous thing for men to prefer the safety of their natural lives before the Glory of Christ the cause of Christ the Gospel of Christ and the Profession of his name 'T is certain that the Glory of Christ ought to be more dear and precious to us than our very lives Christ for our Redemption and Salvation freely and readily lays down his life I lay down my life for Joh. 10. 15. my sheep and shall we stand with him for ours when our call is clear to

up Mat. 10. 21. Luk. 21. 16. the brother to death and the father the child and the children sha rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death Alphonsus Diarius delivered up his own Brother John at Neoberg Sleiden lib. 1. 17. Act. and Men. F●l 1112. Ibid. 1801. in Germany into his enemies hands So Doctor London made Filmer the Martyr's own Brother witness against him by supplying of him with meat and money and by telling of him he should never want So one Woodman was delivered by his own Brother into his enemies hands And in the Civil Wars of France not to mention Hist of C●une of Trent F●l 647. that of England The Sons fought against their Fathers and Brothers against Brothers and even Women took up Arms on both sides for defence of their Religion And Philip King of Spain could frequently say that he had rather have no Subjects than Hereticks as he called the Protestants And out of a blind bloody zeal he suffered his eldest Son Charles to be murthered Hieron by the cruel Inquisition because he seemed to favour the Protestant side Truth is a Glorious shining Light that discovers the ignorance and darkness the wickedness and baseness the unsoundness and hypocrisie the superstition and vain conversation of Persecutors and therefore they cannot endure this light they hate this light and will do all they can to suppress this light and Joh. 3. 19. those that hold out this light to the world The 〈◊〉 and Martyrs of old were as willing to die as to dine Pliny writing to Trajan 〈◊〉 10. Ep. 97. p. 316. the Emperour declares to him that such was their Zeal and courage in behalf of their God that nothing could stir them from it neither the Imperious checks of the potent Emperors nor the soft language of the eloquent Orators could draw them from the Faith but they stedfastly owned it and constantly persevered in the defense of it and were ready and willing to lay down their lives for it When Ignatius was to suffer 't is better for me saith Ignatius he to be a Martyr than to be a Monarch 'T was a notable saying of a French Martyr when the rope was about his fellow Give me said he that Golden Chain and dub me Knight of that Noble Order Let saith Ignatius Fire and Cross Invasi●n Eus●b H●st E●cl l. 3 c. 36. of Beasts breaking of bones pulling asunder of members grinding of my whole body and what else the Devil can inflict come Ibid. l. b. 4. c. 15. so I may hold Jesus Christ Lueius thanked him that brought him forth to su●●er and said that he should be free from those evil Masters and go to God a good Father and King Germanicus when he was brought forth to be torn in pieces and devo●●ed by wild Beasts The Governour perswading him to be mindful of his Youth that he might be spared of his own accord incited the Beasts against himself Sanctus being under Tortures for professing Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 2. himself to be a Christian unto every question propounded to him he answered I am a Christian whereby he occasioned his Torments to be continued to death Can we think that Saint Laurence would have accepted of deliverance who lying on a red hot Grid-iron over burning Coals with an invincible spirit thus said to the Tyrants Turn the side broiled enough and see what thy burning fire hath done And being turned and throughly broiled on the other side saith thus again Eat that which is broiled and try whether raw or broiled be the sweeter Hyppolytus when he was tied to wild Horses to be pulled asunder thus prayed Let them rend my limbs do thou O Christ wrap up my soul To omit other particulars of the Ancient Martyrs in the Primitive Times with whose couragious speeches manifesting a contempt of death of which Volumes might be filled it is indefinitely recorded of many who were famous for their Eus●b Hist Eccl. ● 8. cap. 9. Wealth Nobility Glory Eloquence and Learning that nevertheless they preferred true Piety and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ before all these And though they were entreated by many of their Kindred and Friends otherwise yea and by others in great place and by the Judge himself that they would take pity of themselves their Wives and Children Yet would they not be induced and entreated by so many and great ones so to be a●●ected with the love of this life as to forbear the Confession of our Saviour and to set light by the denyal of him Thus you see what little reckoning or account the Christians of old have made of their Lives Liberties and Estates or whatever else was near or dear unto them when these things stood in competition with Christ his Truth his Worship his Ways his Interest or with their Profession of the Christian Faith Take a few Instances of a later date John Huss being at the John Huss stake a Pardon was offered him if he would recant to which he answered I am here ready to suffer death So Hi●rom of Prague Hierom of Prague if I had feared the fire said he I had not come hither Francis Camba a Martyr in the Diocess of Millain being much assailed Francis Camba by his Friends and terrified by his Foes by no means could be overcome but gave thanks to God that he was accounted worthy to suffer a cruel death for the Testimony of his Son And such were his expressions of joy in his sufferings that his Persecutors caused his tongue to be boared through that he might speak no more to the people Another being offered the King's Pardon Mrs. Anne Askew if she would recant gave this resolute answer I came not here to deny my Lord and Master By that which she with admirable courage and constancy endured she verified that which of old Julitta spake concerning their Sex viz. We women ought to be as constant as men in Christ's Cause Another who suffered Martyrdom Walier Mille. in Scotland being solicited to recant made this reply Ye shall know that I will not recant the Truth for I am Corn I am no Chaff I will not be blown away with the wind nor burst with the flail but I will abide both Another being the first Mr. John Rogers Martyr in Queen Mary's days being solicited to recant that so he might save his life boldly replyed that which I have preached I will seal with my blood Another when a Pardon was set He●per Bishop of Glocester before him in Box cryed out If you love my soul away with it if you love my soul away with it Another on the like occasion Mr. Tho. Hawks a Gentleman in Essix gave this resolute answer If I had a hundred bodies I would suffer them all to be torn in pieces rather than abjure or recant So another spake to the like purpose So long