Heaven Opened, Treatise · Introduction
The Introduction.
GOod news from Heaven, the day-ſpring from on high hath viſited this undone world, after a Deluge of ſin and miſery, behold the bow in the Cloud, the Lord God hath made and eſtabliſhed a new Covenant, and this is it that hath caſt the firſt beam on the dark ſtate of loſt and fallen man; and hath brought life and immortality to light. This Covenant is the hope of Sinners; The riches of Saints, the Magna Charta of the City of God. The forfeited Leaſe of eternity renewed; Gods Deed of Gift, wherein hee hath on fair conditions, granted ſinners their lives, and ſettled upon his Saints an everlaſting Inheritance.
Hear, O yee forlorn Captives; who have ſold your ſelves to eternal bondage, ſpoiled your ſelves of all your glory, ſealed your ſelves up under everlaſting miſery; you are dead in your ſins, guilty before God, under wrath, under a curſe, bound over to eternal vengeance. But behold there is yet hope in Iſrael concerning this thing; the Lord God hath taken compaſſion upon you, hath opened a way for you to eſcape out of all this miſery, and bondage; Lift up the hands that hang down, comfort the trembling knees; An Ark, an Ark hath God prepared, in which is ſalvation from the Flood; A Covenant, a new Covenant hath hee made, and eſtabliſhed, which (if you lay hold on it) will recover all you have loſt, ranſome you from death, redeem you from Hell, and advance you to a more ſure and bleſſed condition, than your original ſtate, from which you have fallen. This is the hope of ſinners; This is the heritage of the ſervants of the Lord.
Glorious tydings, good news indeed! but what is this Covenant? or what is there that is given and granted therein? Why, in ſumme there's all that Heaven and earth can afford; all that can bee needed, or deſired, and this by a firm and irrevokable Deed, made over, and made ſure to all that will ſincerely embrace it.
Particularly God hath in his Covenant, granted and made over,
1. Himſelf.
2. His Son.
3. His Spirit.
4. The Earth.
5. The Angels of Light.
6. The Powers of Darkneſs.
7. Death.
8. The Kingdome.
9. All the means of Salvation.