A Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures, To the reader – Publishers note
TO THE READER,
Chriſtian Reader,
SOme preachers in our days, are like Heraclitus, who was called the dark Doctor; becauſe he affected dark Heraclitus was a Philoſopher of Epheſus, he was ſurnamed, foreign, Obſeurus, becauſe he affected dark ſpeeches. Joh 38. 2.ſpeeches; ſo they affect ſublime noions, obſcure expreſſions, uncouth phraſes; making plain truths difficult, and eaſie truths hard, &c. They darken counſel by words without knowledg: Men of abſtracted conceits, and wiſe ſpeculations, are but wiſe fools; like the Lark that ſoareth up on high, peering and peering, but at laſt falleth into the net of the Fowler: Such perſons commonly, are as cenſorious as they are curious; and do Chriſt and his Church but very, very little ſervice in this world.
The Heatheniſh Prieſts had their Mythologies, and ſtrange canting expreſſions, of their imaginary unacceſſable Deities, to amaze and amuze their blind ſuperſtitious followers; and thereby to hold up their Popiſh and apiſh Idolatries, in greater Veneration, the prudent reader can tell how to make application.
If thou affecteſt high ſtrains of wit, or larded, pompous, and high-flown expreſſions, or eloquent trappings, or fine new notions, or ſuch things that thou mayeſt rather wonder at, than underſtand. I ſhall not encourage thee to the peruſal of this Treatiſe. But,
Firſt, If thou wouldeſt be furniſhed with ſoveraign Antidotes, 1. 2 Pet. 3. 16. 1 John 4. 1, 2, 3. 2 Ep…ſt. John 7, 8. 9, 10. 11.againſt the moſt dangerous errours, that are rampant in theſe days, then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe.
Secondly, if thou wouldeſt be eſtabliſhed, ſtrengthened, ſetled, and confirmed in the grand points of the Goſpel; then 2. 1 Pet. 5. 10.ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
3. Thirdly, If thou wouldeſt know what that faith is 3. John 1. 12. cap. 3. 16. John 5. 24.that gives thee an intereſt in Chriſt, and in all that fundamental good that comes by Chriſt; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Fourthly, If thou wouldeſt have thy judgment rightly informed 4. 1 Cor. 2. 6, 7. Pſal. 119. 18.in ſome great truths, about which, ſeveral men of note have been miſtaken; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Fifthly, If thou wouldeſt know what ſafe and excellent 5. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 27.Pleas, to make to thoſe ten Scriptures, that refer to the general Judgment, and to thy particular day of Judgment, then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Sixthly, If thou wouldeſt have thy heart brought and kept 6. Pſal. 34. 18. Iſa. 57. 15. 2 Chron. 34. 27.in an humble, broken, bleeding, melting, tender frame; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Seventhly, If thou wouldeſt always come to the Lord's table, with ſuch a frame of ſpirit, as Chriſt may take a delight to meet thee, to own thee, to bleſs thee, to bid thee welcom, Mat. 26. …6, 27, 28 Luk. 22. 19, 20. 1 Cor. 11. 23. to the 30.and to ſeal up his love, and thy pardon to thee; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe, eſpecially that part of it, where the dreadful and amazing ſufferings of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, both in body and ſoul, are at large ſet forth. But,
Eightly, If thou wouldeſt have a clear ſight of the length, 8. Eph. 3. 18. Iſal. 146. 8.and breadth, and depth, and height of the love of Chriſt; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Ninthly, If thou wouldeſt have thy love to Chriſt tryed, 9. Cant. 1. 7. cap. 8. 5, 6, 7.raiſed, acted, inflamed, diſcovered and augmented, &c. then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Tenthly, If thou art a ſtrong man in Chriſt Jeſus, and 10. 2 Tim. 2. 1. H…b. 5. 14. 1 …o…. 2. 6, 7. 1 Joh. 2. 14.wouldeſt have thy head and heart exerciſed in the great things of God, and in the deep things of God, and in the myſterious things of God, then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Eleventhly, If thou art but a weak Chriſtian, a babe, a 11. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Heb. 5. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 2. 1 John 2. 1, 12, 13.little child, a ſhrub, a dwarf, in grace, holineſs and communion with God; and in thy ſpiritual attainments, enjoyments and experiences; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe, eſpecially the firſt part of it. But,
Twelfthly, If thou wouldeſt know whether thou art an indulger 12. Job 20. 11, 12, 13 14. Mica 6. 6, 7. Rom. 13. ult. James 4. 3.of ſin, and if thou wouldeſt be ſtocked with ſingular remedies againſt thy ſpecial ſins; then ſeriouſly peruſe the former part of this Treatiſe. But,
Thirteenthly, If thou wouldeſt be rooted, grounded, 13. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Iſa. 53. Heb. 10. 10, 12, 14 Gal. 4. 4, 5. Rom. 8. 3, 4. 2 Cor. 5. 21.ſtrengthened and ſettled, in thoſe two grand points of the Goſpel, viz. The active and paſſive obedience of Chriſt; and be daily refreſhed with thoſe pleaſant ſtreams, with thoſe waters of life, that flow from thence; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Fourteenthly, If thou wouldeſt be throughly acquainted 14. Iſa. 53. cap. 63. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 21, 22, 23, 24. John 10. 11, 15. 17, 16.with the ſufferings of Chriſt, in his body and ſoul, with their greatneſs and grievouſneſs, &c. And if thou wouldeſt underſtand the mighty advantages we have by his ſufferings; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Fifteenthly, If thou wouldeſt be able, ſtrongly to prove (againſt the Socinians, and the high Atheiſts of the day, and ſuch as make ſo great a noiſe about a light within them) that there is a Hell, a place of torment, provided and prepared Mat. 25. 41. Pſal. 9 17. Prov. 5. 5.for all wicked and ungodly perſons; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Sixteenthly, If thou wouldeſt, in a Scripture-glaſs, ſee the torments of hell, and know how to avoid them, and what divine improvements to make of them, and be reſolved in ſeveral queſtions concerning hell and helliſh torments; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Seventeenthly, If thou wouldeſt be able, ſtrenuouſly to 17. 1 John 1. 2, 14. 1 Tim. 2. 5.maintain and defend Chriſt's Eternal Deity, and Manhood againſt all corrupt Teachers and Gain-ſayers; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Eighteenthly, If thou wouldeſt be rooted and grounded in 18. Jer. 23. 6. Iſa. 45. 24. cap. 61. 10. 1 Cor. 1. 30.that great Doctrine of the Imputed Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; and be warmed, refreſhed, cheared, comforted, and delighted, with thoſe choice and ſingular conſolations, that flow from thence; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Nineteenthly, If thou wouldeſt be ſet at liberty from many 19. Pſal. 42. 5, 11. Pſal. 55. 5. 2 Cor. 7. 5.fears, and doubts, and diſputes, that often ariſe in thy ſoul, about thy internal and eternal eſtate; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe. But,
Twentiethly, If thou wouldeſt have all grace to flouriſh 20. Pſal. 92. 12, 13, 14. Rom. 15. 13. Act. 13. 36. 2 Cor. 12. 9, 10. Rev. 12. 1. 2 Cor. 2. 14.and abound in thy ſoul, if thou wouldeſt be eminently ſerviceable in thy Generation, if thou wouldeſt be ripe for ſufferings, for death, for heaven, if thou wouldeſt be Temptationproof, if thou wouldeſt be weaned from this world, and triumph in Chriſt Jeſus when the world triumphs over thee; then ſeriouſly peruſe this Treatiſe.
Reader, if thou wouldeſt make any earnings of thy reading this Treatiſe, then thou muſt, 1. Read, and believe what Act. 18. 8. cap. 24. 14. Pſal. 1. 2. Pſal. 119. 5, 18. Act. 17. 11. Pſal. 119. 9. John. 13. 17. Pſal. 119. 105, 106.thou readeſt: 2. Thou muſt read, and meditate on what thou readeſt: 3. Thou muſt read, and pray over what thou readeſt: 4. Thou muſt read, and try what thou readeſt, by the touchſtone of the word: 5. Thou muſt read, and apply what thou readeſt; that plaiſter will never heal, that is not applyed, &c. 6. Thou muſt read, and make conſcience of living up to what thou readeſt, and of living out what thou readeſt; this is the way to honour thy God, to gain profit by this Treatiſe, to credit Religion, to ſtop foul mouths, to ſtrengthen weak hands, to better a bad head, to mend a bad heart, to rectifie a diſorderly life, and to make ſure work for thy ſoul, for heaven, for eternity.
Reader, In a fountain ſealed, and treaſures hid, there is little profit, or comfort, no fountain to that which flows for common good, no treaſures to thoſe that lie open for publick ſervice. If thou getteſt any good by reading this Treatiſe, give God alone the glory; and remember the Authour, when thou art in the Mount with God; his prayers for thee are, that thou mayeſt be a knowing Chriſtian, a ſincere Chriſtian, a growing Chriſtian, a rooted Chriſtian, a reſolute Chriſtian, an untainted Chriſtian, an exemplary Chriſtian, an humble Chriſtian; and then he knows thou wilt be a ſaved Chriſtian in the day of Chriſt: ſo he reſts, who is
Thy Cordial Friend, and Souls Servant. Tho. Brooks.
The Intereſt of Reaſon in Religion; together, with the Import and Uſage of Scripture Metaphors; and the Nature of the Union between Chriſt and Believers, modeſtly diſcourſed. All occaſioned by ſome late Writings; particularly, a Book of Mr. Sherlock's, entituled, Knowledg of God; by Robert Ferguſon.