A77608:100
Heaven on Earth
Heaven on earth or a serious discourse touching a well-grounded assurance of mens everlasting happiness and blessedness. Discovering the nature of assurance, the possibility of attaining it, the causes, springs, and degrees of it, with the resolution of several weighty questions. By Thomas Brooks, preacher of the Gospel at Margarets Fishstreet-Hill.Heaven on earth or a serious discourse touching a wel-grounded assurance of mens everlasting happiness and blessedness. Discovering the nature of assurance, the possibility of attaining it, the causes, springs, and degrees of it, with the resolution of several weighty questions. By Thomas Brooks, preacher of the Gospel at Margarets Fishstreet-Hill.
London: printed by R.I. for John Hancock, 1654
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.
Those Scriptures that do expressly require Saints to be abundant, and constant in rejoicing, and in praising of God, to have always harps in their1 hands, and Hallelujahs in their mouths, do clearly evidence that believers may attain to a well-grounded Assurance in this life. How can they rejoice and glory in God, that do not know whether he will be an everlasting friend, or an everlasting enemy to them, whether he will always breath out love, or wrath upon them; how can they2 but hang their harps on the Willows that do not know, but that they may ⟨p. 26⟩live in a strange land, yea in a land of darkness) all their days? How can they be cheerful, or thankful, that do not know but that they may at last hear that heart-breaking, that conscience-wounding, that soul-slaying word, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting 3fire, prepared for the devil and his Angels. Now there is no duty in the whole Book of God, that is more frequently and abundantly pressed upon believers then this of joy and rejoicing, of praise and thanksgiving, as all know that know any thing of the Scripture, 1 Thess. 5. 16. Rejoice evermore. God would not have his children always a putting finger in the eye. Ah Christians, remember what Christ hath done for you, and what he is still a doing for you in heaven, and what he will do for you to all eternity, and spend your days in whining and mourning if4 you can, Ps. 32. 11. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice ye righteous, & shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart, Psal. 33. 1. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye Righteous; for praise is comely for the upright. Christians, are not your mercies greater ⟨p. 27⟩then your miseries? yes; is your greatest sufferings comparable to the least spark of grace, or beam of glory revealed in you, or to you? No: will not one