A77608:123
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.
The sixth reason, why God denies Assurance to his dearest ones (at1 least for a time) is, that they be kept humble and low in their own eyes; as the enjoyment of mercy glads us, so the want of mercy humbles us. Davids heart was never more low, then when he had a Crown only in hope, but not in hand. No sooner was the Crown set upon his head, but his blood rises with his outward good, and in the pride of his heart, he says, I shall never be removed. Hezekiah was2 a holy man, yet he swells big under mercy: No sooner doth God lift up his house higher then others, but he lifts up his heart in pride, higher then others. When God had made him3 high in honours, riches, victories, I, and in spiritual experiences, then his ⟨p. 45⟩heart flies high, and he forgets God, and forgets himself, and forgets that all his mercies were from free mercy, that all his mercies were but borrowed mercies. Surely, it is better to want any mercy, then an humble heart, it is better to have no mercy, then want an humble heart. A little,4 little mercy with an humble heart, is far better then the greatest mercies with a proud heart. I had rather have Pauls coat with his humble heart, then Hezekiahs lifted up heart with his rich Treasures, and royal Robes. Well Christians, remember this, God hath two strings to his bow; if your hearts will not lye humble and low under the sense of sin and misery, he will5 make them lye low under the want of some desired mercy. The want of Assurance tends to bow and humble the soul, as the enjoyment of Assurance doth to raise and rejoice the soul, and therefore do not wonder why precious souls are so long without assurance, why Christs Chariot (Assurance)6 is so long a coming.
The sixth reason, why God denies Assurance to his dearest ones (at