A77608:141
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.
Now God doth delay the giving in of assurance to his dearest ones, and that partly to let them know that he will be waited on, and that assurance 1is a jewel worth waiting for. The least smile from God when our last glass is running will make our souls amends for all their waiting; and partly that we may know that he is free in his workings, and that he is not tied to any proportions or qualifications in the creature, but is free to come when he will, and go when he will, and stay as long as he will, though the soul doth sigh it out, How long Lord, how long will it be before my mourning be turned into rejoicing.
Now God doth delay the giving in of assurance to his dearest ones, and that partly to let them know that hee will be waited on, and that assurance 1is a jewel worth waiting for. The least smile from God when our last glasse is running will make our soules amends for all their waiting; and partly that wee may know that hee is free in his workings, and that he is not tied to any proportions or qualifications in the creature, but is free to come when he will, and goe when hee will, and stay as long as hee will, though the soule doth sigh it out, How long Lord, how long will it bee before my mourning bee turned into rejoycing.
- 1Voluntas Dei necessitas rei, God will have every child of his to put his fiat, his places to Gods, go it never so much against the hair.Voluntas Dei necessitas rei, God will have every childe of his to put his fiat, his places to Gods, go it never so much against the hair.
Again, God delays the giving in of assurance, not because he delights to keep his children in fears and doubts, nor because he thinks that assurance is too rare, too great, too choice a jewel to bestow upon them,1