A77608:160
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.
And this hath been the constant1 dealing of God with the Patriarchs; as with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, &c. and with the Prophets; as with Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, &c. when he hath put them upon weighty services, he hath shed abroad his love into their hearts, he hath set his seal upon their spirits, and made them to know, that he hath set them as a seal upon his hand, he hath assured them of his countenance, and of his presence, and of his assistance; he hath told them, though others should desert them, yet he will stand by them, and strengthen them, and support them, and uphold them with the right hand of his Righteousness; he hath told them, that his power should be theirs to defend them, and his wisdom should be theirs to direct them, and his goodness should be theirs to supply them, and his grace should be theirs to heal them, and his mercy should be theirs to pardon them, and his joy should be theirs to strengthen them, and his promises should be theirs to cheer them, and his spirit should be theirs to lead them. And this hath made ⟨p. 91⟩them as bold as Lyons, this hath made them stand fast, and stand close to the work of God, in the face of all dangers and difficulties, this hath made them with stout Nehemiah, scorn to desist or fly from the work of the Lord, this hath made their Bows to abide in strength, though the Archers have shot sore at them. Now there are considerable Reasons, why God is pleased to give his Children some sweet tastes of his love, some assurance of his favour, when he puts them upon some hard and difficult service, and they are these that follow.
And this hath been the constant1 dealing of God with the Patriarks; as with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, &c. and with the Prophets; as with Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, &c. when he hath put them upon weighty services, he hath shed abroad his love into their hearts, he hath set his seal upon their spirits, and made them to know, that he hath set them as a seal upon his hand, he hath assured them of his countenance, and of his presence, and of his assistance; he hath told them, though others should desert them, yet he will stand by them, and strengthen them, and support them, and uphold them with the right hand of his Righteousness; he hath told them, that his power should be theirs to defend them, and his wisdom should be theirs to direct them, and his goodness should be theirs to supply them, and his grace should be theirs to heal them, and his mercy should be theirs to pardon them, and his joy should be theirs to strengthen them, and his promises should be theirs to chear them, and his spirit should be theirs to lead them. And this hath made