A77608:172
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.
Well, remember this, their names, that by a patient suffering, are written in Red Letters of blood in the Churches Calendar, are written in Golden Letters in Christs Register, in the Book of Life.
Well, remember this, their names, that by a patient suffering, are written in Red Letters of blood in the Churches Calender, are written in Golden Letters in Christs Register, in the Book of Life.
A second Reason, why the Lord Reas. 2 lifts up the light of his countenance upon his people in suffering times, and that is, for the confirmation of some, for the conversion of others, and for the greater conviction and confusion ⟨p. 107⟩of their adversaries, who wonder, and are like men amazed when they see the comfort, and the courage of the Saints in suffering times. Pauls choice carriage in his bonds, was the1 confirmation of many. And many of the Brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the Word without fear. And as the sufferings of the Saints do contribute to the confirmation of some, so by the blessing of God, they contribute to the conversion of others. I beseech thee (says Paul) for 2my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds. It was a notable saying of Luther (Ecclesia totum mundum convert sanguine & oratione,) The Church converteth the whole world by blood and prayer. Basil affirms, That the3 Primitive Saints showed so much comfort and courage, so much Heroic zeal and constancy, that many of the Heathens turned Christians; so that choice spirit that the Saints have showed in their sufferings (when Christ hath overshadowed them with his love, and stayed them with flagons, and comforted them with apples) hath ⟨p. 108⟩