A77608:173
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.
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⟩madded, grieved, vexed, and extremely4 tormented their tormentors. Lactantius boasts of the braveness of the Martyrs in his time; our children and women (not to speak of men) do in silence overcome their tormentors, and the fire cannot so much as fetch a sigh from them. Hegesippus reports an observation of Antoninus the Emperor, viz. That the Christians were most courageous and confident always in Earth-quakes, whilst his own Heathen Soldiers were at such accidents most fearful and dis-spirited. Certainly no Earth-quakes can make any Heart-quakes among the suffering Saints, so long as the countenance of God shines upon their face, and his love lies warm upon their Hearts. The suffering Saint may be assaulted, but not vanquished; he may be troubled, but can never be conquered; he may lose his head, but he cannot lose his Crown, which the