A77608:189
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.
before I pass to the next particular, it will be necessary, that I lay down these Cautions to prevent weak Saints from stumbling and doubting, who have not yet found the Lord giving out his favours, and making known his Grace and Love, in such a sensible way to their souls, in breaking the Bread of Life, as others have found.
before I pass to the next particular, it will be necessary, that I lay down these Cautions to prevent weak Saints from stumbling and doubting, who have not yet found the Lord giving out his favors, and making known his Grace and Love, in such a sensible way to their souls, in breaking the Bread of Life, as others have found.
Now the first Caution I shall lay1 down, is this, That even Believers may sometimes come and go from this Ordinance, without that comfort, that assurance, that joy▪ that refreshment, that others have, and may meet with. And this may arise, partly from their2 unpreparedness and unfitness, to meet with God in the Ordinance, and partly from their playing, and dallying with some bosom sin; or else it may arise from their not stirring up themselves, to lay hold on God, as the Prophet Isaiah complains, There is none 3that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; or else it ⟨p. 131⟩may arise from the Spirits standing at4 a distance from the Soul; it may be, O soul, that thou hast set the Comforter, the Spirit a mourning; and therefore it is, that he refuses to comfort thee, and to be a sealing and witnessing spirit unto thee. Thou hast grieved him with thy sins, and he will now vex thee by his silence; thou hast thrown his Cordials against the