A77608:196
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.
Eighthly, Praying times are times wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to give his people some sweet and comfortable assurance, of his love and favour towards them. Prayer crowns1 God with the honour and glory that is due to his Name; and God crowns prayer with assurance and comfort; usually the most praying souls, are the most assured souls. There is no service wherein souls have such a near familiar and friendly intercourse with God, as in this of prayer; neither is there any service, wherein God doth more delight to make known his grace and goodness, his mercy and bounty, his beauty and glory, to poor souls, then this of prayer. The best and sweetest ⟨p. 140⟩flowers of paradise, God gives to his people when they are upon their knees. Prayer is (Porta coeli, clavis padisi) the Gate of Heaven, a Key to let us into paradise: when John was weeping (in prayer, doubtless) the Sealed Book was open to him. Many Christians have found by experience, praying times to be sealing times, times wherein God hath sealed up to them the remission of their sins, and the salvation of their souls: They have found prayer to be a shelter to their souls, a sacrifice to God, a sweet savour to Christ, a scourge to Satan, and an in-let to assurance. God loves to lade the wings of prayer with the choicest, and chiefest blessings. Ah! how often, Christians, hath God kissed you at the beginning of prayer, and spoke peace to you in the midst of prayer, and filled you with joy and assurance, upon the close of prayer. That nineth of Daniel, from the seventeenth to the four and twentieth verse, is full to the point in hand. I shall only cite the words of the four last Verses. And whilst I was speaking, and praying, 2and confessing my sin, and the sin of ⟨p. 141⟩my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God, for the Holy Mountain of my God: Yea, whilst I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, 3being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the Evening Oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel; I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications, the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee, for thou art greatly beloved; therefore understand the Matter, and consider the Vision.