A77608:200
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.
thou hast minded the blossoms, and the fruit (Assurance and Peace) more then ⟨p. 146⟩Christ, the Root; thou hast minded the Springs of comfort, more then Christ, the Fountain of life; thou hast minded the beams of the Sun, more then the Sun of Righteousness; and therefore it is but a righteous thing with God, to leave thee to walk in a valley of darkness, to hide his face from thee, and to seem to be as an enemy to thee.
But secondly, I answer, It may be Answ. 2 thou art not yet fit for so choice a mercy, thou art not able to bear so great a favour; many heads are not able to bear strong-waters; why? the very quintessence of all the strong consolations1 of God are wrung out into this golden cup of assurance, and can you drink of this cup, and not stammer nor stagger? Believe it, assurance is meat for strong men, few babes (if any) are able to bear it, and digest it. The Apostle saith, That strong meat belongeth 2to them that are of full age, (or, that are comparatively perfect, or full grown) even those, who by reason of use, (Greek, by reason of habit, which is got by continual custom, and long practice) have their senses exercised to discern ⟨p. 147⟩both good and evil. The Greek word properly signifies such an exercise, as wrestlers, or such as contend for victory do use, which is with all their might and strength, being trained up unto it by long exercise. It may be, O complaining3 Christian, that thou art but a scrub, a babe in grace; happily thou art not yet got beyond the breast, or if thou art, yet thou art not past the Spoon. Ah Christian, if it be thus4 with thee, cease complaining of the want of assurance, and be up and growing, be more aged in grace and holiness, and thou shalt find assurance growing upon thee. Divine Wisdom sparkles much in this, in giving milk to Babes (that are more carnal then spiritual) and meat, i. e. Assurance to strong men, that have more skill and will, that have a greater ability, and choicer faculty, to prize and improve this Jewel Assurance, then babes have. The Hebrew word Chabodh signifies,