A77608:210
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.
Again, tell me, O despairing souls,1 hath not despairing Judas perished; when as the murderers of Christ believing on him were saved. Did not Judas sin more heinously by despairing, then by betraying of Christ? Despairing Spira is damned, when repenting Manasseh is saved. O despairing souls, the arms of mercy are open to receive a Manasseh, a Monster, a Devil incarnate; he caused that Gospel Prophet Isaiah to be sawed in the midst with a Saw (as some Rabbins say;) he turned aside from the Lord to commit2 Idolatry, and caused his sons to pass through the fire, and dealt with familiar spirits, and made the streets of Jerusalem to overflow with innocent blood. The soul of Mary Magdalen 3was full of Devils, and yet Christ casts them out, and made her heart, his house, his presence Chamber; why dost thou then say there is no hope for thee, O despairing soul? Paul was full4 of rage and malice against Christ, his people, and ways, and he was full of blasphemy, and impiety, and yet behold, ⟨p. 159⟩Paul is a chosen Vessel, Paul is5 caught up into the third Heaven, and he is filled with the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost. Why shouldst thou then say, there is for thee no help? O despairing soul! Though the Prodigal6 had run from his Father, and spent, and wasted all his estate in ways of baseness, and wickedness, yet upon his resolution to return, his Father meets him, and instead of killing him, he kisses him, instead of kicking him,7 he embraces him, instead of shutting the door upon him, he makes sumptuous provisions for him. And how then dost thou dare to say, O despairing soul! that God will never cast an eye of love upon thee, nor bestow a crumb of mercy on thee. The Apostle tells you of some monstrous miscreants that were unrighteous, fornicators, idolaters,