A77608:237
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.
My advice to you, lazy Christians, is this, Cease complaining of the want of Assurance, and be no more formal, slight, and superficial in Religious1 services, but stir up your selves, and put out all your might and strength in holy actions, and you shall experimentally find, that it will not be long before you shall have such good news from Heaven, as will fill you with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.
My advice to you, lazy Christians, is this, Cease complaining of the want of Assurance, and be no more formal, slight, and superficial in Religious1 services, but stir up your selves, and put out all your might and strength in holy actions, and you shall experimentally finde, that it will not be long before you shall have such good news from Heaven, as will fill you with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.
- 1God shot Anastasius the Emperor to death with a thunder-bolt for his lukewarmness, saith the Historian.
The eighth Impediment to Assurance,1 is, Mens living in the neglect of some Ordinance, or in the omission2 of some Religious duties; they seek Christ in some of his ways, but not in all; they wait upon him in this and that Ordinance, but not in every Ordinance. Are there not many doubting souls that wait upon God, in hearing the Word of Life, and yet neglect, and make light of waiting upon Christ, in breaking the Bread of Life? Are there not many that are very careful daily to perform Family duties, and yet are very rarely found in Closet services? Some there be that are all ear, all for hearing; and others there be, that are all tongue, all for speaking and praying; and others there be, that are all eye, all for believing, all for searching, all for enquiring into this, and that; and others there be, that are all hand, all for receiving the Lords Supper, &c. And seriously, when I consider these things, I cease wondering, that so many want Assurance, and do rather wonder, that any obtain Assurance, considering how few there be, that are conscientious and ingenuous