A77608:256
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.
The second Means to bring under a1 bosom sin, is, To labour to be most eminent and excellent in that particular grace that is most opposite to a mans bosom sin. As it is a Christians glory to be eminent in every grace, so it is a Christians special duty to excel ⟨p. 220⟩in that particular grace that is most contrary to his darling sins. Is it pride, is it the world, is it hypocrisy, &c. that is thy bosom sin, that is the chief favourite in thy soul? O then labour above all, to be clothed with humility, to abound in Heavenly-mindedness, to transcend in sincerity, &c. I know no surer, no choicer, no sweeter way, effectually to crucify a bosom sin, then this. He that comes up to this counsel, will not be long held in golden fetters; it will not be long before such a soul cries out, Victory, victory.
The second Means to bring under a1 bosom sin, is, To labor to be most eminent and excellent in that particular grace that is most opposite to a mans bosom sin. As it is a Christians glory to be eminent in every grace, so it is a Christians special dutie to excel ⟨p. 220⟩in that particular grace that is most contrary to his darling sins. Is it pride, is it the world, is it hypocrisie, &c. that is thy bosom sin, that is the cheif favorite in thy soul? O then labor above all, to be cloathed with humilitie, to abound in Heavenly-mindedness, to transcend in sinceritie, &c. I know no surer, no choicer, no sweeter way, effectually to crucifie a bosom sin, then this. He that comes up to this counsel, will not be long held in golden fetters; it will not be long before such a soul cries out, Victory, victory.
- 1Means 2. As when one Bucket of a Well goes up, the other goes down; as when one of the two Lawrels in Rome flourishes, the other withers; so when grace gets up, sin goes down; when grace flourishes, sin withers.