A77608:283
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 Lodestone cannot draw the Iron1 when the Diamond is in presence, no more cannot the vanities of this world draw the soul after them, when Assurance, ⟨p. 254⟩that choice Pearl of price is in presence. I have read of Lazarus, that after he was raised from the Grave, he was never seen to smile; the assurance that he had of more glorious things, did deaden his heart to the things of this world; he saw nothing in them worthy of a smile. Ah were there more assurance among Christians, there would not be such tugging for the world, and such greedy hunting and pursuing after it, as is in these days, to the dishonour of God, the reproach of Christ, and the shame of the Gospel.2 Get but more assurance, and less money will serve your turns; get but more assurance, and less places of honour and profit will serve your turns; get but assurance, and then you will neither transgress for a morsel of Bread, nor yet violently pursue after the Golden Wedge, &c.
The Loadstone cannot draw the Iron1 when the Diamond is in presence, no more cannot the vanities of this world draw the soul after them, when Assurance, ⟨p. 254⟩that choice Pearl of price is in presence. I have read of Lazarus, that after he was raised from the Grave, he was never seen to smile; the assurance that he had of more glorious things, did deaden his heart to the things of this world; he saw nothing in them worthy of a smile. Ah were there more assurance among Christians, there would not be such tugging for the world, and such greedy hunting and pursuing after it, as is in these days, to the dishonor of God, the reproach of Christ, and the shame of the Gospel.2 Get but more assurance, and less money will serve your turns; get but more assurance, and less places of honor and profit will serve your turns; get but assurance, and then you will neither transgress for a morsel of Bread, nor yet violently pursue after the Golden Wedge, &c.