A77608:325
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.
Secondly, He labours to get up to1 the very top of Holiness; he labours to live up to his own Principles: He cannot be satisfied with so much Grace, as will bring him to glory; but he labours to be high in Grace, that he may be high in glory. Phil. 3. 11. I desire, if by any means, I might attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead. That is, to that perfection that the dead shall attain to, in the morning of the Resurrection. Verily, that man is ripe for Heaven, who counts it his greatest happiness to be high in holiness; that man shall never be low in Heaven, a door-keeper in Heaven; that cannot be satisfied, till he be got up to the very top of Jacobs Ladder, till he hath attained to the highest perfection in Grace and Holiness. Psal. 45▪ 13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold. Her inward principles are all glorious, and her outward practise echoes to her inward principles, her clothing is of wrought gold. It was the honour, and glory of Joshua and Caleb, that they ⟨p. 299⟩2followed the Lord fully. That is, they lived up to their own principles; So those Virgins in Revel. 14. 4, 5. that were without spot before the Throne of God, They followed the Lamb, wheresoever he went: That is, they lived up to their Profession; there was a sweet harmony betwixt their principles, and practises. And thus the Apostles3 lived, 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity; not with fleshly wisdom, but by the Grace of God; we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you wards. 1 Thes. 2. 10. Ye are witnesses, and God also; how holily, and justly, and unblameably, we behaved our selves among you that believe? Thus we see these worthies living up to their own Principles. Blessed Bradford and Bucer lived so up to their principles, that their friends could not sufficiently praise them, nor their foes find any thing justly to fasten on them. Believers know, first, That their living up to their own principles, doth best evidence Christ living