A77608:341
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.
Be diligent, and constant, be studious1 and conscientious in observing ⟨p. 318⟩the frame and temper of your own2 hearts, and when you find them most plain, most melting, most yielding, most tender, most humble, most sweetly raised, and most divinely composed, then, O then is the time to single out the most convenient place where thou mayst with greatest freedom open thy bosom to God, and plead with him, as for thy life, that he would show thee how things stand between him and thee, and how it must fare with thy soul for ever. And when thou hast thus set thy self before God and opened thy bosom to God, then wisely observe what report God, and thy own renewed conscience do make concerning thy eternal condition. I will hear what God the Lord will speak (saith3 David) for he will speak peace unto his people, and they shall not return to folly, (so the Hebrew may be read) O so must thou stand still (when thou hast sincerely unbowelled thy self before the Lord) and listen, and hearken what God will say unto thee. Surely he will speak peace unto thee, he will say, Son be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee, thy heart is upright with ⟨p. 319⟩me, my soul is set upon thee; I have already blest thee, and I will hereafter glorify thee.
Be diligent, and constant, be studious1 and consciencious in observing ⟨p. 318⟩the frame and temper of your owne2 hearts, and when you find them most plain, most melting, most yeelding, most tender, most humble, most sweetly raised, and most divinely composed, then, O then is the time to single out the most convenient place where thou mayst with greatest freedom open thy bosome to God, and plead with him, as for thy life, that hee would shew thee how things stand between him and thee, and how it must fare with thy soule for ever. And when thou hast thus set thy selfe before God and opened thy bosome to God, then wisely observe what report God, and thy owne renewed conscience do make concerning thy eternall condition. I wil hear what God the Lord wil speak (saith