A77608:35
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.
You must not with Pythagoras 1Scholars, magnifie the (Ipse dixerit) of the greatest Clerks, especially in those things that are of eternal concernment to your Souls. You will try, and tell, and weigh Gold after your Fathers; deal so by the Truth you hear, and let no man bind you to believe with Anaxagoras, that Snow is black. Truth, saith Basil, is hard to be taken by hunting, and must be found out by a narrow observing of her footsteps on every side. Many are like those in Clemens, that thought Truth to be Cruelty.
You must not with Pythagoras 1Scholars, magnifie the (Ipse dixerit) of the greatest Clerks, especially in those things that are of eternal concernment to your Souls. You will try, and tell, and weigh Gold after your Fathers; deal so by the Truth you hear, and let no man binde you to believe with Anaxagoras, that Snow is black. Truth, saith Basil, is hard to be taken by hunting, and must be found out by a narrow observing of her footsteps on every side. Many are like those in Clemens, that thought Truth to be Cruelty.
- 1Amicus Socrates, amicus Plato, Amicior veritas, Socrates is my Friend, and Plato is my Friend, but above all, Truth is my Friend.Amicus Socrates, amicus Plato, Amicior veritas, Socrates is my Friend, and •lato is my Friend, but above all, Truth is my Friend.
Fourthly, Be exemplary to those1 among whom you walk, and over whom you command: Bonus dux, bonus comes, a good Leader makes a good Follower; Praecepta aocent, exempla movent, Precepts may instruct, but examples do persuade. Verily Gentlemen, your examples will have a very great influence upon those that are under you. It is natural to Inferiors to mind more what their Superiors do, then what they say; therefore you had need be Angelical in your walkings, and actings; you are lights upon a Hill, you are Sea-marks, and therefore every eye will be upon you. Those that can find no ears to hear what you say, will find many eyes to see what you do. Scripture and Experience do abundantly evidence, that good mens examples have done a world of good in the world; and verily, the evil examples of great men (especially) are very dangerous. Charles the fifth was wont to say, That as the Eclipse of the Sun is a token of great commotions; so the errors and evils of great men, bring with them great perturbations and evils to the places and persons where