A77608:379
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 righteousness of Adam was a righteousness subject to shaking, and we know that Satan did shake all his righteousness about his ears, as I may say; O but that glorious Righteousness about which Faith is conversant, is an unshaken Righteousness, a Righteousness that cannot be shaken. Psal. 36. 6. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains, or rather as it is in the Hebrew,1 Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God. What more stable then a mountain,2 and what Mountain so stable as the Mountain of God. The Mountains cannot be shaken, no more can that glorious Righteousness of Christ about which a Believers faith is exercised. Adams righteousness was a low righteousness, a righteousness within his own reach, and a righteousness within Satan's reach; it was not so high, but Adam could lay his hand upon it, as I may say; it was not so high but Satan could reach to the top of it, yea, to the over-topping of it, as we have all found by woeful experience. O but that righteousness that Faith is ⟨p. 367⟩conversant about, is a righteousness of such a height, as that neither Satan, nor the world can reach to it. Psal. 71. 15, 16, 19: My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness, and thy salvation all the day: For I know not the numbers thereof. I will go in the strength of the Lord God, I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hath done great things. O God, who is like unto thee. This glorious Righteousness of Christ about which Faith is busied, is called The Righteousness of Faith,3 because Faith apprehends it, and applies it, and feeds upon it, and delights in it. Rom. 4. 13. For the promise that he should be the Heir of the World, was not to Abraham, or to his Seed through the Law, but through the Righteousness of Faith. Chap. 9. 30. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. The Righteousness of