A77608:389
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.
Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain, and make them joyful in my House of prayer: Their burnt-offerings, and their sacrifices, shall be accepted upon mine Altar; for mine House shall be called an House of prayer for all people. Faith assures the soul, that every prayer, every sigh, every groan, every tear is accepted: And this makes the soul pray much, and sign much, and mourn much. Again, Faith spreads the promises of Divine assistance before the soul; O says Faith, here O soul, is assistance suitable to the work required: And this makes a man work, as for life; it makes a man work and sweat, and sweat and work. Again, Faith sets the Recompense, ⟨p. 379⟩the Reward, before the soul. O1 says Faith, Look here soul, here is a great reward, for a little work; here is great wages, for weak and imperfect services; here is an infinite reward, for a finite work. Work, yea, work hard, says Faith, O believing soul, for thy actions in passing, pass not away; every good work is a grain of Seed for eternal life. There is a Resurrection2 of works, as well as of persons, and in that day, wicked men shall see, that it is not a vain thing to serve God; they shall see the most doing souls, to be the most shining souls, to be most advanced and rewarded. O the sight of this Crown, of this Recompense, makes souls to abound in the work of the Lord, they knowing3 that their labour is not in vain in the Lord. Again, Faith draws from Christs fullness, it sucks virtue and strength4 from Christs breasts: Faith looks upon Christ as a Head, and so draws from him; it looks upon Christ as a Husband, and so draws from him; it looks upon him as a Fountain, and so draws from him; it looks upon him as a Sea, as an Ocean of goodness, and5 ⟨p. 380⟩so draws from him; it looks upon him as a Father, and so draws from him; it looks upon him as a Friend, and so draws from him; and this Divine power and strength, sets the soul a working hard for God, it makes the soul full of motion, full of action. In a word, Faith is such a working Grace, as sets all other graces a working. Faith hath an influence upon every Grace, it is like a silver thread that runs through a chain of Pearl, it puts strength and vivacity into all other virtues. Love touched by a hand of Faith, flames forth; hope fed at Faiths table, grows strong, and casts anchor within the veil.