A77608:476
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.
Seventhly, That Love that accompanie• Salvation, doth show it self by working the Soul, to observe with a curious critical eye, Christs countenance1 and carriage, and by causing the soul to be sad or cheerful, as Christs carriage and countenance is towards the soul; when Christ looks sad, and carries it sadly, then to be sad as Peter was, Christ cast a sad look upon him, ⟨p. 467⟩and that made his heart sad; he went forth and wept bitterly. And when Christ looks sweetly, and speaks kindly, and carries it lovingly, then to be cheerful and joyful, as the Church was in Cant. 3. 4. It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him, whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my Mothers house, and into the Chamber of her that conceived me. So the Church in Isai. 61. 10. I will greatly rejoice in 2the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of Salvation, he hath covered me with a robe of Righteousness, as a Bridegroom decketh himself with Ornaments, and as a Bride adorneth her self with her Jewels. A true Lover of Christ hath still his eye upon Christ, and as his countenance stands, so is he glad or sad, cheerful or sorrowful. Tigranes in Xenophon, coming to redeem his Father and Friends, with his Wife, that were taken prisoners by King Cyrus, was asked among other Questions this, viz. What ransom he would give for his Wife, he answered, He would redeem her liberty with his ⟨p. 468⟩own life: But having prevailed for all their liberties, as they returned together, every one commended Cyrus for a goodly man; and Tigranes would needs know of his Wife what she thought of him, Truly (said she) I cannot tell; for I did not so much as look on him, or see him. Whom then (said he, wondering) did you look upon? Whom should I look upon (said she) but him that would have redeemed my liberty, with the loss of his own life? So a Christian, a true lover of Christ esteems nothing worth a looking upon, but Christ who hath redeemed him with his own Blood.