A77608:481
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.
Verily, he that loves one Saint for1 the Grace that is in him, for that Holiness, that Image of God that is upon him, he cannot but fall in love with every Saint that bears the lovely Image of the Father upon him; he cannot but love a Saint in rags, as well as a Saint in robes, a Saint upon the dunghill, as well as a Saint upon the throne. Usually the most ragged Christians, are the richest Christians, they usually have most of Heaven, that have least of Earth, Jam. 2. 5. The true Diamond shines best in the dark.
- 1Yet there is a love of familiarity which we may lawfully show more to one godly man, then to another. Thus Christ loved John more then the other Disciples.Yet there is a love of familiarity which we may lawfully shew more to one godly man, then to another. Thus Christ loved John more then the other Disciples.
Thirdly, Our Love to the Saints is1 right, when we love them, and delight in them, answerable to the Spiritual causes of love that shine in them, as the more holy and gracious they are, the more we love them. Psal. 16. 2, 3. My goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. This is most certain, If godliness be the reason, why we love any, then the more any ⟨p. 473⟩excel others in the Love, Spirit, Power, and practise of Godliness, the more we should love them. There are those that seem to love such godly men, as are weak in their judgments, low in their principles, and dull in their practises; and yet look with a squint-eye upon those that are more sound in their judgments, more high in their principles, and more holy in their practises, which doubtless, speaks out more hypocrisy then sincerity. Verily, he hath either no grace, or but a little grace, that doth not love most where the Spiritual causes of love, do most shine and appear. Surely, those Christians are under a very great distemper of spirit, that envy those gifts and graces of God in others, that out-shine their own. Johns Disciples muttered and murmured, because Christ had more followers and admirers, then John; And Johns Disciples are not all dead, yea, they seem to have a new Resurrection in these days. Well, as the fairest day hath its Clouds, the finest Linen its spots, the richest Jewels their flaws, the sweetest Fruits their Worms: So when precious Christians are under