A77608:489
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.
Eleventhly, That love that accompanies Salvation, will show it self by keeping the doors of the heart shut against those treacherous lovers, that would draw the heart from Christ. Love is a Golden Key to let in Christ, and a strong lock to keep out others: Though many may knock at Loves door, yet Love will open to none but Christ. Cant. 5. 6. I opened to my Beloved. & 8. 7. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned, (Bond Jabuzu) contemning it would be contemned. When the world would buy1 his love, he cries out with Peter, Thy money perish with thee. Love makes a man look with a holy scorn and disdain upon all persons and things, that attempt either to force or flatter her ⟨p. 481⟩out of her love and loyalty to her Beloved. It is neither force, nor fraud; it is neither promises, nor threatenings; it is neither the Cross, nor the Crown; the Palace, nor the Prison; the Rod, nor the Robe; the Hempton Halter, nor the Golden Chain, that will make love embrace a stranger in the room of Christ. Go, says Divine Love, offer your Gold, and empty Glories, to others; your Pleasures, and your Treasures to others; put on your Lyons skin, and fright others: As for my part, I scorn, and contemn your golden offers, and I disdain, and deride your rage and threats. Love makes a man too noble, too high, too gallant, and too faithful, to open, to any lover but Christ, to let any lie between the Breasts but Christ, Cant. 1. 13. A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; be shall lie all night betwixt my Breasts. When Basil was2 tempted with money and preferment, he answers, (Pecuniam da quae perma neat, ac continuo duret, gloriam quae semper floreat,) Give money that may last for ever, and glory that may eternally flourish. Love makes a man cry out, when tempted, Let not any man think ⟨p. 482⟩that he will embrace other mens goods to forsake Christ, who hath forsaken his own proper goods to follow Christ. Love makes a man cry out when tempted, as that worthy Convert did, (Ego non sum ego) I am not the man that I was. When my heart was void of Divine Love, I was as easily conquered, as I was tempted: O but now he hath shed abroad his love in my soul, I am not the man that I was, I had rather die then fly, or fall before a temptation.