A77608:502
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 second requisite in Prayer, is1 this, viz. The matter of your Prayer must be good, 1 John 5. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him, That if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. The Favourites of Heaven have no further the ear of the King of Kings in Prayer, then the matter of their Prayer is good, and agreeable to his will, Rom. 8. 27. The matter of your Prayer must fall under some particular, or general precept, or promise, or else God will never own it, nor honour it with acceptance. You must not pray as Augustine prayed before his Conversion, he prayed for continency ⟨p. 490⟩with a Proviso, Lord give me continency (saith he) but not yet. Such Hypocrisy is double Iniquity, and God will deal with such sinners accordingly.
The second requisite in Prayer, is1 this, viz. The matter of your Prayer must be good, 1 John 5. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him, That if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. The Favorits of Heaven have no further the ear of the King of Kings in Prayer, then the matter of their Prayer is good, and agreeable to his will, Rom. 8. 27. The matter of your Prayer must fall under some particular, or general precept, or promise, or else God will never own it, nor honor it with acceptance. You must not pray as Augustine prayed before his Conversion, he prayed for continency ⟨p. 490⟩with a Proviso, Lord give me continency (saith he) but not yet. Such Hypocrisie is double Iniquity, and God will deal with such sinners accordingly.
- 1It was both a profane and blasphemous Speech of that Atheistical wretch, that told God he was no common beggar, he never troubled him before with prayer, and if he would hear him that time, he would never trouble him again. Heil. Mic p. 376.