A77608:507
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.
It is reported in the life of Luther, that when he prayed, it was (Tanta reverentia ut si Deo, & tanta fiducia ut si amico) with so much reverence, as if he were praying to God; and with so much boldness, as if he had been speaking to his friend. Faith in Prayer, makes a man divinely familiar, and bold with God in Prayer. That Prayer that hath not the image and stamp of Faith upon it, is no Prayer in Divine account. The sweetest flowers of Paradise, are only acceptable to ⟨p. 493⟩God, as they are tendered to him by a hand of Faith.
It is reported in the life of Luther, that when he prayed, it was (Tanta reverentia ut si Deo, & tanta fiducia ut si amico) with so much reverence, as if he were praying to God; and with so much boldness, as if he had been speaking to his friend. Faith in Prayer, makes a man divinely familiar, and bold with God in Prayer. That Prayer that hath not the image and stamp of Faith upon it, is no Prayer in Divine account. The sweetest flowers of Paradise, are onely acceptable to ⟨p. 493⟩God, as they are tendered to him by a hand of Faith.
Augustus, when a poor man came to present a Petition to him, with his hand shaking and trembling out of fear, the Emperor was much displeased, and said, It is not fit that any should come with a Petition to a King, as if a man were giving meat to an Elephant, that is, afraid to be destroyed by him.
Verily, Jehovah loves to see every one of his Petitioners to come to him with a steadfast Faith, and not with a trembling Hand. Christ gets most glory, and the Soul gets most good, by those Prayers that are accompanied with the actings of Faith.