A77608:553
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.
A third property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation, is this, It makes the Soul lively and active, Psal. 119. 166. Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. Hope puts the Soul upon doing, upon obeying. 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be the God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant (or, much) mercy, 1hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is called a lively hope,2 because it brings life and comfort into the Soul; and it is called a lively hope, in opposition to the withering and dying hopes of Hypocrites, and wicked men; and it is called a lively hope, because it flows from lively causes, viz. The Spirit of Christ, and the Souls union and communion with Christ; but mainly it is called a lively hope, because it puts the Soul upon lively endeavours. Hope will make a man pray as for life, hear as for life, and mourn as for life, and obey as for life, and work and walk as for life: Hope will not say, this work is too hard, and that ⟨p. 535⟩work is too hot; this work is too high, and the other work is too low: Hope will make a man put his hand to every work; Hope makes a man more motion then notion, it makes a man better at doing then at saying, &c. Hope gives life and strength to all religious duties and services. 1 Cor. 9. 10. He that plougheth should plough in hope; and he that thresheth in hope, shall be partaker of his hope. Hope will put a Christian upon ploughing and threshing, that is, upon the hardest and difficultest services for God and his glory. If fleshly3 hopes of gaining the honours, riches, and favours of this world, made Absalom, Ahitophel, Jehu, Haman, and many Heathens, full of life and activity, full of motion and action: Verily, holy and heavenly hopes will make men much more lively and active, by how much heavenly hopes are more excellent then earthly. A man full of hope will be full of action; a lively hope, and a diligently hand, are inseparable companions. Hope will make a man do, though he dies for doing.