A77608:555
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 fifth property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation, is this, It will work the Soul to a quiet and patient1 waiting upon God for mercy, though God should delay the giving in of mercy. Rom. 8. 25. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Psal. 130. 5, 6. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord, more then they that watch for the morning: I say, more then they that watch for the morning: Hope will make a man wait, yea, wait long for a mercy, as it did ⟨p. 538⟩Abraham, Rom. 4. 18, 19, 20, 21. Though the vision stay, yet hope will2 wait for it; yet a little, little while, says hope, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. The longer I wait for a mercy, the greater, better, and sweeter, at last, the mercy will prove, says Hope. It is not mercy, if it be not worth a waiting for, says Hope; and if it be mercy, thou canst not wait too long for it, says Hope. The men of Bethulia resolved to wait upon God but five days longer, but Deliverance stayed seven days, and yet came at last: So says Hope,3 though Deliverance stay, though this and that mercy stays (as it were in the birth) yet it will come at last, therefore wait. Hope is not hasty in prefixing the time when God shall show mercy, neither will it limit God to the way or manner of showing mercy, but leave both the time and the manner to him that is wise and faithful. Says Hope, Christ knows his4 own time, and his own time is best; though he stays long, yet he will certainly come, and he will not stay a moment beyond the time he hath prefixed; ⟨p. 539⟩and therefore, says Hope, be not weary, O Soul, but still wait patiently upon the Lord.