A77608:560
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.
When Alexander went upon a hopeful expedition, he gave away his Gold; and when he was asked, what he kept for himself, he answered, (Spem majorum & meliorum,) The hope of greater and better things. A Believers hope1 is not like that of Pandora, which may fly out of the Box, and bid the Soul an everlasting farewell: No, it is like the morning light▪ the least beam of it shall commence into a complete Sunshine. It is Aurora Gaudii, and it shall shine forth brighter and brighter, till it hath fully possessed the Believer of his Christ, and Crown. This will be the Hypocrites hell and horror, when he comes to die, that his hope will be like the morning dew, like the Spiders web, like the crackling of thorns under a pot, and like the giving up of the ghost, Job 8. 13, 14. & 11. 20. & 27. 8. Prov. 14. 32. & 11. 7. And this is now the upright mans joy, that ⟨p. 544⟩who ever leaves him, yet his hope will not leave him, till he hath put on his Crown, and is set down in Paradise. And thus you see what Hope that is that doth accompany Salvation; before I close up this Chapter, take these two Cautions with you, they make for your comfort and settlement.
When Alexander went upon a hopeful expedition, he gave away his Gold; and when he was asked, what he kept for himself, he answered, (Spem majorum & meliorum,) The hope of greater and better things. A Believers hope1 is not like that of Pandora, which may flie out of the Box, and bid the Soul an everlasting farewel: No, it is like the morning light▪ the least beam of it shall commence into a compleat Sunshine. It is Aurora Gaudii, and it shall shine forth brighter and brighter, till it hath fully possessed the Believer of his Christ, and Crown. This will be the Hypocrites hell and horror, when he comes to die, that his hope will be like the morning dew, like the Spiders web, like the crackling of thorns under a pot, and like the giving up of the ghost,