A77608:565
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.
First, A sound and well-grounded Assurance is attended with a deep admiration of Gods transcendent love and favour to the Soul in the Lord Jesus: The assured Soul is often a breathing it out thus, Ah Lord, who am I? what am I that thou shouldst give into my bosom the white stone of Absolution,1 when the world hath given into their bosoms only the black stone of Condemnation? Lord, what mercy is this, that thou shouldst give me Assurance, give me water out of the Rock, and feed me with Manna from Heaven, when many of thy dearest ones spend their days in sighing, mourning and complaining for want of Assurance? Lord, what manner of love is this, ⟨p. 547⟩that thou shouldst set me upon thy knee? embrace me in thy arms? lodge me in thy bosom? and kiss me with the sweet kisses of thy blessed mouth, with those kisses that are better then 2wine, yea, better then life, when many are even weary of their lives, because they want what I enjoy? Ah Lord, by what name shall I call this Mercy,3 this Assurance, that thou hast given me? It being a mercy that fits me to do duties, to bear crosses, and to improve mercies; that fits me to speak sweetly, to judge righteously, to give liberally, to act seriously, to suffer cheerfully, and to walk humbly. I cannot, says the assured Soul, but sing it out with Moses, Who is like unto thee, O 4Lord, amongst the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? And with the Apostle, O the height, the depth, the length and 5breadth of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. If the Queen of Sheba (says the assured Soul) was so swallowed up in a deep admiration of Solomons wisdom, greatness, goodness, excellency, and glory, that she could not but admiringly breathe it thus out, ⟨p. 548⟩Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom; O then, how should that blessed Assurance that I have of the love of God, of my interest in God, of my union and communion with God, of my blessedness here, and my happiness hereafter, work me to a deep and serious, to a real and perpetual admiration of God!