A77608:57
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.
Sixthly, To testify my cordial love and affection to all the true lovers of Christ,1 and to let them know, That they are all (though under different forms) precious in my eyes, and very near and dear unto my heart. I bless God I am, and I desire more and more to be, one with every one that is one with Christ. I would fain have as free, as large, and as sweet a heart towards Saints, as Christ hath. For a Wolf to worry a Lamb, is usual; but for a Lamb to worry a Lamb, is unnatural: For Christs Lilies to be among Thorns, is ordinary; but for these Lilies to become Thorns, to tear and fetch blood of one another, is monstrous and strange. Ah Christians, can Turks and Pagans agree? can Herod and Pilate agree? can Moab and Ammon agree? can Bears and Lyons, can Wolves and Tigers agree? yea, which is more, can a legion of Devils agree in one body, and shall not the Saints, whom one Heaven must hold at last, agree? Pancirollus 2tells us, That the most precious ⟨image 20⟩Pearl the Romans had, was called Unio. O, the union of the Saints is an unvaluable Pearl! The Heathen man by the light of Nature could say, That the thickest Wall of a City in Peace, and the safest Rampire in War, is Unity. Verily, all Saints are one in Christ, all Saints partake of the same Spirit, Promises, Graces, and Privileges: All Saints are Fellow-Members, Fellow-Soldiers, Fellow-Travellers, Fellow▪ Heirs, Fellow-Sufferers, and Fellow-Citizens; and therefore, I cannot, I dare not, but love them all, and prize them all; and to evidence it, I have dedicated this Treatise to the service of all their Souls.
Sixthly, To testifie my cordial love and affection to all the true lovers of Christ,1 and to let them know, That they are all (though under different forms) precious in my eyes, and very near and dear unto my heart. I bless God I am, and I desire more and more to be, one with every one that is one with Christ. I would fain have as free, as large, and as sweet a heart towards Saints, as Christ hath. For a Wolf to worry a Lamb, is usual; but for a Lamb to worry a Lamb, is unnatural: For Christs Lillies to be among Thorns, is ordinary; but for these Lillies to become Thorns, to tear and fetch blood of one another, is monstrous and strange. Ah Christians, can Turks and Pagans agree? can Herod and Pilat agree? can Moab and Ammon agree? can Bears and Lyons, can Wolves and Tygers agree? yea, which is more, can a legion of Devils agree in one body, and shall not the Saints, whom one Heaven must hold at last, agree? Pancirollus