A77608:573
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.
The Assurance that Joseph had of his Masters love, armed him against the lascivious assaults of his lustful Mistress; and will not Divine love that is stronger then death, do this1 and more? Assurance makes a man say to his sins, as he to his Idols, ⟨p. 558⟩get you hence, for, What have I any 2more to do with Idols? So says the assured Soul, away pride, away passion, away worldly mindedness, away uncleanness, away uncharitableness, &c. For what have I any more to do with you? Assurance makes the Soul speak to sin, as David speaks to sinners, Psal. 119. 115. Depart from me ye workers of iniquity; for I will keep the Commandments of my God: So says the assured Soul, depart from me, O my lusts, for I have tasted of the love of God, and I have given up my self wholly and only to God, and I cannot but keep the Commandments of my God. The Jewish Rabbins report, that the same night that Israel departed out of Egypt, towards Canaan, all the Idols and idolatrous Temples in Egypt, by Lightning and Earthquakes, were broken down: So when Christ and Assurance comes to be set up in the Soul, all the Idols of Satan, and a mans own heart; are cast down, and cast out as an abomination. Sound Assurance puts a man upon purifying himself, even as Christ is 3pure. The assured Christian knows, That it is dangerous to sin against ⟨p. 559⟩light, that it is more dangerous to sin against love, that it is most dangerous to sin against love revealed and manifested. God may well say to such a Christian, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? To sin under Assurance, is to sin against the Bowels of Mercy, it is to sin against the choicest Remedy, it is to sin against the highest Hopes of Glory; and this will certainly provoke God to be angry. 1 Kings 11. 9. And 4