A77608:585
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.
Fourthly, Though the Spirit be a witnessing Spirit, yet he doth not always witness to believers their adoption, their interest in Christ, &c. There is a mighty difference between the working of the Spirit, and the witness of the Spirit; There are often times many glorious and efficacious works of the Spirit, as Faith, Love, Repentance,1 Holiness, &c. where there is not the witness of the Spirit. David at that very time had the Spirit. and2 many sweet workings of the Spirit in him, and upon him, when he had by sin lost the witness and testimony of the Spirit. Though the Spirit of the Lord be a witnessing and a sealing Spirit, yet he doth not always witness3 and seal up the love and favour of the Father to believers souls, as you may see by the Scriptures in the Margin, ⟨p. 570⟩and as the experience of many precious Christians can abundantly evidence. All believers do not see alike need of this testimony, they do not all alike prize this testimony, they do not all alike observe it and improve it, and therefore it is no wonder if the Spirit be a witnessing Spirit to some, and not to others: You do but gratify Satan, and wrong your own souls, when you argue that certainly you have not the Spirit because he is not a witnessing and a sealing Spirit to your souls. Though it be the office of the Spirit to witness, yet it is not his office always to witness to believers their happiness and blessedness: The Spirit may act one way & in one room of the4 soul, when he doth not act in another; sometimes the Spirit works upon the Understanding, sometimes upon the Will, sometimes upon the Affections, sometimes upon Faith, sometimes upon Fear, sometimes upon Love, sometimes upon Humility, &c. Our hearts are the Spirits Harps; If a man should always touch one string in an Instrument, he should never play various tunes, he should never make pleasant ⟨p. 571⟩music; no more would the Spirit, it he should be always a doing one thing in the soul; therefore he acts variously, sometimes he will show himself a quickening Spirit, sometimes an enlightening Spirit, sometimes an humbling Spirit, sometimes a rejoicing Spirit, sometimes a sealing Spirit, and always a supporting Spirit, &c.