A77608:587
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, The testimony of Gods1 Spirit is always accompanied with the testimony of our own, these may be distinguished, but they can never be separated; when the Spirit of God gives in witness for a man, his own spirit doth not give in witness against him. Look as face answers to face, so doth the witness of a Believers spirit answer to the witness of the Spirit of Christ, Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit witnesseth together with our spirits that we be the Sons of God. Now if our own Consciences do not testify first, that we are Sons and Heirs, the Spirit doth not testify, for the Spirit bears witness together with our spirits; St. John is very express in 1 Joh. 3. 21. But if our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence ⟨p. 573⟩toward God. But if our hearts condemn us, God is greater then our hearts, and knoweth all things, 1 Joh. 5. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. And there are three that bear witness in Earth, the Spirit, and the Water, and the Blood, and these three agree in one. The Spirit doth witness eminently and efficiently, but Water and Blood materially, and our spirits and Reason, instrumentally. By the Spirit we may understand the Holy Ghost, by whose strength we lay hold on Christ; and all his benefits; by Water we may understand our Regeneration, our Sanctification; and by Blood we may understand the blood and righteousness of Christ, that is imputed and applied by faith to us; and these three agree in one, that is, they do all three of one accord testify the same thing.
Sixthly, The testimony of Gods1 Spirit is alwayes accompanied with the testimony of our own, these may be distinguished, but they can never be separated; when the Spirit of God gives in witnesse for a man, his own spirit doth not give in witnesse against him. Look as face answers to face, so doth the witness of a Beleevers spirit answer to the witness of the Spirit of Christ,