A77608:588
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.
Seventhly, The witness of the Spirit is ever according to the Word; there is a sweet harmony between the inward and outward testimony, between the Spirit of God and the Word of God. The Scriptures were1 all indicted by the Spirit, and therefore the Spirit cannot contradict himself, ⟨p. 574⟩which he should do, if he should give in any testimony contrary to the testimony of the word. It is blasphemy to make the testimony of the spirit to contradict the testimony of the Word. The Spirit hath revealed his whole mind in the Word, and he will not give a contrary testimony to what he hath given in the Word. The Word saith, they that are born again, that are new Creatures, that believe and repent, shall be saved: But thou art born again, thou art a new Creature, thou believest and repentest; therefore thou shalt be saved saith the Spirit: The Spirit never looseth, where the Word bindeth; the Spirit never justifies, where the Word condemns; the Spirit never approves, where the Word disapproves▪ the Spirit never blesses, where the Word curses. In2 the Old Testament, all Revelations were to be examined by the Word, Isa. 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony, 3if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light (or no morning) in them. So in that of John 16.4 13. The Spirit shall lead you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself, ⟨p. 575⟩but what he shall hear▪ that shall he speak. Here the Holy Ghost is brought in as some Messenger or Ambassador who only relates things faithfully, according to that he hath in charge. Such as look and lean upon the hissing of the old Serpent, may have a testimony that they are happy, against the testimony of the Word; But where ever the Spirit of Christ gives in his testimony, it is still according to the Word. Look, as Indenture answers to Indenture, or as the Counterpane exactly answers to the principal Conveyance, there is Article for Article, Clause for Clause, Covenant for Covenant, word for word: So doth the testimony of the Spirit exactly answer to the testimony of the Word.