A77608:597
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.
Thirdly, If you would strengthen and maintain your Assurance, then look that your hearts and thoughts run more out to Christ• then to Assurance, to the Sun then to the Beams, to the Fountain then to the Stream, to the Root then to the Branch, to the Cause then to the Effect. Assurance is sweet,1 but Christ is more sweet. Assurance is lovely, but Christ is altogether lovely.2 Assurance is precious, but Christ is most precious. Though Assurance be a flower that yields much comfort and delight, yet it is but a flower. Though Assurance be a precious Box, yet it is but a Box. Though Assurance be a Ring of Gold, yet it is but a Ring ⟨p. 582⟩of Gold. And what is the flower to the Root, what is the Box to the Ointment, what is the Ring to the Pearl? No more is Assurance to Christ; therefore let thy eye, and heart, first, most, and last, be sixth upon Christ, then will Assurance bed and board with thee, otherwise thou wilt quickly find thy Summer to be turned into Winter.
Thirdly, If you would strengthen and maintain your Assurance, then look that your hearts and thoughts run more out to Christ• then to Assurance, to the Sun then to the Beams, to the Fountain then to the Stream, to the Root then to the Branch, to the Cause then to the Effect. Assurance is sweet,1 but Christ is more sweet. Assurance is lovely, but Christ is altogether lovely.2 Assurance is precious, but Christ is most precious. Though Assurance be a flower that yeelds much comfort and delight, yet it is but a flower. Though Assurance be a precious Box, yet it is but a Box. Though Assurance be a Ring of Gold, yet it is but a Ring ⟨p. 582⟩of Gold. And what is the flower to the Root, what is the Box to the Oyntment, what is the Ring to the Pearl? No more is Assurance to Christ; therefore let thy eye, and heart, first, most, and last, be fixt upon Christ, then will Assurance bed and board with thee, otherwise thou wilt quickly finde thy Summer to be turned into Winter.