A77608:64
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.
Now Assurance is a reflex act of a gracious Soul, whereby he clearly and evidently sees himself in a gracious, blessed, and happy state; it is a sensible feeling, and an experimental discerning of a mans being in a state of Grace, and of his having a right to a Crown of Glory; ⟨image 22⟩and this rises from the seeing1 in himself, the special, peculiar, and distinguishing▪ Graces of Christ, in the light of the Spirit of Christ, or from the testimony and report of the Spirit of God, the Spirit bearing witness with his Spirit, that2 he is a Son, and an Heir apparent to Glory.
- 1A man cannot see the Sun, but by the light of the Sun.
- 2Rom. 8. 16, 17.
It is one thing for me to have1 Grace, it is another thing for me to see my Grace; it is one thing for me to believe, and another thing for me to believe that I do believe; it is one thing for me to have Faith, and another thing for me to know that I have Faith: Now Assurance flows from a clear, certain, evident knowledge that I have Grace, and that I do believe, &c.
- 1It is one thing to be an Heir, and another thing to know that one is an Heir; the child in the Womb, or in the Arms, may be an Heir to a Crown, and yet understands it not.It is one thing to be an Heir, and another thing to know that one is an Heir; the childe in the Womb, or in the Arms, may be an Heir to a Crown, and yet understands it not.