A77608:84
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.
So how can it comfort me to know that there is peace in Christ, and pardon in Christ, and righteousness ⟨p. 6⟩in Christ, and riches in Christ, and happiness in Christ, &c. for others, but not for me. Ah, this knowledge1 will rather be a hell to torment me, then a ground of joy and comfort to me. But now God hath in the Scripture discovered, who they are that shall be eternally happy, and how they may reach to an assurance of their felicity and glory; which made One to say, That he would not take all the world2 for one leaf of the Bible. The Bible is a Christians Magna Charta, his chief evidence for heaven. Men highly prize, and carefully keep their Charters, Privileges, Conveyances, and Assurances of their Lands: And shall not the Saints much more highly prize, and carefully keep in the closet of their hearts, the precious word of God, which is to them instead of all assurances for their maintenance,3 deliverance, protection, confirmation, consolation, and eternal salvation.
So how can it comfort mee to know that there is peace in Christ, and pardon in Christ, and righteousnesse ⟨p. 6⟩in Christ, and riches in Christ, and happinesse in Christ, &c. for others, but not for me. Ah, this knowledge1 will rather be a hell to torment me, then a ground of joy and comfort to me. But now God hath in the Scripture discovered, who they are that shal be eternally happy, and how they may reach to an assurance of their felicity and glory; which made One to say, That he would not take all the world2 for one leafe of the Bible. The Bible is a Christians Magna Charta, his chiefe evidence for heaven. Men highly prize, and carefully keep their Charters, Priviledges, Conveyances, and Assurances of their Lands: And shall not the Saints much more highly prize, and carefully keep in the closet of their hearts, the precious word of God, which is to them instead of all assurances for their maintenance,