A77608:96
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.
And as Peter exhorts you to give all diligence to make your calling and election ⟨p. 20⟩sure. So Paul presseth you to look to the obtaining of full assurance, which does clearly evidence, that there is a possibility of attaining unto a full assurance of our happiness and blessedness in this life. And we desire (saith1 the Apostle) that every one of you do show the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the end, that ye be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the Promises. We must not only strive after assurance, but we must strive and show all diligence to the attaining of that rich and full assurance which will scatter all fears and doubts, which will make a soul patient in waiting, courageous in doing, and cheerful in suffering, and which will make a heaven in a mans heart on this side heaven, and make him go singing into Paradise in despite of all calamities and miseries. And certainly it can never stand with the holiness, righteousness, faithfulness, and goodness of God, to put his people upon making their calling2 and election sure, and upon obtaining full assurance, if there were not a possibility of obtaining a full and well-grounded ⟨p. 21⟩assurance of their happiness and blessedness in this life, and therefore it doth undeniably follow that they may attain unto a blessed assurance of their felicity and glory, whilst they are in this vale of misery. The contrary opinion we make a mans life a hell here, though he should escape a hell hereafter.
And as Peter exhorts you to give all •iligence to make your calling and election ⟨p. 20⟩sure. So Paul presseth you to looke to the obtaining of full assurance, which does clearly evidence, that there is a possibility of attaining unto a full assurance of our happinesse and blessednesse in this life. And we desire (saith1