Heaven on Earth, Title page – Dedication 1
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.
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full Aſsurance of underſtanding, Col. 2. 2.
Qui fidei ſuae ſenſum in corde habet, hic ſcit Chriſtum Ieſum in ſe eſſe. Ambroſ. 2 ad Corinth. c. 13. 5.
London, Printed by R. I. for John Hancock, and are to be ſold at the firſt Shop in Popes-head Alley in Corn-hill. 1654.
Mr. Brooks on Aſſurance.
To the Right Honorable The Generals of the Fleets OF THE Commonwealth of England, And to thoſe Gallant Worthies (my much Honored Friends) who with the Noble Generals have deeply jeoparded their Lives unto many deaths upon the Seas, out of love to their Countreys good, and out of reſpect to the Intereſt of Chriſt, and the faithful people of this Commonwealth, Such Honor and Happineſs as is promiſed to all that Love and Honor the Lord Jeſus.
Renowned Sirs,
THe better any thing is, the more communicative it will be, for bonum eſt ſui communicativum. There are two ſorts of goods, …here are Bona Throni, and there are Bona Scabelli, Goods of the Throne, as God, Chriſt, Grace, Aſſurance, &c. Nihil bonum ſine ſummo bono. Aug▪ Nothing is good, without the chiefeſt good. Omne bonum in ſummo bono, All good is in the chiefeſt good.And Goods of the Foot-ſtool, as Honors, Riches, &c. A man may have enough of the goods of the Footſtool to ſink him, but he can never have enough to ſatisfie him. Mans Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs, his Felicity and Glory, lies in his poſſeſſing the Goods of the Throne, which that you may, I humbly deſire you ſeriouſly to view over the enſuing Treatiſe.
It was an excellent ſaying of Lew is of Bavyer, Emperor of Germany, Hujuſmodi comparandae ſunt opes, quae cum naufragio ſimul enatent: Such goods are worth getting and owning, as will not ſink, nor waſh away, if a ſhipwrack happen, but will wade and ſwim out with us. Such are the goods that are here preſented in this following Diſcourſe; in all ſtorms, tempeſts, and ſhipwracks, they will abide with the Soul, they will walk and lie down with the Soul, yea, they will to the Grave▪ to Heaven, with the Soul, they will in the greateſt ſtorms be an Ark to the Soul. I have obſerved in ſomeA Philoſopher could ſay in d…nger of ſhipwrack in a ligh▪ ſtarry night, Surely I ſhall not periſh, there are ſo many eyes of providence …ver me. But theſe had neither ſo much faith nor courage, theſe men of might had loſt their hands and hearts. Pſa 76. 5. vide. terrible ſtorms that I have been in, that the Mariners and the Paſſengers want of Aſſurance, and of thoſe other Pearls of price that in this Treatiſe are prepreſented to publick view, hath cauſed their countenance to change, their hearts to melt; it hath made them to ſtagger and reel to and fro like drunken men, like men at their wits ends; whereas others that have had Aſſurance, and their pardon in their boſoms, &c. have bore up bravely, and ſlept quietly, and walkt cheerfully, and practically have ſaid as Alexander once did, when he was in a great danger, Now (ſaith he) here is a danger fit for the ſpirit of Alexander to encounter withal; ſo they now here are ſtorms and dangers fit for aſſured, pardoned Souls to encounter withal, &c.
Gentlemen, This following Diſcourſe I do not preſent to you as a thing that needs your protection, for Veritas ſtat in aperto campo, truth ſtands in the open Fields, I, and it will make the lovers of it to ſtand, triumph, and overcome, Magna eſt veritas & valebit, Great is truth, and ſhall prevail: but, upon theſe following grounds, I tender it to you.
Firſt, You have honored the Almighty by helping him againſt the high and mighty, and he hath honored you, by owning of you, by ſtanding by1 Sam. 2. 30. As it was ſa…d of Caeſ…r, that while here▪ ſtored the Statue of Pompey, he eſtab…iſhed his own; ſo while men honor God, they preſerve their own. you, by acting for you, and by making of you proſperous and victorious (over a near enemy, a powerful enemy, an enraged enemy, a reſolved enemy, a ſubtil enemy, a prepared enemy, a lofty enemy) and therefore I cannot but deſire to honor you by dedicating the following Treatiſe to the ſervice of your Souls.
Secondly, Becauſe you are myMagnes amo…is, amor, Love is the load…o…e of love, and therefore he ſaid right, Si vis ama i, ama, if th…n wilt love, thou ſhalt be loved. Friends, and that cordial love and friendſhip which I have found from you hath ſtampt in my affections a very high valuation of you. The Ancients painted Friendſhip a fair yong man bare headed, in a poor garment, at the bottom whereof was written Life and Death, in the upper part Summer and Winter, his boſom was open, ſo that his heart might be ſeen, whereupon was written longè, propè, a Friend at hand, and a far off. Verily your undeſerved love and reſpects have made me willing to open my boſom to you in this Epiſtle, and in the following Treatiſe, as to Friends that I love and honor. When one came to Alexander and deſired him that he might ſee his Treaſure, he bid one of his ſervants take him, and ſhew him, not foreign his Money, but foreign his Friends. It ſeems he put a higher valueSecrates preferred the Kings countenance above his coyn. upon them, then he did upon all the wealth which he had. Faithful Friends are an unvaluable Treaſure, and the rarity of them doth much inhaunce the price of them.
Thirdly, Becauſe of its exceeding uſefulneſs and ſuitableneſs to your conditions. I have been ſome years at Sea, and through Grace I can ſay, that I would not exchange my Sea ExperiencesPſal. 107. 24. It is between Chriſtian and Chriſtian, as between two Lute ſtrings that are tuned one to another; no ſooner one is ſtruck, but the other trembles. for Englands Riches; I am not altogether ignorant of the troubles, trials, temptations, dangers, and deaths, that do attend you: And therefore I have been the more ſtirred in my ſpirit to preſent the following Diſcourſe to you, wherein is diſcovered the nature of Aſſurance, the poſſibility of attaining Aſſurance, the cauſes, ſprings, degrees, excellencies, and properties of Aſſurance; alſo the ſpecial ſeaſons and times of Gods giving Aſſurance, with the reſolution of ſeveral weighty Queſtions touching Aſſurance; further, in this Treatiſe, as in a glaſs, you may ſee theſe ten ſpecial things, clearly and fully opened and manifeſted.
1. What Knowledge that is that accompanies Salvation.
2. What Faith that is that accompanies Salvation.
3. What Repentance that is that accompanies Salvation.
4. What Obedience that is that accompanies Salvation▪
5. What Love that is that accompanies Salvation.
6. What Prayer that is that accompanies Salvation.
7. What Perſeverance that is that accompanies.
8. What Hope that is that accompanies Salvation.
9. The difference between true Aſſurance, and that which is counterfeit.
10. The wide difference there is between the witneſs of the Spirit, and the hiſſing of the old Serpent.
Gentlemen and Friends, you haveSay with that famous Painter Zeux…s, Aeternitati pingo, I paint for eternity, I provide for eternity. Eternity is that unum perpetuum bodie, that one perpetual day. your lives in your hands, there is but a ſhort ſtep between you and eternity, I would fain have you all happy for ever; to that purpoſe, I humbly beſeech you ſpare ſo much time (from your many great and weighty occaſions) as to read this Treatiſe, that in all humility I lay at your feet, and follow this counſel that in all love and faithfulneſs I ſhall now give unto you. For my deſign in all is your happineſs here, and your bleſſedneſſe hereafter.
Firſt, Get and keep CommunionCommunion with God will make a man as couragious and bold as a Lion, yea, as a young Lyon that is in his hot blood, and fearleſs of any creature, Prov. 28. 1. foreign Now the proverb is (Tutiores C…rvi duce Leone, quam Leones duce Cervo) it is more likely that Harts will get victory with a …yon to their leader, then Lyons with a leading Hart, Joſhua, Captain of the Lords battles muſt be of a Lyon like courage, and what wil make them ſo, but communion with God? It was the ſaying of the old Earl of Eſſex, That he was never afraid to fight but when he was conſcious of ſome ſin with which he had provoked God, and left communion with God. with God; your ſtrength to ſtand, and your ſtrength to withſtand all aſſaults, is from your Communion with God. Communion with God is that that will make you ſtand faſt and triumph over all enemies, difficulties, dangers, and deaths. While Sampſon kept his Communion with God, no enemy could ſtand before him, he goes on conquering and to conquer, he laies heapes upon heaps; but when he was fallen in his Communion with God, he fals preſently, eaſily, and ſadly before his enemies. So long as David kept up his Communion with God, no enemies could ſtand before him; but when he was fallen in his Communion with God, he flies before the ſon of his bowels. Job keeps up his Communion with God, & conquers Satan upon the Dunghil; Adam loſes his Communion with God, and fals before Satan in Paradiſe. Communion is the reſult of Union, Communion is a reciprocall exchange between Chriſt and a gracious Soule; Communion is Jacobs Ladder, where you have Chriſt ſweetly deſcending down into the Soul, and the ſoule by divine influences ſweetly aſcending up to Chriſt; Communion with God is a Sheild upon Land, and an Anchor at Sea; it is a ſword to defend you, and a ſtaff to ſupport you; it is balm to heale you, and a cordiall to ſtrengthen you; high Communion with Chriſt wil yeeld you two heavens, a heaven upon earth, and a heaven after death; He injoyes nothing that wants Communion with God, he wants nothing that injoys communion with God; therefore above all gettings get Communion with Chriſt, and above all keepings keep Communion with Chriſt; all other loſſes are not comparable to the loſſe of Communion with Chriſt; he that hath loſt his Communion hath loſt his Comfort, his ſtrength, his all, and it will not be long before the Philiſtims take him and put out his eyes, and bind him with fetters of braſs, and make him grind in a priſon, as they did Sampſon, Judg. 16. 20, 21.
Secondly, Make a ſpeedy and a thorowBonus ſervatius facit bonum bonifacium. improvement of all opportunities of grace and mercy, ſleep not in Harveſt time; trifle not away your Market hours, your golden ſeaſons, you have much work to do in a ſhort time; you havePetrach telleth of one who being invited to dinner the next day, anſwered, Ego à multis a…nis craſtinum non habui, I have not had a morrow for this many years. a God to honor, a Chriſt to reſt on, a Race to run, a Crown to win, a Hell to eſcape, a Heaven to obtaine; you have weak Graces to ſtrengthen, and ſtrong Corruptions to weaken; you have many Temptations to withſtand, and Afflictions to bear; you have many Mercies to improve, and many Services to perform, &c. Therefore take hold on all opportunities and advantages, whereby you may be ſtrengthened and bettered in your nobleHeb. 3-7, 8 A man, faith Luther, lives forty years before he knows himſelf a fool, and by that time he ſees his folly▪ his life is ended, &c. part. Take heed of crying cras, cras, tomorrow, tomorrow, when God ſaith, to day if you will hear my voyce harden not your hearts. Manna muſt be gathered in the morning, and the orient pearle is generated of the morning dew. It is a very ſad thing for a man to begin to die, before he begins to live. He that neglects a golden opportunity doth but create to himſelf a great deal of miſery, as Saul, and many others, have found by ſad experience. He that would to the purpoſe do a good action, muſt not neglect his ſeaſon. The men of Iſſachar were1 Chron. 12. 32 famous in Davids account for wiſdom, becauſe they acted ſeaſonably and opportunely. God will repute and write that man a wiſe man, who knows and obſerves his ſeaſons of doing. Such there have been, who, by giving a glaſſe of water opportunely, have obtained a Kingdom, as you may ſee in the ſtory of Thaumaſtus and King Agrippa. Bernard.Time, ſaith one, were a good commodity It was the commendations of bleſſed Hooper that he was ſpare of diet, ſparer of words, and ſpareſt of time,in hell, and the traffick of it moſt gainful, where for one day a man would give ten thouſand worlds if he had them. One paſſing thorow the ſtreets of Rome, and ſeeing many of the women playing and delighting themſelves with Monkies and Baboons, and ſuch like things, asked whether they had no children to play and delight themſelves with? So when men triffle away their precious time, and golden opportunities, playing, and toying with this vanity, and that, we may ask, whether theſe men have no God, no Chriſt, no Scripture, no Promiſes, no Bleſſed Experiences, no hopes of Heavens glories to delight and entertain themſelves with? Certainly, we ſhould not reckon any time into the account of our lives, but that which we carefully paſs, and well ſpend, ſeeing the Heathen could ſay, (Diu fuit, non diu vixit) He was long,D…maſcen. he did not live long. I have read of oneBleſſed Bradford the Martyr, counted that hour loſt wherein he did not ſome good with his Tongue, Pen, or Purſe. Barlaam, who being asked, How old he was? anſwered, Five and forty years old, to whom Joſaphah replied, Thou ſeemeſt to be ſeventy: Truth (ſaith he) if you reckon ever ſince I was born, but I count not thoſe years that were ſpent in vanity.
Moſt men ſpend the greateſt part of their time about things that are by the by, that are of little or no value; asAnd Solyman the great Turk ſpent his time in making of notches of Horn for Bow…. Domitian the Roman Emperor ſpent his time in ſtabbing of Flies; and Artaxerxes ſpent his time in making Hefts for Knives; and Archimedes ſpent his time in drawing lines on the ground, when that famous City Syracuſe was taken; and Myrmecides ſpent more time to make a Bee, then ſome men do to build a houſe.
Sirs, I beſeech you remember that it was Cato, a Heathen, that ſaid, That Chilo one of the ſeven Sages being asked, What was the hardeſt thing in the world to be done? Anſwered, To uſe and imploy a mans time well. Alexander the Great gave him a check, and not a reward, that boaſted that he could throw a Peaſe at a great diſtance upon the point of a Needle. Ah how will God at laſt check thoſe that ſpend their precious▪ time, as it were with throwing Peaſe upon the point of a Needle?account muſt be given, not onelyonly of our labor, but alſo of our leaſure; and in affirming this, he affirms no more then what the Scripture ſpeaks. But O what a ſad account then have ſome to make? Well, as Cleopatra ſaid to Mark Anthony, It is not for you to be fiſhing for Gugeons, but for Towns, Forts, and Caſtles: So ſay I, Right Honorable, and Beloved, It is not for you to ſpend your time about poor low contemptible things, but about thoſe high and noble things that make moſt for the intereſt of Chriſt, and the good of your Countrey. It was Titus, a Pagan Emperor, that uttered this memorable and praiſe-worthy Apothegm (Amici, diem perdidi,) my Friends, I have loſt a day, when he had ſpent it in company without doing good. The Egyptians drew the Picture of Time with three Heads, to repreſent the three differences, The firſt of a greedy Wolf gaping, for time paſt, becauſe it hath ravenouſly devoured even the memory of ſo many things paſt recalling: The ſecond, of a crowned Lyon roaring, for time preſent; becauſe it hath the principality of all action for which it cals aloud: The third, of a deceitful Dog fawning, for time to come; becauſe it feeds fond men with many flattering hopes to their own undoing. I have read of a man, who upon his dying bed would have given a world for time, he ſtill crying out day and night, call time again, call time again; So a great Lady of this land on her death bed cryed out, time, time, a world of wealth for an inch of time. One Hermanus a great Courtier in the Kingdome of Bohemia, being at point of death, did moſt lamentablyLamacus a Commander ſaid to his offending Souldier, non licet in bello bis peccare, no man muſt offend twice in war; So God ſometimes wil not ſuffer men again and again to neglect the day of grace. cry out, That he had ſpent more time in the Palace then in the Temple, and that he had added to the riotouſneſs and vices of the Court, which he ſhould have ſought to have reformed, and ſo dyed to the horror of thoſe that were about him. I have been the longer upon this, becauſe I have been a ſad Spactator of mens miſpending their time, and trifling away golden opportunities, at Sea as well as at Land, and though I thus ſpeak (knowing that this Treatiſe duplicate page duplicate page will come into other hands beſides your own) yet I hope better things of Heb. 6. 8, 9.you, to whom I dedicate it, even ſuch as do accompany ſalvation.
Thirdly, Take no Truths upon truſt, but all upon tryall, 1 Joh. 4. 10. Beloved, foreign Satan may more eaſily diſturb the truth, then ſubvert it. Aug.beleeve not every spirit, but trie the ſpirits whether they be of God; becauſe many falſe Prophets are gone out into the world. This age is very full of Impoſtors, therefore trie the ſpirits, as Lapidaries do their ſtones, or as Goldſmiths do their metals; a Briſtol ſtone may look as well as an Indian Diamond, and many things gliſter beſides gold. It was the glorious commendations of the Bereans, That they ſearche… Acts 17. 10, 11 foreign better born and bred, of a more noble diſpoſition. They were more Noble, not by civil deſcent, but by ſpiritual advancemet.the Scriptures daily whether thoſe things that Paul and Silas had delivered were ſo, and this act of theirs made them more Noble, then thoſe of Theſſalonica. Chriſtian Nobility is the beſt and trueſt, where God himſelfe is the top of the Kin, and Religion the root, in regard whereof, all other things are but ſhadows and ſhapes of nobleneſſe. A Father that had three Sons was deſirous to try their diſcretions, which he did by giving to each of them an Apple, that had ſome part of it rotten: The firſt eats up his rotten and all; the ſecond throws all his away, becauſe ſome part of it was rotten; the third picks out the rotten, and eats that which was good; the third was the wiſeſt. Some in theſe days ſwallow down every thing, rotten and ſound together; others throw away all Truth, becauſe every thing that is preſented to them, is not truth; but ſurely they are the wiſeſt that knowIſai. 7. 15. how to chuſe the good, and refuſe the evil.
You muſt not with Pythagoras Amicus Socrates, amicus Plato, Amicior veritas, Socrates is my Friend, and …lato is my Friend, but above all, Truth is my Friend.Scholars, magnifie the (Ipſe dixerit) of the greateſt Clerks, eſpecially in thoſe things that are of eternal concernment to your Souls. You will try, and tell, and weigh Gold after your Fathers; deal ſo by the Truth you hear, and let no man binde you to believe with Anaxagoras, that Snow is black. Truth, ſaith Baſil, is hard to be taken by hunting, and muſt be found out by a narrow obſerving of her footſteps on every ſide. Many are like thoſe in Clemens, that thought Truth to be Cruelty.
Fourthly, Be exemplary to thoſeThe complaint in Seneca is ancient, That commonly men live not Ad rationem, but Ad ſimilitudinem. Seneca de vita beata. among whom you walk, and over whom you command: Bonus dux, bonus comes, a good Leader makes a good Follower; Praecepta aocent, exempla movent, Precepts may inſtruct, but examples do perſwade. Verily Gentlemen, your examples will have a very great influence upon thoſe that are under you. It is natural to Inferiors to minde more what their Superiors do, then what they ſay; therefore you had need be Angelical in your walkings, and actings; you are lights upon a Hill, you are Sea-marks, and therefore every eye will be upon you. Thoſe that can finde no ears to hear what you ſay, will finde many eyes to ſee what you do. Scripture and Experience do abundantly evidence, that good mens examples have done a world of good in the world; and verily, the evil examples of great men (eſpecially) are very dangerous. Charls the fift was wont to ſay, That as the Eclipſe of the Sun is a token of great commotions; ſo the errors and evils of great men, bring with them great perturbations and evils to the places and perſons where they live. O therefore be exemplary in lip and life, in word and work, that others ſeeing your good works, may glorifie Matth. 5. 16. Plutarch ſaid of Demoſthenes, that he was excellent at praiſing the worthy acts of his Anceſtors, but not ſo at imitating them. You may eaſily apply it.your Father which is in Heaven. O look that your lives be as a Commentary upon Chriſts life. (Tace lingua, loquere vita) Talk not of a good life, but let thy life ſpeak, ſaid the Philoſopher. Alexander willed that the Grecians and the Barbarians ſhould no longer be diſtinguiſhed by their Garments, but by their Manners; ſo ſhould Chriſtians be diſtinguiſhed from all others by their lives, and by their examples. 2 Sam. 23. 3. The God of Iſrael ſaid, The Rock of Iſrael ſpake to me, he that ruleth over men muſt be just, ruling in the fear of the Lord. An excellent Lord is always better then an excellent Law; let your Laws be never ſo good, if the Law▪ makers are bad, all will come to nothing. The peoples eyes are muchJohn 7. 48. It was a good Law that the Epheſians made, That men ſhould propound to themſelves the beſt patterns, and ever bear in minde ſome eminent man. upon that Scripture, Have any of the Rulers believed on him? &c. Abraham was an example of Righteouſneſs in Chaldaea, Lot was juſt in Sodom, Daniel was an example of Holineſs in Babylon, Job was an example of Uprightneſs in the Land of Huſs, which was a Land of much Prophaneneſs and Superſtition, Nehemiah was an example of Zeal in Damaſco, and Moſes was an example of Meekneſs among the muttering and murmuring Iſraelites. Above all examples, Chriſt was exemplary in all Piety and Sanctity, in all Righteouſneſs and Holineſs, in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe Generation. And why then ſhould not you be ex(mplaryThe Arabian…, if their King be ſick or lame, they all feign themſelves ſo. among thoſe poor Creatures ethoſe black Angels, I had almoſt ſaid) among whom you walk? It was the ſaying of Trajanus, a Spaniard (the firſt ſtranger that reigned among the Italians) Qualis Rex, tali… grex, Subjects prove good, by a good Kings example; ſo do Souldiers, ſo do Sailers, by the good examples of their Superior Commanders. Such Commanders as are examples of Righteouſneſs and Holineſs to others, are certainly high in worth, and humble in heart, they are the glory of Chriſt, and the honor of Religion.
Fifthly, As you are in publick places,I have read of one that had rather beautifie Italy, then his own houſe; there is very little of this ſpirit abroad in the world. ſo lay out your ſelves impartially for the common good of all that have intereſt in you, or dependence upon you: So did Abraham, Moſes, Joſhua, Nehemiah, Ezra, Daniel, but above all Chriſt himſelf. You are more for the peoples ſake, then the people are for yours: Magiſtrates are Rulers over the perſons of the people, but they are ſervants to the good of the people. As it is the duty of all to ſerve them, ſo it is their office to ſerve all. It is no Paradox to affirm, That Rulers are the greateſt Servants. The Ancients were wont to place the Statues of their Princes by their Fountains, intimating that they were, or at leaſt ſhould be, Fountains of the Publick good. The Counſellor ſaith, That a man in publick place ſhould give his will to God, his love to his Maſter, his heart to his Countrey, his ſecrets to his Friends, his time to Buſineſs. It is a baſe and unworthy ſpirit, for a man to make himſelf the Centre of all his actions. The very Heathen man could ſay, A Mans Countrey, and his Friends and others challenge a great part of him. The Sun that is the Prince of lights,So doth the Sea feed and refreſh the ſmaleſt fiſh, as wel as the greateſt Leviathan; the Trees do ſhade and ſhelter from heat the leaſt Bird, as well as the greateſt Beaſt. doth impartially ſerve all, the Peaſant as well as the Prince, the poor as well as the rich, the weak as well as the ſtrong; you muſt be like the Sun. The Sun of Righteouſneſs was of a brave Publick Spirit, he healed others, but was hurt himſelf, he filled others, but was hungry himſelf, he laid out himſelf, and he laid down himſelf for a Publick good. That Pilot dies nobly (ſaith Seneca) who periſheth in the ſtorm with the Helm in his hand. It is really your praiſe among the Saints, that you have ventured killing, burning, drowning, and all to ſave the Ship of the Commonwealth from ſinking.
Sirs, Be not weary of Publick Work, it is honor enough that God will make any uſe of you to carry on his deſign in the world; he is a faithful Pay-maſter, Heaven at laſt will make amends for all; you ſhall reap, if you faint not. I do verily believe, God will make uſe of you to do greater things on the Sea, then yet have been done. The Lord hath now begun to ſet a foot upon the Sea, let his enemies tremble, God will not ſuffer his glory to be buried in the deeps; he is a ſhaking the Nations, and will not leave ſhaking them, till he that is the deſire of all Nations come. The Lord hath ſaid, That he will overturn, overturn, overturn until he comes, whoſe right it is to wear the Crown, and the Diadem, and he will give it him, Ezek. 21. 25, 26, 27. Till then there will be little elſe, but plucking up and breaking down.Jere. 45. 4. Therefore be couragious and follow the Lamb whereſoever he goes. You need fear no enemies, that have Chriſt the Conqueror on your ſides.
Sixthly and laſtly, Make it moreO anim… Dei inſig…ta imagine, deſponſata fidie, donata ſpiritu, &c. Bern. O divine Soul inveſted with the Image of God, eſpouſed to him by Faith. and more your chiefeſt work to make plentiful proviſions for the eternal welfare of your Souls. Your Souls are more worth then ten thouſand worlds. All is well, if the Soul be well; if that be ſafe, all is ſafe, if that be loſt, all is loſt, God, Chriſt, and Glory is loſt, if the Soul be loſt.
Worthy Sirs, Though others play the Courtiers with their Souls, yet do not you: The Courtier doth all things late, he riſes late, and dines late, and ſups late, and repents late.
Sirs, Is it madneſs to feaſt the Slave, and ſtarve the Wife, and is it not greater madneſs to feaſt the Body, and ſtarve the Soul? To make liberal proviſion for the Body, and none for the Soul? Do not they deſerve double damnation, that prefer their Bodies above their Souls? Me thinks our Souls ſhould beOne of the cheifeſt mirrors to behold God in, is a reaſonable Soul which findes it ſelf out, ſaith one. like to a Ship, which is made little, and narrow downwards, but more wide and broad upwards. Before all, and above all, look to your Souls, watch your Souls, make proviſion for your Souls: When this is done, all is done, till this is done, there is nothing done that will yeeld a man comfort in life, joy in death, and boldneſs before a Judgement Seat. Callenuceus tells of a Nobleman of Naples, that was wont prophanely to ſay, He had two ſouls in Had I a purſe ſuitable to my heart, not a poor godly Souldier or Sailor in England, who carries his life in one hand, but ſhould have one of theſe Books in the other, &c.his body, one for God, and another for whoſoever would buy it. Verily, they will make but a bad bargain of it, that to gain the World, ſhall ſell their Souls.
Dear Sirs, I had much more to ſay, but I am afraid that I have already kept you too long from ſucking of the Honey Comb, from drinking at the Fountain; I have held you too long in the Porch, and therefore I ſhall onelyonly crave, That you will bear with my plainneſs, and over-look my weakneſs; Remembring, that other Addreſſes would ſavor more of flattery then of ſincerity, more of policy then of piety, and would be both unlovely in me, and diſpleaſing to you.
Now the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Christ, bleſs you and yours with all Spiritual bleſsings in Heavenly places, and make you yet more and more Inſtrument al for his glory, and this Nations good; that your names may be for ever precious among his people, that they may bear you ſtill upon their hearts before the Lord; which is, and ſhall be, the earneſt and conſtant Prayer of him, who is
Right Honorable and worthy Sirs, Yours in all Chriſtian obſervance, Thomas Brooks.