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Heaven on Earth
The subject of assurance is one of the most important elements in Christian experience. There is no higher privilege than to be a child of God and to know it, for assurance brings joy to worship and prayer, and provides strength and boldness to our witness. Correspondingly, failure and weakness in all these areas can often be traced back to a lack of assurance, or even false assurance. This work of Thomas Brooks, first published in 1654, deals with all of these aspects of assurance in a way that is both biblical and pastoral. Brooks 'scatters stars with both his hands' wrote C.H. Spurgeon. His teaching is clear, thorough and greatly needed in the present spiritual climate. Brooks both explains what true assurance is and guides the reader in how it may be fully experienced.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1654
80 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Brooks
80 books52 followersLittle is known about Thomas Brooks as a man, other than can be ascertained from his many writings. Born, probably of well-to-do parents, in 1608, Brooks entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge, in 1625. He was licensed as a preacher of the gospel by 1640 at the latest. Before that date he seems to have spent a number of years at sea, probably as a chaplain with the fleet. After the Civil War, Brooks became minister at Thomas Apostle s, London, and was sufficiently renowned to be chosen as preacher before the House of Commons on 26 December, 1648. Three or four years later he moved to St Margaret s, Fish-street Hill, London, but encountered considerable opposition as he refused baptism and the Lord s Supper to those clearly unworthy of such privileges. The following years were filled with written as well as spoken ministry. In 1662 he fell victim to the notorious Act of Uniformity, but he appears to have remained in his parish and to have preached the Word as opportunity offered. Treatises continued to flow from his agile pen. In 1677 or 1678 he married for the second time, 'she spring-young, he winter-old'. Two years later he went home to his Lord.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 21, 2017
When I think the writings of the Puritans can no longer amaze or surprise me, when I think I have finally reached my fill of their stunning grasp of heavenly knowledge, I am once again humbled by the reading of another exceptional and praiseworthy work of a Puritan divine. Thomas Brooks is an outstanding writer (as is seen in all of his books). He always touches the heart of the matter. Read from Brooks and you will grow. You will truly benefit.
This work will open your eyes in regard to Christian assurance. And assurance is one of the choicest gifts a Christian can have.
This work will open your eyes in regard to Christian assurance. And assurance is one of the choicest gifts a Christian can have.
June 12, 2012
First published in 1654, Heaven on Earth is a treatise on Christian assurance. Brooks explores in great depth the roots, essence, and fruit of assurance within a genuine child of God. Brooks' contemporary Joseph Caryl summed up Brooks' treatise quite well: "All saints shall enjoy heaven when they leave this earth; some saints enjoy heaven while they are here on earth. That saints might enjoy two heavens is the project of this book."
As difficult as it is to review a treatise with some deep theology, it will suffice to extract some provoking thoughts from the pen of Brooks. Consider some thoughts about how God uses suffering to strengthen a believer's faith and to give him assurance of His love:
"Suffering times are times wherein the Lord is pleased to give His people some sense of His favour. When they are in sufferings for righteousness' sake, for the gospel's sake, then usually God causes His face to shine upon them. Now they shall hear best news from heaven when they hear worst from earth. God loves to smile most upon His people when the world frowns most. When the world puts its iron chains upon their legs, then God puts His golden chains about their necks; when the world puts a bitter cup into their hands, then God drops some of His honey, some of His goodness and sweetness into it." (65)
"The suffering siant may be assaulted, but not vanquished; he may be troubled, but can never be conquered; he may lose his head, but he cannot lose his crown, which the righteous Lord hath prepared and laid up for him.....The Lord causes His goodness to pass before His people, and His face to shine upon His people in times of suffering.....for the praise of His own grace, and for the glory of His own name." (69)
The last half of Brooks' treatise is a detailed analysis of "the eight special things that accompany salvation:"
1. Knowledge
2. Faith
3. Repentance
4. Obedience
5. Love
6. Prayer
7. Perseverance
8. Hope
Of knowledge, Brooks writes,
"Divine knowlege fills a man full of spiritual activity; it will make a man work as if he would be saved by his works, and yet it will make a man believe that he is saved only upon the account of free grace." (178)
"Notional knowledge may make a man excellent at praising the glorious and worthy acts and virtues of Christ; but that transforming knowledge that accompanies salvation, will cause a man divinely to imitate the glorious acts and virtues of Christ." (179)
A difficult read, but an extremely rewarding one!
As difficult as it is to review a treatise with some deep theology, it will suffice to extract some provoking thoughts from the pen of Brooks. Consider some thoughts about how God uses suffering to strengthen a believer's faith and to give him assurance of His love:
"Suffering times are times wherein the Lord is pleased to give His people some sense of His favour. When they are in sufferings for righteousness' sake, for the gospel's sake, then usually God causes His face to shine upon them. Now they shall hear best news from heaven when they hear worst from earth. God loves to smile most upon His people when the world frowns most. When the world puts its iron chains upon their legs, then God puts His golden chains about their necks; when the world puts a bitter cup into their hands, then God drops some of His honey, some of His goodness and sweetness into it." (65)
"The suffering siant may be assaulted, but not vanquished; he may be troubled, but can never be conquered; he may lose his head, but he cannot lose his crown, which the righteous Lord hath prepared and laid up for him.....The Lord causes His goodness to pass before His people, and His face to shine upon His people in times of suffering.....for the praise of His own grace, and for the glory of His own name." (69)
The last half of Brooks' treatise is a detailed analysis of "the eight special things that accompany salvation:"
1. Knowledge
2. Faith
3. Repentance
4. Obedience
5. Love
6. Prayer
7. Perseverance
8. Hope
Of knowledge, Brooks writes,
"Divine knowlege fills a man full of spiritual activity; it will make a man work as if he would be saved by his works, and yet it will make a man believe that he is saved only upon the account of free grace." (178)
"Notional knowledge may make a man excellent at praising the glorious and worthy acts and virtues of Christ; but that transforming knowledge that accompanies salvation, will cause a man divinely to imitate the glorious acts and virtues of Christ." (179)
A difficult read, but an extremely rewarding one!
September 15, 2019
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Here we have a description of assurance, and then an expression of the assured heart. Brooks' Heaven on Earth is both an explanation of the doctrine and an exhortation to pursue it. Quotations like this are just a hint of that. Brooks is one of the best Puritans on this topic—and everything the Puritans wrote about the doctrine is head an shoulders above their Continental brethren. This is pure gospel gold.
I liked my post about it last time more than anything I'd say this time, so let me just use it (the final paragraph is new):
I just might have myself a new favorite Puritan (I'm not the only one who has a list, right?). I'm kicking myself for not getting to Brooks earlier in life. What a wonderful book—I'm looking forward to getting to read more by him.
Aesthetically, this is fantastic. The language sings—the book begs to be read aloud (and I frequently did so, interrupting whatever anyone around me was doing). You can feel the passion, the fervor throughout. A few paragraphs from different chapters illustrate this:
But beyond that, the book is sound, it is orthodox, it is Biblical—throughout Brooks points the reader to The Book and The One Who inspired it. His aim is to show "that believers may in this life attain unto a well-grounded assurance of their everlasting happiness and blessedness." He then goes on to examine the nature of that assurance, hindrances that keep believers from it, reasons to encourage believers to seek it, and how they can go about it, the difference between true and counterfeit assurance, as well as answering questions about assurance. Examining the doctrine from so many angles, you really feel (and probably do) that you come away from this book having an exhaustive look at the doctrine.
Chapter 6—which takes more than its fair share of space, almost half of the book—is an extended detour from the point of the book, but it still serves to support the theme. He begins by saying, "In the previous chapter, you saw the seven choice things which accompany salvation. But for your further and fuller edification, satisfaction, confirmation, and consolation, it will be very necessary that I show you," these seven choice things. Which are:
It is such a great chapter, and would make a remarkable little booklet unto itself that I really can't complain too much that it's such a departure from the rest of the book (though it did take me a little bit to get used to the notion).
Banner of Truth puts this out in paperback, monergism.com puts this out as a free e-book. Either way you go for it, this is a treasure I heartily suggest you grab.
When I read this five years ago, it struck me like a breath of fresh air, it was precisely what I needed at the time. I read it again last month, looking for the same thing. I didn't find it—don't misunderstand, it was very helpful, inspiring, and insightful. I was reminded and grew in my understanding of assurance. And, I collected a handful of great quotations from Brooks. But...the book as a whole didn't sing for me. The first time, I didn't know what to expect. This time, I probably came in with expectations that were too high. Last time I read it, I gave it 5 Stars. This time, I logged it as 3 Stars. So...let's call it 4, shall we?
---
Assurance is not of the essence of a Christian. It is required to the well-being, to the comfortable and joyful being of a Christian; but it is not required to the being of a Christian. A man may be a true believer, and yet would give all the world, were it in his power, to know that he is a believer. To have grace, and to be sure that we have grace, is glory upon the throne, it is heaven on this side heaven.
I am his. I am as sure that I am his, as I am sure that I live. I am his by purchase, and I am his by conquest; I am his by donation, and I am his by election; I am his by covenant, and I am his by marriage. I am wholly his; I am peculiarly his; I am universally his; I am eternally his. This I well know, and the knowledge thereof is my joy in life, and my strength and crown in death.
Here we have a description of assurance, and then an expression of the assured heart. Brooks' Heaven on Earth is both an explanation of the doctrine and an exhortation to pursue it. Quotations like this are just a hint of that. Brooks is one of the best Puritans on this topic—and everything the Puritans wrote about the doctrine is head an shoulders above their Continental brethren. This is pure gospel gold.
I liked my post about it last time more than anything I'd say this time, so let me just use it (the final paragraph is new):
I just might have myself a new favorite Puritan (I'm not the only one who has a list, right?). I'm kicking myself for not getting to Brooks earlier in life. What a wonderful book—I'm looking forward to getting to read more by him.
Aesthetically, this is fantastic. The language sings—the book begs to be read aloud (and I frequently did so, interrupting whatever anyone around me was doing). You can feel the passion, the fervor throughout. A few paragraphs from different chapters illustrate this:
Divine light reaches the heart as well as the head. The beams of divine light shining in upon the soul through the glorious face of Christ are very working; they warm the heart, they affect the heart, they new mold the heart. Divine knowledge masters the heart, it guides the heart, it governs the heart, it sustains the heart, it relieves the heart. Knowledge which swims in the head only, and sinks not down into the heart, does no more good than the unicorn's horn in the unicorn's head.
The only ground of God's love is his grace. The ground of God's love is only and wholly in himself. There is neither portion nor proportion in us to draw his love. There is no love nor loveliness in us that should cause a beam of his love to shine upon us. There is that enmity, that filthiness, that treacherousness, that unfaithfulness, to be found in every man's bosom, which might justly put God upon glorifying himself in their eternal ruin, and to write their names in his black book in characters of blood and wrath. God will have all blessings and happiness to flow from free grace.
Faith is the first pin which moves the soul; it is the spring in the watch which sets all the golden wheels of love, joy, comfort, and peace a-going. Faith is a root-grace, from whence springs all the sweet flowers of joy and peace. Faith is like the bee, it will suck sweetness out of every flower; it will extract light out of darkness, comforts out of distresses, mercies out of miseries, wine out of water, honey out of the rock, and meat out of the eater, Judg 14:14.
But beyond that, the book is sound, it is orthodox, it is Biblical—throughout Brooks points the reader to The Book and The One Who inspired it. His aim is to show "that believers may in this life attain unto a well-grounded assurance of their everlasting happiness and blessedness." He then goes on to examine the nature of that assurance, hindrances that keep believers from it, reasons to encourage believers to seek it, and how they can go about it, the difference between true and counterfeit assurance, as well as answering questions about assurance. Examining the doctrine from so many angles, you really feel (and probably do) that you come away from this book having an exhaustive look at the doctrine.
Chapter 6—which takes more than its fair share of space, almost half of the book—is an extended detour from the point of the book, but it still serves to support the theme. He begins by saying, "In the previous chapter, you saw the seven choice things which accompany salvation. But for your further and fuller edification, satisfaction, confirmation, and consolation, it will be very necessary that I show you," these seven choice things. Which are:
(1.) What knowledge that is, which accompanies salvation.
(2.) What faith that is, which accompanies salvation.
(3.) What repentance that is, which accompanies salvation.
(4.) What obedience that is, which accompanies salvation.
(5.) What love that is, which accompanies salvation.
(6.) What prayer that is, which accompanies salvation.
(7.) What perseverance that is, which accompanies salvation.
It is such a great chapter, and would make a remarkable little booklet unto itself that I really can't complain too much that it's such a departure from the rest of the book (though it did take me a little bit to get used to the notion).
Banner of Truth puts this out in paperback, monergism.com puts this out as a free e-book. Either way you go for it, this is a treasure I heartily suggest you grab.
When I read this five years ago, it struck me like a breath of fresh air, it was precisely what I needed at the time. I read it again last month, looking for the same thing. I didn't find it—don't misunderstand, it was very helpful, inspiring, and insightful. I was reminded and grew in my understanding of assurance. And, I collected a handful of great quotations from Brooks. But...the book as a whole didn't sing for me. The first time, I didn't know what to expect. This time, I probably came in with expectations that were too high. Last time I read it, I gave it 5 Stars. This time, I logged it as 3 Stars. So...let's call it 4, shall we?
June 18, 2017
I now have a new favorite Puritan author. The subject is assurance of heaven on earth. The book is very structured in its content and the listing of chapters is itself 6 pages long. However the structure does not hinder the majestic message nor the artistic and sometimes poetic way Brooks presents his thesis. It has taken me almost eight months to read not because I found it boring or dry but because there was so much substance in each sentence and paragraph. Sometimes I could only read a phrase without stopping to think about and ponder over it. This is not an easy read. It requires attention, thoughtfulness, and even soul searching to fully grasp the message Brooks presents. Some of my favorite quotes follow.
"Satan promises the best, but pays the worst; he promises honour and pays with disgrace; he promises pleasure but pays with pain; he promises profit and pays with loss; he promises life but pays with death."
"God loves to smile most upon His people when the world frowns most."
"Persecution brings death in one hand and life in the other; for while it kills the body it crowns the soul."
"Hope makes a man more motion than notion."
"Satan promises the best, but pays the worst; he promises honour and pays with disgrace; he promises pleasure but pays with pain; he promises profit and pays with loss; he promises life but pays with death."
"God loves to smile most upon His people when the world frowns most."
"Persecution brings death in one hand and life in the other; for while it kills the body it crowns the soul."
"Hope makes a man more motion than notion."
September 6, 2017
A feast of Biblical truth, best savored slowly! Many quotable pithy statements. It is a great Puritan work and of great benefit to any believer seeking to 'confirm your calling and election' (2 Peter 1:10).
October 27, 2020
A warm Puritan work on the doctrine of assurance, why we need it and how to get it. Good devotional reading.
July 28, 2021
Another great puritan work of Thomas Brooks! A must-read :)
Want to read
December 6, 2021The nature of assurance of heaven and how it can be experienced.
December 7, 2022
This book does a great job of describing in a beautiful fashion the doctrine of assurance, hard to put down, a lot to chew on!
June 11, 2025
A long read, very typically Puritanically methodical. However, motivating while still being pastoral. Helpful if you have the time to read it.
June 2, 2014
I just might have myself a new favorite Puritan (I'm not the only one who has a list, right?). I'm kicking myself for not getting to Brooks earlier in life. What a wonderful book -- I'm looking forward to getting to read more by him.
Aesthetically, this is fantastic. The language sings -- the book begs to be read aloud (and I frequently did so, interrupting whatever anyone around me was doing). You can feel the passion, the fervor throughout. A few paragraphs from different chapters illustrate this:
But beyond that, the book is sound, it is orthodox, it is Biblical -- throughout Brooks points the reader to The Book and The One Who inspired it. His aim is to show "that believers may in this life attain unto a well-grounded assurance of their everlasting happiness and blessedness." He then goes on to examine the nature of that assurance, hindrances that keep believers from it, reasons to encourage believers to seek it, and how they can go about it, the difference between true and counterfeit assurance, as well as answering questions about assurance. Examining the doctrine from so many angles, you really feel (and probably do) that you come away from this book having an exhaustive look at the doctrine.
Chapter 6 -- which takes more than its fair share of space, almost half of the book -- is an extended detour from the point of the book, but it still serves to support the theme. He begins by saying, "In the previous chapter, you saw the seven choice things which accompany salvation. But for your further and fuller edification, satisfaction, confirmation, and consolation, it will be very necessary that I show you," these seven choice things. Which are:
Banner of Truth puts this out in paperback, monergism.com puts this out as a free e-book. Either way you go for it, this is a treasure I heartily suggest you grab.
Aesthetically, this is fantastic. The language sings -- the book begs to be read aloud (and I frequently did so, interrupting whatever anyone around me was doing). You can feel the passion, the fervor throughout. A few paragraphs from different chapters illustrate this:
Divine light reaches the heart as well as the head. The beams of divine light shining in upon the soul through the glorious face of Christ are very working; they warm the heart, they affect the heart, they new mold the heart. Divine knowledge masters the heart, it guides the heart, it governs the heart, it sustains the heart, it relieves the heart. Knowledge which swims in the head only, and sinks not down into the heart, does no more good than the unicorn's horn in the unicorn's head.
The only ground of God's love is his grace. The ground of God's love is only and wholly in himself. There is neither portion nor proportion in us to draw his love. There is no love nor loveliness in us that should cause a beam of his love to shine upon us. There is that enmity, that filthiness, that treacherousness, that unfaithfulness, to be found in every man's bosom, which might justly put God upon glorifying himself in their eternal ruin, and to write their names in his black book in characters of blood and wrath. God will have all blessings and happiness to flow from free grace.
Faith is the first pin which moves the soul; it is the spring in the watch which sets all the golden wheels of love, joy, comfort, and peace a-going. Faith is a root-grace, from whence springs all the sweet flowers of joy and peace. Faith is like the bee, it will suck sweetness out of every flower; it will extract light out of darkness, comforts out of distresses, mercies out of miseries, wine out of water, honey out of the rock, and meat out of the eater, Judg 14:14.
But beyond that, the book is sound, it is orthodox, it is Biblical -- throughout Brooks points the reader to The Book and The One Who inspired it. His aim is to show "that believers may in this life attain unto a well-grounded assurance of their everlasting happiness and blessedness." He then goes on to examine the nature of that assurance, hindrances that keep believers from it, reasons to encourage believers to seek it, and how they can go about it, the difference between true and counterfeit assurance, as well as answering questions about assurance. Examining the doctrine from so many angles, you really feel (and probably do) that you come away from this book having an exhaustive look at the doctrine.
Chapter 6 -- which takes more than its fair share of space, almost half of the book -- is an extended detour from the point of the book, but it still serves to support the theme. He begins by saying, "In the previous chapter, you saw the seven choice things which accompany salvation. But for your further and fuller edification, satisfaction, confirmation, and consolation, it will be very necessary that I show you," these seven choice things. Which are:
(1.) What knowledge that is, which accompanies salvation.It is such a great chapter, and would make a remarkable little booklet unto itself that I really can't complain too much that it's such a departure from the rest of the book (though it did take me a little bit to get used to the notion).
(2.) What faith that is, which accompanies salvation.
(3.) What repentance that is, which accompanies salvation.
(4.) What obedience that is, which accompanies salvation.
(5.) What love that is, which accompanies salvation.
(6.) What prayer that is, which accompanies salvation.
(7.) What perseverance that is, which accompanies salvation.
Banner of Truth puts this out in paperback, monergism.com puts this out as a free e-book. Either way you go for it, this is a treasure I heartily suggest you grab.
January 29, 2015
A thorough work on how to have assurance of Heaven while still on Earth. Including how one can be sure one can have that assurance in this life, why it's sometimes denied or found, why it should be obtained, how to gain it, and difference between true and false assurance.
I thought that this would be quite a dry read, and wondered how it would need so many pages to declare. But Brooks is thorough on this subject, and one does need more than a few solid sentences for the subject of assurance to feel as good as it does.
I think this might be for someone who has read a few Christian books already, and convinced on their faith, who wants to know (or know more) on this subject. But whatever way it goes, this is a good, solid book on this subject, and not to miss even when you're not of one of the Protestant churches - even Catholics might gain something from this (and the anti-Papism level is pretty cameo-level if not non-existent in this book, which is not always the case with Puritan books).
I thought that this would be quite a dry read, and wondered how it would need so many pages to declare. But Brooks is thorough on this subject, and one does need more than a few solid sentences for the subject of assurance to feel as good as it does.
I think this might be for someone who has read a few Christian books already, and convinced on their faith, who wants to know (or know more) on this subject. But whatever way it goes, this is a good, solid book on this subject, and not to miss even when you're not of one of the Protestant churches - even Catholics might gain something from this (and the anti-Papism level is pretty cameo-level if not non-existent in this book, which is not always the case with Puritan books).
June 8, 2009
A treatise on Christian assurance. I found it helpful, with lots of Scripture references. Being a Puritan book, it is very structured on an outline. Not always "easy to read" but worth the extra effort.
May 16, 2013
A clear, concise, and insightful treatment of the subject of assurance. Brooks is the ultimate pastor caring for his flock's souls in this volume. An absolute pleasure to read.
May 25, 2014
This has to be the absolute best book on assurance that I have ever read. Highly recommend it!
July 29, 2022
Timeless treasure. Just so good.
March 21, 2013
Brooks is in many ways my favorite Puritan. Heaven on Earth is a great intro to his work.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews