A85953:419
Gospel-revelation in three treatises, viz, 1 The nature of God. 2 The excellencies of…
Gospel-revelation in three treatises, viz, 1 The nature of God. 2 The excellencies of Christ. And, 3 The Excellency of mans immortal soul. By Jeremiah Burroughs, late preacher of the gospel at Stepney, and Giles-Cripple-gate, London. Published by William Greenhill. William Bridge. Philip Nigh. John Yates. Matthew Mead. William Adderly.Gospel-revelation in three treatises, viz, 1 The nature of God. 2 The excellencies of Christ. And, 3 The Excellency of mans immortal soul. By Jeremiah Burroughs, late preacher of the gospel at Stepney, and Giles-Cripple-gate, London. Published by William Greenhill. William Bridge. Philip Nye. John Yates. Matthew Mead. William Adderly.
London: printed for Nath. Brook, 1660
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Treatise 3 › Sermon 1: The First SERMON ON The Excellency of the Soul.
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.
For first, We see that there are actions in men that are beyond that which concerns the body at all: And therefore surely there is a spirit in man, besides what the body is; the highest actions of men are such as do not concern the body, as thus, The knowledge of the heavens, the knowledge of Angels, of spirits, what hath the body to do with such things? the knowledge of the mysteries of the Gospel, and the conversing with them, they are abstracted notions from all kind of bodily substances; the knowledge of God and Christ, yea the very knowledge of Mathematical notions, many notions there are in Arts and Sciences that are abstract from all bodily things; certainly then there is a spirit in man beyond that bodily substance that doth appear common with the brute beasts.
For first, Wee see that there are actions in men that are beyond that which concerns the body at all: And therefore surely there is a spirit in man, besides what the body is; the highest actions of men are such as do not concern the body, as thus, The knowledge of the heavens, the knowledge of Angels, of spirits, what hath the body to do with such things? the knowledge of the mysteries of the Gospel, and the conversing with them, they are abstracted notions from all kinde of bodily substances; the knowledge of God and Christ, yea the very knowledge of Mathematical notions, many notions there are in Arts and Sciences that are abstract from all bodily things; certainly then there is a spirit in man beyond that bodily substance that doth appear common with the brute beasts.
Yet secondly, There is a power in man to curb his body, to deny himself of that which is most suitable to the body, saith Paul, 11 Cor. 9.27. I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. Surely there is somewhat in man that is above the body, that hath so much command of the body, as it appears the spirit of man hath to beat down the body, If thou beest a man given to thine appetite, when thou sittest at the table of a great man, put a knife to thy throat, a man is able, to curb his appetite; though the body hath never so strong a desire to such and such things, yet the soul of man is able to curb his body and deny it: