A85953:422
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.
Fourthly, There is a spirit in man beyond this bodily substance: for when this bodily substance is decaying, mouldering away, there are many thoughts in a man about an eternal estate, and more fresh and lively sometimes when the body is mouldering away, than ever there was before; there are no creatures but Angels and men that take any cognizance of an eternal estate, that take any thoughts about what is to come hereafter. Now we say, Nature doth nothing in vain,1 surely God would not have put such kind of workings in man about another condition, after this body shall moulder away, but that there is somewhat that doth concern some other part of man besides that bodily substance of his.
Fourthly, There is a spirit in man beyond this bodily substance: for when this bodily substance is decaying, mouldring away, there are many thoughts in a man about an eternal estate, and more fresh and lively sometimes when the body is mouldring away, than ever there was before; there are no creatures but Angels and men that take any cognizance of an eternal estate, that take any thoughts about what is to come hereafter. Now we say, Nature doth nothing in vain,1 surely God would not have put such kinde of workings in man about another condition, after this body shall moulder away, but that there is somewhat that doth concern some other part of man besides that bodily substance of his.
- 1Deus & natura nihil agu•t frustra.
Fifthly, and then lastly, There is certainly a spirit in man beyond his bodily substance: for we know that there are real pains and torments upon a mans spirit. The burdens of conscience in the reflex act that a mans conscience hath upon himself summoning of him to appear before the great God: Though a mans body be in never such health, and hath all outward accommodations about him, as music, good cheer, friends, estate, yet there is that horror and torment in his spirit, sometimes through the consciousness of the guilt of sin, that he is not able to bear: nay were there not somewhat beyond this bodily substance, certainly this could never be; verily then there is a spirit in man, and hence therefore you see that there is somewhat doth concern you all beyond your present, outward, and bodily condition. Let no man think that he hath provided well for himself, when he hath provided money, and house, and lands, and good cheer, and