A85953:462
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 2: The Second 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.
So it is with many a man that hath a fine outside, covered over it may be with a great many outward excellencies, but within their spirits nothing but carrion, nothing but abominable stuff that is filthy and loathsome in the eyes of God; as a sore leg may have a fine stocking o• boot upon it; and so a sore putrefied soul may have a brave outside upon it. But that God that is a Spirit, that looks unto Spirit, and those men that know what spiritual excellency means, if they see a man or woman have a filthy, defiled, corrupt soul, they cannot but esteem of them accordingly. Whatsoever the body, or the out-side be, those are the most excellent in Gods esteem, and the holy Angels, and the Saints, that have the most excellent ⟨p. 228⟩souls, for that is the best part of man.
So it is with many a man that hath a fine outside, covered over it may bee with a great many outward excellencies, but within their spirits nothing but carrion, nothing but abominable stuff that is filthy and loathsome in the eyes of God; as a sore legg may have a fine stockin o• boot upon it; and so a sore putrified soul may have a brave outside upon it. But that God that is a Spirit, that looks unto Spirit, and those men that know what spiritual excellency means, if they see a man or woman have a filthy, defiled, corrupt soul, they cannot but esteem of them accordingly. Whatsoever the body, or the out-side bee, those are the most excellent in Gods esteem, and the holy Angels, and the Saints, that have the most excellent ⟨p. 228⟩souls, for that is the best part of man.
Use. 5 But fifthly, If the soul of man be so excellent, Oh let us bless God for our souls, bless God, I say, that hath given unto you these immortal souls that are of so great a worth: Oh what cause have every one of you to bless God that he did not make you a Toad, a Dog, a Snake, that he did not make you any vile brute creature, but that when you were before him in the common lump out of which God made his creatures, that he would rather choose you to be one that should have an immortal soul, so precious, rather than to be a brute creature? Bless God, I say for this, for by this means,