A85953:482
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 3: The Third 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.
We have a story of Domitian that was a great Emperor, and yet he had such a low and mean spirit, as that he would spend the greatest part of his time in catching of Flies. This is recorded of him as an argument of the lowness and meanness of his spirit, unworthy a man of so great a dignity: Oh so our souls that God hath made ⟨p. 238⟩so high and put such glory upon, what are they busied about in most people? I remember Gregory Nyssen, he tells of some, and among others of Origen, to be of that opinion, that the souls of men were made altogether at the first Creation, and lived glorious spirits till they sinned against God, and all those that sinned against God were thrust into the bodies of men, as into a prison, and those that did not sin, they •ive still with God in glory. And Jerome, as I remember in his 32. Epist. speaks of that opinion that did prevail; and we find Plato, though a heathen, he speaks of the souls of men, and thought that they were made altogether before their bodies, if not from eternity. These men they thought the souls of men so precious, as that they could not come into the bodies of men but for their faults, as a punishment to them, because they saw how meanly mens souls lived while they were in their bodies, and therefore thought it impossible for such a precious soul as a man had, to come to live so meanly, were it not for Gods anger punishing the soul for some sin or other: Oh do not dishonour them by employing of them about unworthy and low things.
Wee have a story of Domitian that was a great Emperour, and yet hee had such a low and mean spirit, as that hee would spend the greatest part of his time in catching of Flies. This is recorded of him as an argument of the lowness and meanness of his spirit, unworthy a man of so great a dignity: Oh so our souls that God hath made ⟨p. 238⟩so high and put such glory upon, what are they busied about in most people? I remember Gregory Nyssen, hee tells of some, and among others of Origen, to bee of that opinion, that the souls of men were made altogether at the first Creation, and lived glorious spirits till they sinned against God, and all those that sinned against God were thrust into the bodies of men, as into a prison, and those that did not sin, they •ive still with God in glory. And Jerome, as I remember in his 32. Epist. speaks of that opinion that did prevail; and wee finde Plato, though a heathen, hee speaks of the souls of men, and thought that they were made altogether before their bodies, if not from eternity. These men they thought the souls of men so precious, as that they could not come into the bodies of men but for their faults, as a punishment to them, because they saw how meanly mens souls lived while they were in their bodies, and therefore thought it impossible for such a precious soul as a man had, to come to live so meanly, were it not for Gods anger punishing the soul for some sin or other: Oh do not dishonour them by imploying of them about unworthy and low things.