A85953:595
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 5: The Fifth 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.
First, As first, When men seek advantage to themselves by any unlawful means, seek the gain of the world, or any profits or pleasures, by cheating, cozening, wronging, swearing, or forswearing; seek I say to gain any thing in such a way; there is such a thing that thou wouldest have, and that thou mayest have, if thou wilt be false in thy books, in thy reckonings, or forswear thy self for gain, I say thou dost as truly sell thy soul for the getting of that gain, as ever Conjurer did, that did contract face to face with the Devil: I would have such a gain, why, saith the Devil, (though thou dost not see him) then thou must lye, thou ⟨p. 277⟩must cozen, thou must swear, and forswear, I will do it, saith the soul; and thus thou dost many times sell thy soul to the Devil: You that are chap-men, if one should come and offer you a little matter for a commodity that is of price, you have such a piece of ware in your shops that is worth forty shillings, and one comes and offers you t•o-pence for it, why you rise in disdain against it, what: offer me two-pence for that which is worth forty shillings; oh now that your hearts would rise in disdain when the Devil comes to buy your souls! you should rise in disdain, what, shall I venture the selling of this soul of mine, that is more worth than ten thousand worlds, for such a poor gain as this is? and yet many of you do.
First, As first, When men seek advantage to themselves by any unlawful means, seek the gain of the world, or any profits or pleasures, by cheating, couzening, wronging, swearing, or forswearing; seek I say to gain any thing in such a way; there is such a thing that thou wouldest have, and that thou mayest have, if thou wilt bee false in thy books, in thy reckonings, or forswear thy self for gain, I say thou dost as truly sell thy soul for the getting of that gain, as ever Conjurer did, that did contract face to face with the Devil: I would have such a gain, why, saith the Devil, (though thou dost not see him) then thou must lye, thou ⟨p. 277⟩must couzen, thou must swear, and forswear, I will do it, saith the soul; and thus thou dost many times sell thy soul to the Devil: You that are chap-men, if one should come and offer you a little matter for a commodity that is of price, you have such a peece of ware in your shops that is worth forty shillings, and one comes and offers you to-pence for it, why you rise in disdain against it, what: offer mee two-pence for that which is worth forty shillings; oh now that your hearts would rise in disdain when the Devil comes to buy your souls! you should rise in disdain, what, shall I venture the selling of this soul of mine, that is more worth than ten thousand worlds, for such a poor gain as this is? and yet many of you do.