Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v9

ru. ásá 7o Chap. 30. An Expefitian upon the Took of J o B. Verf. 8, creature ofGod, and fo good, for all was good that God made : and there's an excellency in the earth as to it's ufe and ends as alto an anfwerablenes in it to thofeends and ufes for which Cod did Create it ; therefore in that refpe6t the earth is not vile, 'tis not vile in itsown nature : but the earthmay be called vile ; Firft Comparatively to other;parts of the Creation, becaufe it is lowelt, andas it were, the finke ofthe world, according to the:courfe ofnature 'Tis al fo the gtofeft part of the world, the water is finer and more pure then the earth, the aire is finer and more pure then thewater, and the fire is finer and more pure then the aire.; the earth is thegroffeft part, and, upon the mat- ter, but the droffe of the other parts. Secondly, The earth may be called vile, as to vulgar opitri- 7pfo quod pedi. on and efteem. °Tis that which everyone treads upon ; both men bu °:<'crzt fold andbaits have it continually under their feete; fo that in Com- deieffrcrer. -mon account the earth is a vile and aw thing. Dull rh,u art, L,7. and.fo du thou alt retorne; As (faith theLord, Gen. 3.19. ) ll /h if he hadPaid, thou art vile and meane in thy Original, and thou (halt conclude where thoudidlt begin: though now man feemeth to be fomewhat better then duff , yet to duct he (hall attune. And hence the body of man is called vile (Phil.3.z t . )whoJhall change our vile body : Our bodyes are called vile from feverall grounds,efpecially as they are defiled with,and inftrumentalunto fin, it is not my purpofe here to infift upon that, or thofe other grounds why the body of man is wrapt up in that humblingEpi- thete by the Spiritbf God ; but among the reft this Text leads me to call our body's vile in reference to the matter of them : the body ofthe firft man was formed out ofthe earth, and he is laid (by the Apoltle, r Cor. 15.47.) To be ofthe earth,earthly ; And as in the firft mans body, foin the bodyes of all men, earth is the predominant Element, and therefore ours are vile bodyes, the chicle ingredient of their mixture being the earth which comparatively tothofe nobler and higher Elements is but, vile. The earth is vile in this confideration, but thete men are called . viler then theearth, as to their manners and converfations, Hence note; The vilene,r ofmens gtealities and Conditions , makes them-, viler then that which is vilefi in their Cooflitution, The

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=