A39675:1220
Pneumatologia, a treatise of the soul of man
Pneumatologia, a treatise of the soul of man wherein the divine original, excellent and immortal nature of the soul are opened, its love and inclination to the body, with the necessity of its separation from it, considered and improved, the existence, operations, and states of separated souls, both in Heaven and Hell, immediately after death, asserted, discussed, and variously applied, divers knotty and difficult questions about departed souls, both philosophical, and theological, stated and determined, the invaluable preciousness of humane souls, and the various artifices of Satan (their professed enemy) to destroy them, discovered, and the great duty and interest of all men, seasonable and heartily to comply with the most great and gracious design of the Father, Son, and Spirit, for the salvation of their souls, argued and pressed / by John Flavel ...Pneumatologia, a treatise of the soul of man wherein the divine original, excellent and immortal nature of the soul are opened, its love and inclination to the body, with the necessity of its separation from it, considered and improved, the existence, operations, and states of separated souls, both in Heaven and Hell, immediately after death, asserted, discussed, and variously applyed, divers knotty and difficult questions about departed souls, both philosophical, and theological, stated and determined, the invaluable preciousness of humane souls, and the various artifices of Satan (their professed enemy) to destroy them, discovered, and the great duty and interest of all men, seasonable and heartily to comply with the most great and gracious design of the Father, Son, and Spirit, for the salvation of their souls, argued and pressed / by John Flavel ...
London: printed for Francis Tyton, 1685
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.
There is a twofold weariness of life, one from an excellency of spirit, a noble principle, the ardent love of Jesus Christ, Phil. 1.23. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. Another from the mere pressures of affliction and anguish of Spirit, under heavy and successive strokes from the hand of God and men. Is it not more excellent and desirable to groan for death under a pressure of love to Christ, than of afflictions from Christ?
There is a twofold weariness of life, one from an excellency of spirit, a noble principle, the ardent love of Jesus Christ, Phil. 1.23. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. Another from the meer pressures of affliction and anguish of Spirit, under heavy and successive stroaks from the hand of God and men. Is it not more excellent and desireable to groan for death under a pressure of love to Christ, than of afflictions from Christ?
I am convinced that very many of our afflictions come upon this score and account to make us willing to dye.
Is it not sad that God is forced to bring death upon all our comfortable and desirable things in this World, before he can gain our consents to be gone? Why will you put God upon such work as this? Why cannot he have your hearts at a cheaper rate? If you could dye, many of your comforts for ought I know might live. Had Jacob come to Absalom when he sent for him the first, or second time: Absalom had never set his field of Barley on fire, 2 Sam. 14.30. And if we were more obedient to the will of God in this matter, 'tis likely he would not consume your health, and Estates, and Relations, with such heavy strks as he hath done, and will yet farther do except your wills be more compliant.