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Pneumatologia, a treatise of the soul of man

Name: Pneumatologia, a treatise of the soul of man
Author: 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 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 ...

:1691p. 455¶3

(3.) Then do those motions of the Spirit on mens hearts make a season of Salvation to them, when they remain and settle in the heart, and are in them per modum quietis, by way of rest and abode, following the man from place to place, from day to day; so that whatever unpleasing diversions the necessities and incumbrances of this world at any time give, yet still they return again upon the heart, and will not vanish, or suffer any long suspension: but in others who lose their blessed advantage and season, it's quite contrary, Jam. 1.23, 24. They are as one that seeth his natural face in a glass, and goeth away, and forgetteth what manner of man he was: he sees some spot on his face, or disorder in his band, which he purposeth to correct, but one occurrence or another chops in, and he forgets what he saw in the glass, and so goes all the day with his spot upon him. This was an evanid light purpose, which came to nothing for want of a present execution: just so it is with many in reference to their great concerns; but if the impression abide in its strength, if it return, and follow the Soul, and will not let it be quiet, it's like then to prosper and prove the time of Mercy indeed to such Souls.

(3.) Then do those motions of the Spirit on mens hearts make a season of Salvation to them, when they remain and settle in the heart, and are in them per modum quietis, by way of rest and abode, following the man from place to place, from day to day; so that whatever unpleasing diversions the necessities and incumbrances of this world at any time give, yet still they return again upon the heart, and will not vanish, or suffer any long suspension: but in others who lose their blessed advantage and season, it's quite contrary, Iam. 1.23, 24. They are as one that seeth his natural face in a glass, and goeth away, and forgetteth what manner of man he was: he sees some spot on his face, or disorder in his band, which he purposeth to correct, but one occurrence or another chops in, and he forgets what he saw in the glass, and so goes all the day with his spot upon him. This was an evanid light purpose, which came to nothing for want of a present execution: just so it is with many in reference to their great concerns; but if the impression abide in its strength, if it return, and follow the Soul, and will not let it be quiet, it's like then to prosper and prove the time of Mercy indeed to such Souls.

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(4) An anxious solicitude and inquisitiveness about the means and ways of Salvation, speaks an effectual door of Salvation to be set open to the Souls of men, Acts 2.37 . & 16.30. Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Men and brethren, what shall we do? q. d. we are in a miserable condition. O you the Ministers of Christ instruct, counsel, and show us what course to take. Is there no Balm in Gilead? No door of hope in this Valley of Achor? Alas! we are not able to dwell with our own fears, terrors, and presages of wrath to come. O for a Messenger, one among a thousand, to teach us the way of Salvation. Thus the Lord rivets and fixes those motions in some Souls, which vanish like a morning mist or dew in others.

(4) An anxious solicitude and inquisitiveness about the means and ways of Salvation, speaks an effectual door of Salvation to be set open to the Souls of men, Acts 2.37 . & 16.30. Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Men and brethren, what shall we do? q. d. we are in a miserable condition. O you the Ministers of Christ instruct, counsel, and shew us what course to take. Is there no Balm in Gilead? No door of hope in this Valley of Achor? Alas! we are not able to dwell with our own fears, terrors, and presages of wrath to come. O for a Messenger, one among a thousand, to teach us the way of Salvation. Thus the Lord rivets and fixes those motions in some Souls, which vanish like a morning mist or dew in others.

:1693p. 455–456¶5

(5) Lastly, That which secures and completes this work, is the execution of those purposes and convictions, by falling without delay to the work of Faith and Repentance in good earnest, dallying no more with so great a concernment, standing ⟨p. 456⟩no longer at shall I? shall I? when mean while time flies away, and opportunities are in hazard to be lost: but bringing their thoughts and debates to a peremptory resolution, as the Lepers at Samaria did; and seeing themselves shut up to one only door of hope, there they resolve to take up their station, lying at the feet of Jesus Christ, and casting their poor burdened Souls upon him, whatever be the issue. When the Spirit of God ripens his first motions to this, and carries them through that critical season thus far, then there is an effectual door of opportunity opened indeed, this is an acceptable time, a day of Salvation: but O how many thousands miscarry in this season, and like trees removed from one soil to another, dye in the removal.

(5) Lastly, That which secures and compleats this work, is the execution of those purposes and convictions, by falling without delay to the work of Faith and Repentance in good earnest, dallying no more with so great a concernment, standing ⟨p. 456⟩no longer at shall I? shall I? when mean while time flies away, and opportunities are in hazard to be lost: but bringing their thoughts and debates to a peremptory resolution, as the Lepers at Samaria did; and seeing themselves shut up to one only door of hope, there they resolve to take up their station, lying at the feet of Jesus Christ, and casting their poor burdened Souls upon him, whatever be the issue. When the Spirit of God ripens his first motions to this, and carries them through that critical season thus far, then there is an effectual door of opportunity opened indeed, this is an acceptable time, a day of Salvation: but O how many thousands miscarry in this season, and like trees removed from one soil to another, dye in the removal.

:1694p. 456

But certainly, it is the most solemn and important concern of every Soul to watch upon all these seasons of Salvation, when God comes nigh to them by convictions and motions of his Spirit, and to put the same value upon these things which they do upon their Souls, and the Salvation of them. This is the door of Hope set open, a fresh gale to carry you home to your Port of Glory. Salvation is now come nigh to your Souls; there is but a little betwixt you and Blessedness. Wise and happy is that Soul which knoweth and improveth its season. To persuade and press men to discern and improve such seasons as these, is the principal work of the Preachers of the Gospel, and that special work to which I now address my self in the following Motives and Arguments.

But certainly, it is the most solemn and important concern of every Soul to watch upon all these seasons of Salvation, when God comes nigh to them by convictions and motions of his Spirit, and to put the same value upon these things which they do upon their Souls, and the Salvation of them. This is the door of Hope set open, a fresh gale to carry you home to your Port of Glory. Salvation is now come nigh to your Souls; there is but a little betwixt you and Blessedness. Wise and happy is that Soul which knoweth and improveth its season. To perswade and press men to discern and improve such seasons as these, is the principal work of the Preachers of the Gospel, and that special work to which I now address my self in the following Motives and Arguments.

:1695p. 456

Argument I.

:1696p. 456

AND first, who that hath the free exercise of Reason, and the sense of a future eternal Estate, would carelessly neglect any season of Salvation, whilst he seeth all the rational world so carefully attending and watching all opportunities to promote and secure their lower concerns and designs for the present life?

AND first, who that hath the free exercise of Reason, and the sense of a future eternal Estate, would carelesly neglect any season of Salvation, whilst he seeth all the rational world so carefully attending and watching all opportunities to promote and secure their lower concerns and designs for the present life?

:1697p. 456–457

Is not the saving of a mans Soul as weighty a concern as the getting of an Estate? You cannot but observe how care▪ Merchants are to nick the opportunity which promiseth ⟨p. 457⟩them a good turn. How yare poor Sea-men look out for a wind to wast them to their Port, and industriously shift their Sails to improve every slaw that may set them on in their Voyage. How many miles Tradesmen will travel to be in season at a Fair, to put off or purchase Goods to their advantage. No entertainments, recreations, or importunities of friends can prevail with any of these to lose a day on which their business depends: all things must give way to their business: they all understand their seasons, and will not be diverted. But alas, what childish toys are all these, compared with Salvation! What is the loss of a little Money, to the loss of a mans Soul? If a mans life depended upon his being at such a place, by such a precise hour, sure he would not over-sleep his time that morning; and had he but the least fear of coming too late, every stroke of the Clock would strike to his heart: and yet remissness and carelessness in such a case as this, is infinitely more excusable than in the matter of Salvation. Certainly the solicitude and care of all the world for the interests thereof, yea, your own diligence and circumspection in temporal things will be an uncontrollable and confounding self-conviction to you in the day of your account, and leave you without Plea or Apology for your supine neglects of the seasons of Salvation.

Is not the saving of a mans Soul as weighty a concern as the getting of an Estate? You cannot but observe how care▪ Merchants are to nick the opportunity which promiseth ⟨p. 457⟩them a good turn. How yare poor Sea-men look out for a wind to wast them to their Port, and industriously shift their Sails to improve every slaw that may set them on in their Voyage. How many miles Tradesmen will travel to be in season at a Fayr, to put off or purchase Goods to their advantage. No entertainments, recreations, or importunities of friends can prevail with any of these to lose a day on which their business depends: all things must give way to their business: they all understand their seasons, and will not be diverted. But alas, what childish toyes are all these, compared with Salvation! What is the loss of a little Money, to the loss of a mans Soul? If a mans life depended upon his being at such a place, by such a precise hour, sure he would not over-sleep his time that morning; and had he but the least fear of coming too late, every stroke of the Clock would strike to his heart: and yet remisness and carelesness in such a case as this, is infinitely more excusable than in the matter of Salvation. Certainly the solicitude and care of all the world for the interests thereof, yea, your own diligence and circumspection in temporal things will be an uncontroulable and confounding self-conviction to you in the day of your account, and leave you without Plea or Apology for your supine neglects of the seasons of Salvation.

:1698p. 457

Argument II.

:1699p. 457–458

Secondly, The consideration of the uncertainty and slippery nature of these spiritual seasons must awaken in us all care and diligence to secure and improve them. This nick of opportunity is tempus labile, a slippery season; it is but short in it self, and very uncertain. To day▪ whilst it is said to day (saith the Apostle) if ye will hear his voice, Heb. 3.15. q. d. you have now a short, uncertain, but most precious and valuable season for your Souls, lay hold on it, whilst it is called to day; for if this season be let slip, the time to come is called by another name; that is, not to day, but to morrow. Your time is the present time, take heed of procrastinating and putting it off till that which is called to day (which is your only season) be past and gone. This precious inch ⟨p. 458⟩of time, though it be more worth than all the other greater parts and portions of your time; yet it is as much in fluxu, in hasty motion and expense as other parts of time are: and being once lost, is never more to be recalled or recovered. Few men know or understand it whilst it is current: other seasons for natural or civil actions are known and stated, but the time of Grace is not so easily discerned, and therefore commonly mistaken and lost: and this comes to pass partly through 1. Presumptuous Hopes. 2. Discouraging Fears.

SEcondly, The consideration of the uncertainty and slippery nature of these spiritual seasons must awaken in us all care and diligence to secure and improve them. This nick of opportunity is tempus labile, a slippery season; it is but short in it self, and very uncertain. To day▪ whilst it is said to day (saith the Apostle) if ye will hear his voice, Heb. 3.15. q. d. you have now a short, uncertain, but most precious and valuable season for your Souls, lay hold on it, whilst it is called to day; for if this season be let slip, the time to come is called by another name; that is, not to day, but to morrow. Your time is the present time, take heed of procrastinating and putting it off till that which is called to day (which is your only season) be past and gone. This precious inch ⟨p. 458⟩

:1700p. 458¶1

1. Presumptuous Hopes, which put it too far forth, and persuade us this season is yet to come; that we have before us,¹ and that to morrow shall be as to day. Thus through presumption men hope, and by their presumptuous hopes they perish: this is the ruin of most Souls that perish.

1. Presumptuous Hopes, which put it too far forth, and perswade us this season is yet to come; that we have before us,¹ and that to morrow shall be as to day. Thus through presumption men hope, and by their presumptuous hopes they perish: this is the ruine of most Souls that perish.

1Praesumendo sperant, & sperando per•unt.

:1701p. 458¶2

2. Discouraging Fears put it too far back, and represent it as long since past and gone, whilst it is yet in being, and in our hands. By such pangs of desperation Satan cuts the very nerves of industry and diligence, and causes Souls to yield themselves as by consent for lost and hopeless, even whilst the Gospel is opening their eyes to see their sin and misery, which is a part of the work in order to their recovery. Thus the eyes of thousands are dazzled, that they cannot discern the season of Mercy, and so it slides from them, as if it had never been.

2. Discouraging Fears put it too far back, and represent it as long since past and gone, whilst it is yet in being, and in our hands. By such pangs of desperation Satan cuts the very nerves of industry and diligence, and causes Souls to yield themselves as by consent for lost and hopeless, even whilst the Gospel is opening their eyes to see their sin and misery, which is a part of the work in order to their recovery. Thus the eyes of thousands are dazled, that they cannot discern the season of Mercy, and so it slides from them, as if it had never been.

:1702p. 458

God came near them in the means of their Conversion, yea, and nearer than that, in the motions of his Spirit upon their Consciences and Affections; but they knew not the time of their visitation, and now the things of their peace are hidden from their eyes. Had those Convictions been obeyed, and those purposes that were begotten in their hearts been followed home by answerable executions of them, happy had they been to all Eternity: but their careless neglects have quenched them, and the door is shut, and who knows whether it may be opened any more? O dally not with the Spirit of God, resist not his calls, his motions upon the Soul are tender things, they may soon be quenched, and never recovered.

:1703p. 459

Argument III.

:1704p. 459

Neglect not the seasons of Mercy, the day of Grace, because opportunity facilitates the great work of your Salvation: it is much easier to be done in such a season, than it can be afterwards: an impression is easily made upon wax when it is melted, but stay a while till it be hardened, and if you lay the greatest weight upon the seal, it leaves not its impress upon it. Much so it is with the heart, there is a season when God makes it soft and yielding, when the affections are thawed and melted under the Word. Conscience is full of sense and activity, the will pliable: now is the time to set in with the motions of the Spirit: there is now a gale from Heaven, if you will take it; and if not, it tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. Neglect of the season is the loss of the Soul. The heart, like melted wax, will naturally harden again, and then to how little purpose are your own feeble essays? Heb. 3.15. 'tis both easy and successful striving, when the Spirit of God strives in you and with you; you are now workers together with God, and such work goes on smoothly and sweetly: that which is in motion is easily moved; but if once the heart be set, you may tug to little purpose.

NEglect not the seasons of Mercy, the day of Grace, because opportunity facilitates the great work of your Salvation: it is much easier to be done in such a season, than it can be afterwards: an impression is easily made upon wax when it is melted, but stay a while till it be hardned, and if you lay the greatest weight upon the seal, it leaves not its impress upon it. Much so it is with the heart, there is a season when God makes it soft and yielding, when the affections are thawed and melted under the Word. Conscience is full of sense and activity, the will pliable: now is the time to set in with the motions of the Spirit: there is now a gale from Heaven, if you will take it; and if not, it tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. Neglect of the season is the loss of the Soul. The heart, like melted wax, will naturally harden again, and then to how little purpose are your own feeble essays? Heb. 3.15. 'tis both easie and successful striving, when the Spirit of God strives in you and with you; you are now workers together with God, and such work goes on smoothly and sweetly: that which is in motion is easily moved; but if once the heart be set, you may tug to little purpose.

:1705p. 459

Argument IV.

:1706p. 459–460

THE infinite importance and weight of Salvation is alone instead of all motives and arguments to make men prize and improve every proper season for it. It is no ordinary concern, it is your life, yea, it is your eternal life. The solemnity and awfulness of such a business as this, is enough to swallow up the spirit of a man. O what an awful found have such words as these, Ever with the Lord! Suppose you saw the Glory of Heaven, the full reward of all the labours and sufferings of the Saints, the blessed harvest of all their prayers, tears, diligence, and self-denial in this world; or suppose you had a true representation of the Torments of ⟨p. 460⟩Hell, and could but hear the wailings of the damned for the neglect of the season of Mercy, and their passionate, but vain wishes for one of those days which they have lost; would you think any care, any pains, any self-denial too much to save and redeem one of these opportunities? Surely, you would have a far higher estimation of them than ever you had in your lives.

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Cited: :1694
On this page: :1691–1706
Section: :1680–1716
Whole work: 1,733 passages

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John Flavel, Pneumatologia, a treatise of the soul of man (London, 1685), p. 456. EEBO-TCP A39675.

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The book

Title as printed: 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 ...
Author: John Flavel 1630?–1691
Place: London
Bookseller: Francis Tyton
Year: 1685
Size: [28], 467, [4] p.
Words: 178,436
Catalogue: Wing F1176 · ESTC R5953
Text: EEBO-TCP A39675

Passages: 1,733
Sections: 251

Title page

The author

John Flavel 1630?–1691

PuritansEngland

Minister at Dartmouth, Devon.

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⟨p. 12⟩: a page break in the printed book

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

Argument I.

Argument II.

Argument III.

Argument IV.