A39675:366
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.
1. It cannot be liable to death, from any seeds or Principles of Corruption within it self, for where there is no composition, there is no dissolution, the Spirituality and simplicity of the Soul admits of no Corruption.
2. Nor is it liable to death, by any adverse power without it self. No Sword can touch it. No instrument of death can reach it. 'Tis above the reach of all adversaries, Matt. 10.28. Fear not them that can kill the Body, but cannot kill the Soul. The bounds and limits of creature-power are here fixed by Jesus Christ, beyond which they cannot go. They can wound, torment, and destroy the Body, when God permits them: but the Soul is out of their reach. A Sword can no more wound it, than it can wound or hurt the light, and consequently it is, and must needs be of an immortal nature.
But there seems to be a decay upon our Souls in our old Age,1 and decays argue and imply corruption and are so many steps and tendencies towards the death and dissolution thereof. The experience of the whole world shows us how the Apprehensions, Judgments, Wit, and Memory of old Men fail, even to that degree, that they become children again in respect of the abilities of their minds: their Souls only serving as it were to salt their Bodies, and keep them from putrefaction for a few days longer.
But there seems to be a decay upon our Souls in our old Age,1 and decaies argue and imply corruption and are so many steps and tendencies towards the death and dissolution thereof. The experience of the whole world shews us how the Apprehensions, Judgments, Wit, and Memory of old Men fail, even to that degree, that they become children again in respect of the abilities of their minds: their Souls only serving as it were to salt their Bodies, and keep them from putrefaction for a few days longer.