A39675:457
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.
Inference I.
IS the Soul Immortal? Then, 'tis impossible for Souls to find full rest and contentment in any enjoyments on this side Heaven. All temporary things are inadequate; and therefore unsatisfying to our Souls What gives the Soul rest and satisfaction, must be as durable as the Soul is; for if we could possibly find in this World a condition and state of things most agreeable in all other respects to our desires and wishes, yet if the Soul be conscious to it self, That it shall and must over-live, and leave them all behind it, it can never reach true contentment in the greatest affluence and confluence of them. Man being an immortal, is therefore a prospecting Creature, and can never be satisfied with this, That it's well with him at present, except he can be satisfied that it shall be so for ever. The thoughts of leaving our delightful and pleasant enjoyments, embitters them all to us whilst we have them. All outward things are in fluxu continuo, passing away as the Waters, 1 Cor. 7.31. Riches are uncertain, 1 Tim. 6.17. They fly away as an Eagle towards Heaven, and with Wings of their own making, Prov. 23.5. (i. e.) as the Feathers that enable a Bird to fly from us, grow out of his own substance, so doth that vanity that carries away all earthly enjoyments. This alone would spoil all Contentment.
IS the Soul Immortal? Then, 'tis impossible for Souls to find full rest and contentment in any enjoyments on this side Heaven. All temporary things are inadaequate; and therefore unsatisfying to our Souls What gives the Soul rest and satisfaction, must be as durable as the Soul is; for if we could possibly find in this World a condition and state of things most agreeable in all other respects to our desires and wishes, yet if the Soul be conscious to it self, That it shall and must over-live, and leave them all behind it, it can never reach true contentment in the greatest affluence and confluence of them. Man being an immortal, is therefore a prospecting Creature, and can never be satisfied with this, That it's well with him at present, except he can be satisfied that it shall be so for ever. The thoughts of leaving our delightful and pleasant enjoyments, imbitters them all to us whil'st we have them. All outward things are in fluxu continuo, passing away as the Waters,