A39675:749
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.
When once the mind of man leaves the Scripture-guidance and direction, which is to it, what the Compass, or Pole-star is to a Ship in the wide Ocean; Whither will it not wander? In what uncertainties will it not fluctuate? And upon what Rocks and Quick-sands must it inevitably be cast? Many have been the foolish and groundless Conceits and Fancies of men, about the Receptacles of departed Souls.
WHen once the mind of man leaves the Scripture-guidance and direction, which is to it, what the Compass, or Pole-star is to a Ship in the wide Ocean; Whither will it not wander? In what uncertainties will it not fluctuate? And upon what Rocks and Quick-sands must it inevitably be cast? Many have been the foolish and groundless Conceits and Fancies of men, about the Receptacles of departed Souls.
1. Some have assigned them a restless wandering life, now here, now there; without any certain dwelling place any where. The only ground for this fancy, is the frequent Apparitions of the Ghosts or Spirits of the dead, whereof many instances are given; and who is there that is a stranger to such Stories? Now, if departed Souls were fixed any where, this World would be quiet and free from such disturbances.
I make no doubt but very many of these Stories have been the industrious Fictions and Devices of wicked and superstitious Votaries to gain reputation to their way, speaking lies in Hypocrisy to draw Disciples after them. And many others have been the Tricks and Impostures of Satan himself, to shake the credit of the Saints Rest in Heaven, and the imprisonment of ungodly Souls in Hell, as will ⟨p. 212⟩more fully appear, when I come to speak to that Question more particularly.