A39675:811
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.
3. Here the graces of the Saints are never, or very rarely acted in their highest and most intense degree. When they love God most fervently, there is some coldness in their love. Who comes up to the height of that rule, Matt. 22.37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy mind, and all thy strength. When we meditate on God, it is not in the depth of our thoughts, without some wanderings and extravagances, 'tis very hard, if not impossible for the Soul to stand long in its full bent to God.
3. Here the graces of the Saints are never, or very rarely acted in their highest and most intense degree. When they love God most fervently, there is some coldness in their love. Who comes up to the height of that rule, Matt. 22.37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy mind, and all thy strength. When we meditate on God, it is not in the depth of our thoughts, without some wanderings and extravagancies, 'tis very hard, if not impossible for the Soul to stand long in its full bent to God.
But in Heaven it doth so, and will do so for ever, without any relaxation or remission of its fervour. Christ among the Saints and Angels in Heaven, is as a mighty Load-stone cast in amongst many Needles, which leap to him, and fix themselves inseparably upon him. They all act in glory as the fire doth here, to the utmost of their power and ability. There is no note lower, than Glory to God in the highest.
4 The most spiritual Souls on earth, who live most with God, have, and must have their daily and frequent intermissions. The necessities of the Body, as well as the defectiveness of their graces require and necessitate it to be so. Our hands with Moses will hang down, and grow weary. Our affections will cool and fall, do what we can.