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 ...

Inference V.

IF the Soul be an Immortal being, that shall have no end, Then 'tis the great concern of all men to strive to the utmost for the Salvation of their Souls, what ever become of all lesser tempora∣ry interests in this world, Luke 13 24. There is a gate (i.e.) an introductive means of life and Salvation: this gate is strait, (i.e.) there are a world of difficulties to be en∣countred in the way of Salvation: but he that values and loves his never-dying Soul, must and will be diligent and constant in the use of all those means that have a tendency to Salvation, be they never so difficult or unpleasant to flesh and bloud. There be difficulties from within our selves, such as mortification, self-denyal, contempt of the World, parting with all at the Call of Christ: and difficulties from without, the reproaches, persecutions and sufferings for Christ, which would not be so great as they are, were it not for our unmortified lusts within; but be they what they will, we are bound to strive through them all, for the Sal∣vation of our precious and Immortal Souls.

(1) For 'tis the greatest concernment of the Soul, yea, of our own Souls; we are bound to do much for the saving of anothers Soul, 2 Tim. 2.10. much more for our own, this is our darling, Psal. 22. our only one.

(2) Others have done and suffered much for the saving of their Souls, and are not ours, or ought they not to be as dear to us, as the Souls of any others have been to them? Matt. 21.32.

(3) The utmost diligence is little enough to save them. Do all that you can do, and suffer all that you can suffer, and deny your selves as deeply as ever any did, yet you shall find all this little enough to secure them, 1. Pet. 4.18. The righteous themselves are scarcely saved, 1 Cor. 9.24.

(4) The time to strive for Salvation is very short and un∣certain, Luke 13.25. Iohn 12.35. 'Twill be to no purpose, when the seasons and opportunities of Salvation are once over. There is no striving in Hell, a death-pang of Despair hath seized them, hope is extinguished, and endeavours fail.

(5) Doth not Reason dictate and direct you, to do now, whilst you are in the way, as you will wish you had done, and repent with rage, and self-indignation, because you did it not, when you come to the end and behold the final issues of things? suppose but thy self now either (1) upon a death-bed lanching into Eternity; (2) or at the bar of Christ; (3) or in view of Heaven; (4) or in the sight and hearing of the damned: what think you, will you not then with, Oh that I had spent every moment in the World, that could possibly be redeemed from the pure necessities of life, in Prayer, in hearing, in striving for Salvation! From a prospect of this it was, that one spent many hours dayly on his knees to the macerating of his Body; and being admonished of the danger of health, and advised to relax, he answered, I must dye, I must dye.

Do not say,* 1.1 you have many incumbrances, and other imployments in the Word; for (1) one thing is necessary, Luke 10.42. Those are conveniences, but this is of absolute necessity. (2) They will thrive the better for this, Matth. 6.33. seek this, and they shall be added. (3) Do but re∣deem the time that can be redeemed to this purpose, let not so much precious time run waste as daily doth.

Say not,* 1.2 no man can save his Soul by his own striving, and therefore 'tis to little purpose, for it is not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy, Rom. 9.16.

True, this in it self cannot save you, but what then? must we oppose those things which God hath subordinated? bring this home to your natural or civil actions, eating, drinking, Plowing or Sowing, and see how the consequence will look.

* 1.3Say not 'tis a mercenary Doctrine, and disparages free Grace; for are not all the enjoyments and comforts of this life confessedly from free Grace, though God hath dispensed them to you in the way of your diligence and industry?

* 1.4To conclude, say not the difficulties of Salvation are in∣superable; 'tis so hard to watch every motion of the heart, to deny every lust, to resist a suitable temptation, to suffer the loss of all for Christ, that there is no hope for overco∣ming them.

For (1) God can and doth make difficult things easie to his people, who work in the strength of Christ, Philip. 4.13 (2). These same difficulties are before all others that are before you, yet it discourageth not them, Philip. 3.11. Others strive to the uttermost. There are extreams found in this matter: some work for Salvation, as an hireling for his wages, so the Papists; these disparage Grace, and cry up works. Others cry down obedience as legal, as the Antino∣mians, and cry up grace to the disparagement of duties: avoid both these, and see that you strive, but (1) think not Heaven to be the price of your striving, Rom. 4.3. (2) strive, but not for a spurt; let this care and diligence run throughout your lives, whilst you are living, be you still striving: your Souls are worth it, and infinitely more than all this amounts to.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Object. 1.
• * 1.2

  Object 2.
• * 1.3

  Object. 3.
• * 1.4

  Object. 4.