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 ...

Objection

True, it might be so to Paul, who was eminent in grace, and ripe for glory; but it may be loss to others who have not attained the heighth of his holiness, or assurance.

Sol.

The true and plain sense of the Objection is this, whether Heaven and Christ be as much gain to him that enjoys it, though he be behind others both in grace, and obedience; as it is to them who are more eminent in grace, and have done and suffered more for its sake? and let it be determined by your selves: but if your meaning be, that Paul was rea∣dy for death, and so are not you: his work and course was almost comfortably finished, and so is not yours: his death therefore must needs be gain to him, but it may be loss to you; even the loss of all that you are worth for ever.

To this I say, the Wisdom of God orders the time of his peoples death, as well as all other Circumstances about it: and in this, your hearts may be at perfect rest, That being in Christ you can never die to your loss, die when you will. I know you will reply, that if your Union with Christ were clear, the Controversie were ended: but then you must also consider, they are as safe who die by an act of re∣cumbency upon Christ, as those that die in the fullest assu∣rance of their interest in him.

And beside, your Reluctancies and Aversations to death, are none of your way to assurance; but such a strong aversa∣tion to sin, and such a vehement desire after, and love to Christ as can make you willing to quit all that is dear and desireable to you in this World, for his sake, is the very next door or step to assurance, and if the Lord bring your

hearts to this frame, and fix them there, it is not like you will be long without it.

But to return, Paul had here valued life, with a full allow∣ance of all the benefits and advantages of it, To me to live is Christ: that is, if I live, I shall live in Communion with Christ, and service for Christ, and in the midst of all those Comforts which usually result from both. Here's life with the most weighty and desireable benefits of it laid in one scale, and he lays death, and probably a violent death too; for of that he speaks to them afterwards in Chap. 2.17. thus he fills the Scales, and the Balance breaks on deaths side, yea, it comes down with a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a far far better.

But here falls in (* 1.1 as an Excellent Person observes) a Rubb in the way: there are in this case two Judges, the Flesh and Spirit, and they cannot agree upon the values, but con∣tradict each other. Nature saith, It's far far better to live than to die, and will not be beaten off from it. What then? I hope you will not put blind and partial nature in competi∣tion with God also; as you do life with death: but seeing Nature can plead so powerfully, as well as Grace, let us hear what those strong reasons are, that are urged by the flesh on lifes side, and what the Soul hath to reply and plead on deaths side, (for the Body can plead and that charmingly too, though not by words and sounds) and then determine the matter as we shall see cause: but be sure prejudice pull not down the Balance.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr. How in Mrs. Margaret Baxter's Fu∣neral Sermon.