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 IV.

WHat an invaluable mercy is the pardon of sin, which sets the Soul out of all danger of going to this prison! When the debt is satisfied, a man may walk as boldly before the prison door, as he doth before his own: they that owe nothing, fear no Bayliffs. 'Tis the Law (as I said before) that commits men to Prison, a Mittimus is but an instrument of Law; but the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in them that believe, Rom. 8.4. Yea, they are made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21. There can be no process of Law against them. For who shall condemn, when

it is God that justifieth? Rom. 8.33, 34. And that divine justice might be no bar to our faith or comfort, he adds, It is Christ that died; and yet farther to assure us that his death hath made ple∣nary satisfaction to God for all our sins and debts, it added, Yea, rather that is risen again. q. d. If the debts of believers to God were not fully paid and satisfied for by the blood of Christ, how comes it to pass that our Surety is discharged, as by his Resur∣rection he appears to be? O Believer, thy Bonds are Cancelled, the hand-writing that was against thee is nailed to the Cross, the blood of Christ hath done that for thee, that all the Gold and Silver in the World could not do, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. It is a coun∣ter price,* 1.1 fully answering to thy debts, Matth. 20.28. And hence to the Eternal joy of thy heart result three properties of thy pardon, which are able to make thine eyes gush out with tears of joy whilst thou art reading of it.

1. It is a free pardon to thy Soul; though it cost Christ dear, it costs thee nothing. We have redemption, even the remission of sins, according to the riches of his grace, Eph. 1.7. The project of it was Gods, not thine; the price for it was Christs blood, not thine: the glory and riches of free grace are illustriously dis∣played in thy forgiveness.

2. It is as full, as it is free; a compleat and perfect cause produ∣ceth a compleat and perfect effect, Acts 13.39. Iustified from all things, what ever thy sins be for nature, number, or circumstances of aggravation, they cannot exceed the value of the meritorious cause of Remission. The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin.

3. It must be as firm, as it is free and full, even an irrevoca∣ble pardon for ever more. Christ did not shed his blood at an hazzard, the way of justification by faith, makes the promise sure, Rom. 4 16. The justified shall never come again under con∣demnation. O the unspeakable joy that flows from this Spring! O the triumphs of faith upon this foundation!

It is not ravishing, melting, overwhelming, and amazing, to think thus with thy self? Here sit I with a joyful plenary free pardon of sin in my hand, whilst many who never sinned to that height and degree I have, lye groaning, howling, sweating, and trembling under the indignation of God poured out like fire upon their Souls in Hell. A greater sinner saved, and lesser dam∣ned. O how unspeakably sweet is that rest into which my terri∣fied and diquieted Soul is come by faith! Rom. 5.1. Heb. 4.3. We which have believed do enter into rest. O blessed calm, after a

dreadful Tempest! This poor breast of mine was lately pant∣ing, sweating, trembling under the horrors of wrath to come, terrified with the visions of Hell. No other sound was in mine ears, but that of fiery indignation to devour the adversaries. O what price can be put upon my quietus est? What value upon a pardon, delivered as it were at the ladders foot! O precious hand of faith that receives it! but oh the most precious blood of Christ which purchased it! If Satan now come with his accusa∣tions, the law with its comminations, death with its dreadful sum∣mons, I have in a readiness to answer them all.

Here is the law, the wrath of God, and everlasting burnings; the just demerit of sin upon one side; and a poor sinful crea∣ture on the other side: but the Covenant of grace hath solv'd all. An Act of oblivion is past in Heaven, I will forgive their iniquities, and their sins and transgressions will I remember no more. In this Act of Grace my Soul is included; I am in Christ, and there is no condemnation. Dye I must, but damned I shall not be: My debts are paid, my bonds are cancelled, my Conscience is qui∣eted; let death do its worst, it shall do me no harm, that blood which satisfies God, may well satisfie me.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 e••t pretium ex adverso respon∣dent.