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 ...

Argument I.

AND first, who that hath the free exercise of Reason, and the sense of a future eternal Estate, would care∣lesly neglect any season of Salvation, whilst he seeth all the rational world so carefully attending and watching all op∣portunities to promote and secure their lower concerns and designs for the present life?

Is not the saving of a mans Soul as weighty a concern as the getting of an Estate? You cannot but observe how care▪ Merchants are to nick the opportunity which promiseth

them a good turn. How yare poor Sea-men look out for a wind to wast them to their Port, and industriously shift their Sails to improve every slaw that may set them on in their Voyage. How many miles Tradesmen will travel to be in season at a Fayr, to put off or purchase Goods to their advantage. No entertainments, recreations, or importunities of friends can prevail with any of these to lose a day on which their business depends: all things must give way to their bu∣siness: they all understand their seasons, and will not be di∣verted. But alas, what childish toyes are all these, compa∣red with Salvation! What is the loss of a little Money, to the loss of a mans Soul? If a mans life depended upon his being at such a place, by such a precise hour, sure he would not over-sleep his time that morning; and had he but the least fear of coming too late, every stroke of the Clock would strike to his heart: and yet remisness and carelesness in such a case as this, is infinitely more excusable than in the matter of Salvation. Certainly the solicitude and care of all the world for the interests thereof, yea, your own diligence and circumspection in temporal things will be an uncontroul∣able and confounding self-conviction to you in the day of your account, and leave you without Plea or Apology for your supine neglects of the seasons of Salvation.