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 XII.

UPon the consideration both of its excellent nature, and divine Original, it follows, That the corruption and de∣acing of such an excellent creature by sin, deserves to be lamen∣ted and greatly bewailed; and the recovery of it by sanctification to be studied, and diligently prosecuted, as the great concern of all men.

What a Beautiful and Blessed creature was the Soul of Man at first, whilst it stood in its integrity? His mind was bright, clear, and apprehensive of the Law and Will of God: His Will chearfully complied therewith, his sensi∣tive appetite, and inferiour powers stood in an obedient subordination. God made man upright, Eccles. 7.29. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 straight, and equal; bending to neither extream. The Law of God was fairly engraven upon the table of his heart. Principles of holiness and righteousness were inlayed in the very frame of his mind, fitting him for an exact and pun∣ctual discharge of his duties, both to God and Man. This was the soundness of his constitution, the healthful temper of his inner man: Whereby it became the very region of light, peace, purity, and pleasure. For think how serene, lightsome, and placid the state of that Soul must be, in which there was no obliquity, not a jarr with the divine will: But joy and peace continually transfused through all its faculties!

But sin hath defaced its Beauty, raz'd out the divine Image which was its glory, and stampt the very Image of Satan upon it: Turn'd all its noble powers and faculties against the Author and Fountain of its Being. Surely, if all the posterity of Adam, from the beginning to the end of the world, should do nothing else but weep and sigh for the sin and misery of the fall; it could not be suffici∣ently deplored: Other sins, like single bullets kill particu∣lar persons, but Adams sin like a Chain-shot mowed down all mankind at once. It murthered himself actually, all his posterity, virtually; and Christ himself, occasionally. O!

what a black train of doleful consequents attend this sin▪ It hath darkned the bright eye of the Souls understanding, 1 Cor. 2.14. made its complying and obedient will, stubborn and rebellious, Ioh. 5.40. rendered his tender heart obdurate and senseless, Ezek. 36.26. filled its serene and peaceful Conscience with guilt and terror, Tit. 1.15. The consideration of these things is very humbling, and should cause those that glory in their high and illustrious Descents, to wrap their silver Star in Cypress, and cover all their glory with a mourning Vail. But this is but one part of their duty.

How should this consideration provoke us, to apply our selves with most serious diligence, to recover our lost beauty and dignity, in the way of sanctification! This is the great and most proper use of the Fall, as Musculus ex∣cellently speaks; ut gratiam Christi eo subnixius ambiamus, to inflame our desires the more vehemently after grace.

Sanctification restores the Beauty of the Soul, which sin defaced. Eph. 4.24. Col. 3.10. Yea, it restores it with this advantage, that it shall never be lost again; holiness is the beauty of God imprest upon the Soul, and the im∣pression is everlasting▪ Other beauty is but a fading flower, time will plow up deep furrows upon the fairst faces: But this will be fresh to eternity.

All moral vertues, homilitical qualities which adorn and beautifie Nature, and make it attractive and lovely in the eyes of men; are but separable accidents, which Death discinds and crops off like a sweet flower from the stalk. Iob 4.21. Doth not their excellency that is in them go away? But sanctification is inseparable, and will ascend with the Soul into Heaven. O! that God would set the glass of the Law before us, that we may see what defiled souls we have by nature, that we might come by faith to Jesus Christ, who cometh to us by water, and by blood. 1 Ioh. 5.6.