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 ...

One COROLLARY.

Long to be associated with the Spirits of just men made perfect. You that are going to joyn that blessed Assem∣bly, will even in this respect gain an invaluable advantage. 'Tis true, there is much of comfort in the present Con∣verses of embodied, and imperfect Saints: 'tis sweet to fast and pray, to sigh and groan together; 'tis sweeter to re∣joyce and praise our God together. 'Tis sweet to talk of Hea∣ven with our faces thitherward: but alas! what is this to the

converses that are among the Spirits of just men made per∣fect! With what melting hearts have we sometimes sate under the doctrine of the Gospel. How have our ears been chained with delight to the Preacher's lips whilst he hath been discoursing of those ravishing subjects, Christ and Heaven! But alas! How dry and dull a thing is the best of this, to the language of Heaven! Three things debase and spoil the communications of the Saints on Earth, viz. the darkness, dulness, and frothiness thereof.

1. The darkness and ignorance of our understanding. How crude, weak, and indigested are our highest and purest no∣tions of spiritual things! We speak of them but as chil∣dren, 1 Cor. 13.11. For alas, the vail is yet upon our faces. The Body of sin, and the Body of flesh cast a very dark sha∣dow upon the world to come: But the apprehensions of se∣parated Souls are most bright and clear. This darkness begets mistakes, mistakes beget so many quarrels and janglings that our fellowship on earth loseth at once both its profit and pleasure.

2. There is much dulness and deadness accompanying the Communion of Saints on earth, abundance of precious time is wasted among us in unprofitable silence, and when we engage in discourses of Heaven, that discourse is often little better than silence. Our words freeze betwixt our lips, and we speak not with that concernedness and warmth of Spirit which suits with such subjects.

It is not so among our brethren above: their affections are at the highest peg, giving glory to God in the highest.

3. To conclude, in the discourses of the best men on Earth, there is too much froth and vanity. Many words like water run away at the wast spout; but there, God is the Centre in which all terminates. O therefore let us long to be among the unbodied people. This World will never suit us with companions in all things agreeable to the desires of our hearts. The best company are got toge∣ther in the upper room: an hour there, is better than an Age below. What ever fellowship Saints leave on earth, they shall be sure to find better in Heaven.