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| Chapter 31 - Of the State
of Man after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead |
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1. The bodies of men after
death return to dust, and see corruption; but their souls, which neither
die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God
who gave them. The souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness,
are received into paradise, where they are with Christ, and behold the
face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their
bodies; and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell; where they remain
in torment and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day;
besides these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture
acknowledgeth none.
Genesis 3:19; Acts 13:36; Ecclesiastes
12:7; Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6,8; Philippians 1:23; Hebrews 12:23;
Jude 6, 7; 1 Peter 3:19; Luke 16:23, 24
2. At the last day, such of
the saints as are found alive, shall not sleep, but be changed; and all
the dead shall be raised up with the selfsame bodies, and none other; although
with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls forever.
1 Corinthians 15:51, 52; 1 Thessalonians
4:17; Job 19:26, 27; 1 Corinthians 15:42, 43
3. The bodies of the unjust
shall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonour; the bodies of the
just, by his Spirit, unto honour, and be made conformable to his own glorious
body.
Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29; Philippians
3:21 |