Whom the heaven must receive, until mouth of all his holy prophets since by way of humble petition, in cases extraordinary; or by sok cí way of advice for satisfaction of conscience, if they be anter thereunto required by the civil magistrate '. CHAP. XXXII. Of the State of Men after Death, and of the the Resurrection of the Dead. THE bodies of men after death return to dust, and see corruption"; but their souls, (which neither die nor ŭ sleep,) having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them 6. The souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest i be heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies *; and thic That your faith should not stand in To-day shalt thou be with me in the wisdom of men, but in the power paradise. Eccl. xii. 7. Then shall the of God; 2 Cor. i. 24. Not for that dust return to the earth as it was: we have dominion over your faith, and the spirit shall return unto God but are helpers of your joy: for by who gave it. faith ye stand. © Heb. xii. 23. To the general V.'f Luke xii. 13. And one of assembly and church of the firstthe company said unto him, Master, born, which are written in heaven, speak to my brother, that he divide and to God the judge of all , and to the inheritance with me. Ver. 14, the spirits of just men made perfect. And he said unto him, Man, who 2 Cor. v. 1. For we know, that if made me a judge or a divider over our earthly house of this tabernacle you? John xviii. 36. Jesus answer were dissolved, we have a building ed, My kingdom is not of this world: of God, an house not made with if my kingdom were of this world, hands, eternal in the heavens. Ver.6. then would my servants fight, thať. Therefore we are always confident, I should not be delivered to the knowing that whilst we are at home Jews: but now is my kingdom not in the body, from hence. Lord;. Ver. 8. We are confident, I I. a Gen, iii. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till from the body, and to be present thou return unto the ground; for out with the Lord. Phil. i. 23. For I am of it wast thou taken: for dust thou in a strait betwixt two, having a deart, and unto dust thou shalt return. Acts xiii. 36. For David, after he had sire to depart, and to be with Christ ; served his own generation by the which is far better. With Acts iii. 21. will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid the times of restitution of all things, 6 Luke xxiii. 43. And Jesus said we are absent from the say, and willing rather to be absent He none. the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judg. ment of the great day. Besides these two places for souls separated from their bodies, the scripture acknowledgeth II. At the last day, such as are found alive shall not die, but be changed and all the dead shall be raised up with the self-same bodies, and none other, although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls for III. 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. CHAP ever. Lift take 20 He that descended is the same also 1. € 1 Thess. iv. 17. Then we that ascended up far above all hea which are alive and remain shall be vens, that he might fill all things. caught up together with them in Luke xvi. 23. And in hell he the clouds, to meet the Lord in the up his eyes, being in torments, air : and so shall we ever be with the and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lord. 1 Cor. xv. 51. Behold, I shew Lazarus in his bosom. Ver. 24. you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, And he cried, and said, Father but we shall all be changed, Ver. 52. Abraham, have mercy on me, and In a moment, in the twinkling of an send Lazarus, that he may dip the eye, at the last trump: for the trumtip of his finger in water, and cool pet shall sound, and the dead shall be my tongue; for ( acı tormented in raised incorruptible, and we shall be this flame. Acts i. 25. "That he may changed. part of this ministry and apos f Job xix. 26. And though after tleship, from which Judas by trans ny skin worms destroy this body, gression fell, that he might go to his yet in my flesh shall I see. God; own place. Jude, Ver. 6. And the Ver. 27. Whom I shall see for myself, angels which kept not their first and mine eyes shall behold, and not he hath reserved in everlasting chains estate, but left their own habitation, another, though my reins be con sumed within me. 1 Cor. xv. 42. under darkness, unto the judgment So also is the resurrection of the dead. of the great day. Ver. 7. Even as It is sown in corruption, it is raised in Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities incorruption : Ver. 43. It is sown in about them, in like manner giving dishonour, it is raised in glory: it is themselves oyer to fornication, and sown in weakness, it is raised in going after strange flesh, are set forth power: Ver, 44. It is sown a natilfor an example, suffering the ven ral body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is hope ed unto the spirits in prison." CHAP. XXXIII. Of the Last Judgment. GOD OD hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the periode world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged", but it be likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their ani thoughts, words, and deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evila II. The end of God's appointing this day is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy in the eternal salvation of din the hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be more things that pertain to this life? Jude, Ver. 6. (See letter d Chapter a resurrection of the dead, both of foregoing.] 2 Pet. ii. 4. For if God the just and unjust. John v. 28. spared not the angels that sinned, but Marvel not at this: for the hour is cast them down to hell, and deliver. coming, in the which all that are in ed them into chains of darkness, to the graves shall hear his voice, be reserved unto judgment. Ver. 29. And shall come forth; they d 2 Cor. v. 10. For we must all that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have Christ, that every one may receive appear before the judgment-seat of done evil, unto the resurrection of the things done in his body, accord. damnation. 1 Cor. xv. 43. [See in ing to that he hath done, whether it better f.] Philip. iii. 21. Who shall be good or bad. Eccl. xii. 14. For change our vile body, that it may be God shall bring every work into fashioned like unto his glorious body, judgment, with every secret thing, according to the working whereby whether it be good, or whether it he is able even to subdue all things be evil. Rom. ii. 16. In the day unto himself. when God shall judge the secrets of 1. Acts xvii. 31. Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will men by Jesus Christ, according to judge the world in righteousness by dost thou judge thy brother ? or why my gospel . Rom. xiv. 10. But why that man whom he hath ordained ; whereof he hath given assurance unto dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the all men, in that he hath raised him judgment-seat of Christ. Ver . 12 from the dead. John v. 22. For the Father So then, every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Mat. judgeth no man; but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: xii. 36. But I say unto you, That Ver. 27. And hath given him autho: they shall give account thereon in every idle word that men shall speak, rity to execute judgment also, be. cause he is the Son of man. the day of judgment. Ver. 37. For ci Cor. vi. 3. Know ye not that by thy words thou shalt be justified, we shall judge angels? how much condemnedo and by thy words thou shalt be II. (Mat . 10 the elect, and of his justice in the damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient. For then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fulness of joy and refreshing which shall come from the presence of the Lord; but the wicked, who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into eternal torments, and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power III. As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin, and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity; so will he have that day unknown to men, that they 11. " [Mat. xxv. 31. to the end.] versation and godliness? Ver. 14. Rom. ii . 5. But after thy hardness Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye and impenitent heart, treasurest up look for such things, be diligent that unto thyself wrath against the day ye may be found of him in peace, of wrath, and revelation of the righ- without spot, and blameless. 2 Cor. teous judgment of God; Ver. 6. v. 10. (See letter d.] Ver. 11. Knowa Who will render to every man ac ing therefore the terror of the Lord, cording to his deeds. Rom. ix. 22. we persuade men; but we are made What if God, willing to shew his manifest unto God, and I trust also. wrath, and to make his power are made manifest in your consciences.. known, endured with much long 2 Thess. i. 5. Which is a manifest suffering the vessels of wrath fitted token of the righteous judgment of to destruction : Ver. 23. And that he God, that ye niay be counted wormight make known the riches of his thy of the kingdom of God, for glory on the vessels of mercy, which which ye also suffer. Ver. 6. Seeing be had afore prepared unto glory?: it is righteous thing with God to Mat . xxv. 21. His lord said unto. recompense tribulation to them that. him, Well done, thou good and faith trouble you; Ver. 7. And to you, ful servant; thou hast been faithful who are troubled, rest with us, over a few things, I will make thee when the Lord Jesus shall be reruler over many things: enter thou vealed from heaven with his mighty into the joy of thy lord. Acts iii, 19. angels. Luke xxi. 27. And then Repent ye therefore, and be con shall they see the Son of man coming verted, that your sins may be blotted in a cloud, with power and great ont, when the times of refreshing glory. Ver. 28. And when these : shall come from the presence of the things begin to.come to pass, then Lord, 2 Thess. 1. 1-10. (See in look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. III, f 2 Pet: iii. 11. Seeing then Rom. viii. 23. And not only they, that all these things shall be dis but ourselves also, which have the solved, what nianner of persons first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ought ye to be in all holy con. ourselves groen within ourselves, , waiting the Bible.) H 3, LAR they may shake off all carnal security, and be always for their lord, when he will return at midnight, saith, Surely I come quickly; Amen. op at the cock-crowing, or in the Even so, come, Lord Jesus. |