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Confession 32.1. The
bodies of men, after death, return to dust and see corruption:(a) but their
souls (which neither die nor sleep) having an immortal subsistence,
immediately return to God who gave them:(b) the souls of the righteous, being
then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where
they behold the face of God, in light and glory, waiting for the full
redemption of their bodies.(c) And the souls of the wicked are cast into hell,
where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of
the great day.(d) Beside these two places, for souls separated from their
bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none.
(a) Gen. 3:19; Acts 13:36.
(b) Luke 23:43; Eccles. 12:7.
(c) Heb. 12:23; II Cor. 5:1, 6, 8; Phil. 1:23, with Acts 3:21 & Eph. 4:10.
(d) Luke 16:23, 24; Acts 1:25; Jude ver. 6, 7; I Pet. 3:19.
Confession 32.2. At the last day, such as are found
alive shall not die, but be changed:(e) 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 for ever.(f)
(e) I Thess. 4:17; I Cor. 15:51, 52.
(f) Job 19:26, 27; I Cor. 15:42, 43, 44.
Confession 32.3. 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.(g)
(g) Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29; I Cor. 15:43; Phil. 3:21.
Confession 33.1.
God hath appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world in righteousness, by
Jesus Christ,(a) to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father.(b) In
which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged,(c) but likewise all
persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ,
to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive
according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil.(d)
(a) Acts 17:31.
(b) John 5:22, 27.
(c) I Cor. 6:3; Jude ver. 6; II Pet. 2:4.
(d) II Cor. 5:10; Eccles. 12:14; Rom. 2:16; Rom. 14:10, 12; Matt. 12:36, 37.
Confession 33.2. The end of God's appointing this day is
for the manifestation of the glory of His mercy, in the eternal salvation of
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.(e)
(e) Matt. 25:31 to the end; Rom. 2:5, 6; Rom. 9:22, 23; Matt. 25:21; Acts
3:19; II Thess. 1:7, 8, 9, 10.
Confession 33.3. 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;(f) so
will He have that day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal
security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord
will come; and may be ever prepared to say, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly,
Amen.(g)
(f) II Pet. 3:11, 14; II Cor. 5:10, 11; II Thess. 1:5, 6, 7; Luke 21:27, 28;
Rom. 8:23, 24, 25.
(g) Matt. 24:36, 42, 43, 44; Mark 13:35, 36, 37; Luke 12:35, 36; Rev. 22:20.