The Christians Alphabet, Part 2 · Section 21
W Of the state of all men dying, in respect of the soule: and of the resurrection of the body.
Q. Rehearse the letter W?
A. WE must know and beleeue, that all men dying the soules of the godly goe immediatly to heauenly ioy, the wicked to hell torments: and all of them shall at the last day rise againe in their owne bodyes, by the power of Christ, the godly to life eternall, the wicked to euerlasting damnation.
For Christ came to destroy death for vsus: and is himselfe risen from death, that wee might rise with him: and if there were no resurrection, the preaching of the word, and our faith should bee in vaine.
Q. What shall become of all men, after they hauehave liued here in this world for a time?
All men must die.A. All men, of what degree, state, and condition soeuer, yea, as well the godly as the wicked, must depart this life, by death, which is the separation of the soule from the body. For sinne hath brought this euill vponupon all mankinde, as is shewed before out of Rom. 5.12. Whereupon, in the iust iudgement of God, it is appointed vntounto men that they shall once die, and after that commeth the iudgement, Heb. 9.27. And thence is that challenge, Psal. 89.48. What man liueth, and shall not see death? shall hee deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue?
Q. How is it that the godly die, seeing death is a curse, and a punishment of sinne, which to them is pardoned?
A. Death is not to the godly a curse, Death to the godly is a blessing.but a blessing, it is not a punishment, but a benefit, and an aduantage through the death of Christ, 1 Cor. 3.21 22. Phil. 1.21. 1 Cor. 15.55.56.by whom the sting of death is so taken away, that it cannot hurt them. Yet the godly must die, for diuers causes. 1 That there may bee an end of all their sorrowes, 1 Thes. 4.13.14.labours and miseries which they endure in this world: in which respect death is called a sleepe and rest. Reu. 14.13.2 That they may be freed from sinne, and so fitted for heauen: Rom. 6.7. 1 Cor. 19.30.because flesh and blood corrupted, cannot inherit the kingdome of God. 3 That by death as by a gate, 1 Cor. 15.…6.or way they may passe into life. As the corne that is sowne is not quickened except it die.
Q. What shall become of the Soules of men when they die.
The soule goeth immediately to heauen or hell.A. When man, who is dust, shall returne to the earth as it was: Then, saith Solomon, Eccles. 12.7. the spirit shall returne vntounto God who gaue it. That is, to Gods disposing, either to ioy or torment. This our Sauiour teacheth, Ioh. 5, 24. He that heareth my word, and beleeueth in him that sent me, hath euerlasting life, and shall not come into damnation, but hath passed from death vntounto life. And as it is said before, Reu. 14.13. They rest from their labours. Example hereof we may see in the death of the Richman and Lazarus, Luk. 16.22.23. the one went immediately to heauenly ioy, the other to hall torments.
Q. What shall become of the bodies of men when they die.The bodies of all shall rise againe.
A. The bodies of men when they are dead whether they lie in their graues, or be in the sea, or wheresoeuer, shall rise againe to life. So our Sauiour teacheth, Ioh. 5.29. That all that are in the graues shall come soorth. And in the Reu. 20.12. it is said, I saw the dead small and great stand before God. And verse 13… The sea gaue vp the dead which were in it, and death, and hell or graue deliuered vp the dead which were in them. It was Saint Pauls faith and assured hope, see Acts 24.15. That the resurrection of the dead shall be both of iust and vniust. And he doth proue it at large in 1 Cor. So that hee cannot bee a good Christian that beleeueth not this article of the Christian faith.
Q. When shall the dead rise againe?
A. The time when the dead shall rise againe, At the last day.shall bee at the last day, that is, at the end of the world, when Christ shall come to iudgement. This Martha did acknowledge concerning her brother Lazarus, Ioh. 11.24. I know that hee shall rise againe in the resurrection at the last day. With the comfort of that day Christ incourageth to doe good to the poore. Luk. 14.14. And herewith the Apostle doth both comfort himselfe that had now almost runne his race, and finished his course, and incourage others to doe the like. Because there is laid vp a crowne of righteousnesse, which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giuegive at that day. 2 Tim. 4.8.
Q. With what bodies shall the dead rise?
EueryEvery one with his owne body.A. All shall rise with their owne bodies, that as the Apostle speaketh, 2 Cor. 5.10. EueryEvery man may receiue the things which are done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it bee good or euill. In this was Iob confident, and comforted himselfe with in his affliction, Iob 19.26.27. Though after my skinne, wormes destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for my selfe, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.
Q. By what power shall the dead be raised?
A. The dead shall rise againe by the power of Christ, By the power of Christ.at the hearing of his voice, and sound of the last trumpet. See Ioh. 5.28. The houre shall come, in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce: and they shall come sorth &c. Againe, 1 Cor. 15.52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall blow, and the dead shall be raised vp, &c.
Q. To what end is the resurrection of the dead?The end is to life or death eternall.
A. The end of the resurrection is that the whole man both soule and body may bee presented before the tribunall of Christ; the godly to receiue the ioyfull sentence of life, as the reward of their piety: the wicked to heare the dolefull doome of death and condemnation, as the recompence of their sinne. So saith our Sauiour, Ioh. 5.29. That they that hauehave done good shall rise vntounto the resurrection of life, and they that hauehave done euill, vntounto the resurrection of damnation.
Q. Proue that Christ came to destroy death?
Christ came to destroy death.Q. That Christ came to destroy death without which victory there could be no resurrection, it was prophesied, Hos. 13.14. I will redeeme them from the power of the graue, I will deliuer them from death. O death I will be thy death: O graue I will be thy destruction. And the Apostle alledging this prophesie, doth triumphantly praise God for it, 1 Cor. 15.54. &c. Death is swallowed vp in victory, O death where is thy sting? O graue where is thy victory? &c. But thanks be to God, which hath giuen vsus victory through our Lord Iesus Christ.
Q. Proue that Christ is risen from death?
A. The Apostle doth inuincibly proue it by many arguments in 1 Cor. 15.13▪14. &c. concluding verse 20. in this manner, Christ is himselfe risen.But now, saith hee, is Christ risen from the dead, and was made the first fruits of them that sleepe. For as hee reasoneth there, If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. But seeing he is risen, and that for vsus, it followeth nececessarily, that there must needs bee a resurrection.
Q. Proue that Christ is risen that wee might rise with him?
A. It is said, That we might rise with him.1 Thes. 4.14. If we beleeue that Iesus is dead and …is risen, euen so them which sleeepe in Iesus, will God bring with him, and 1 Cor. 15.21.22. for since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead: for as in Adam all die, euen so in Christ shall all be made aliue; therefore it is, that hee is called the first fruits of them that sleepe.
Q. Proue that if there be no resurrection, then the preaching of the Word, and our faith is in vaine?
If no resurrection, preaching and faith is vaine.A. It is the Apostles argument, to proue the resurrection, 1 Cor. 15.14. that if there be no resurrection, and so consequently Christ is not risen, then saith hee, our preaching is vaine, & your faith is also vaine, and wee are found also false witnesses of God; and verse 19. If in this life onelyonly we hauehave hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable.