1 The bodies of men after death return to dust, and see corruption;¹ but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them.² 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;³ 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;⁴ besides these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none.

¹Genesis 3:19; Acts 13:36 ²Ecclesiastes 12:7 ³Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6, 8; Philippians 1:23; Hebrews 12:23 ⁴Jude 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;⁵ and all the dead shall be raised up with the selfsame bodies, and none other;⁶ although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls forever.⁷

⁵1 Corinthians 15:51, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ⁶Job 19:26, 27 ⁷1 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.⁸

⁸Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29; Philippians 3:21