POST REFORMATION.
Martin Luther: "The Scriptures say that the holy and just go into the unseen world, and there enjoy the most pleasant peace and sweetest rest. As in this life they were wont to fall asleep in the guard and keeping of God and of the dear angels, without fear of harm, though the devils might prowl about them — so, after this life, they repose in the hand of God. When my soul departs, I know that highest kings and princes are appointed to attend me; namely, the dear angels themselves who will receive me and guard me on the way.* Heidelberg Catechism (A.D. 1563): "Not only my soul after this life shall be immediately taken up to Christ, its head, but also this body, raised by the power of Christ, shall be again united with my soul and made like unto the glorious body of Christ.* Westminster Confession (xxxiii, 1): "The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption; but their souls (which neither die nor sleep), having an im mortal substance, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are re ceived into the highest heavens, where they 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 torments and utter dark ness reserved to the judgment of the great day. Besides these two places for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none' .
Episcopal Prayer Book: •Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of those who depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity.' John Wesley (cLetters'): is the essential part of heaven? Undoubtedly it is to see God, to know God, to love God. We shall, then know both his nature, and his works of creation and provi dence and of redemption. Even in paradise, in the intermediate state between death and the resurrection, we shall learn more concern ing these in an hour, than we could in an age, during our stay in the body. We cannot tell indeed how we shall then exist, or what kind of organs we shall have; the soul will not be encumbered with flesh and blood; but probably it will have some sort of ethereal vehicle, even before God clothes us our noble house of empyrean light.'' 2 Catholic Encyclopedia: "The blessed dead (after the resurrection with glorified bodies) enjoy, in the company of Christ and the angels, the immediate vision of God face to face, being supernaturally elevated by the light of glory so as to be capable of such a vision. There are infinite degrees of glory corresponding to degrees of merit, but all are unspeakably happy in the eternal possession of God."