Paul die, not otherwise than Nero
and other wicked persons die--yet the righteous believe that in death
they will be saved unto eternal life. And this hope is not vain, for
they have Christ, who receives their souls, and will, on the last day,
raise up also the bodies of his believers unto eternal life.

85. This class of allegory is of great service, and tends to comfort
the heart when you consider the contrast in the ultimate outcome. The
testimony of the material eye would seem to confirm the statement of
Solomon (Ec 2, 16) that the wise man dieth as the fool, that the
righteous man dieth as though he were not the beloved of God. But the
eyes of the soul must view this point of difference, that Israel
enters into the Red Sea and is saved, while Pharaoh, pressing upon the
heels of Israel, is overwhelmed by the waves and perishes. It is the
same death, then, which takes away the righteous and the wicked, and
almost always the end of the former is ignominious, while that of the
latter is attended by elements of splendor and power; but in the eyes
of God, while the death of sinners is deplorable, that of his saints
is precious, for it is consecrated by Christ, through whom it becomes
the beginning of eternal life.

86. As the flood and the Red Sea were instruments to save Noah and
Israel from death, so to us, death is but the instrument to give us
life, if we remain in faith. When the children of Israel were in
utmost peril, suddenly the sea parted and rose on the right side and
on the left, like an iron wall, so that Israel passed through without
danger. Why was it? In order that so death might be made to serve
life. Divine power overcomes the assaults of Satan. Thus it was in
Paradise. Satan purposed to slay all mankind by his venom. But what
happens? By reason of the truly happy guilt of our first parents, as
the Church sings, it comes to pass that the Son of God became
incarnate to free us from evil.

87. This allegory, then, beautifully teaches, strengthens and consoles
us, enabling us to fear neither death nor sin, but to despise all
perils, giving thanks to God that he has so called and dealt with us
that even death, the universal destroyer, is compelled to be a servant
of life, just as the flood, an occasion of destruction to the rest of
the world, was one of salvation for Noah; and the Red Sea, when
Pharaoh met his doom, served to save the children of Israel.

88. What has been here expressed, finds applicat