8. DEVOTIONAL EXERCISE FROM THE ANSWER

Thanksgiving. But we thank thee that thou, in great mercy to mankind, didst, in eternity, contrive a plan to save sinners. Thou hast, from love to us, sent thine only Son Jesus Christ to this world, from his eternal glory in heaven, to save us from hell, and to procure for us eternal life in heaven.

9. DEVOTIONAL EXERCISE FROM THE LESSONS. O Lord, (1.) keep us from trusting for salvation in any other way than in that which has thee for its author. May we (2.) be compassionate and kind to each other, and always (3) love thee who has first loved us; and (4.) when we recollect how much has been done for us by Christ, may we be constrained, for his sake, to do good to others, and be (5.) willing to deny ourselves little temporal conveniences, when such denial shall tend to promote their spiritual good. May we (6.) use every endeavour, and be constantly desirous that we, and all around us, with whom we are connected, may escape, by faith in Christ, from the wrath which is to come; and be enabled (7.) to set our best affections upon the things of heaven, and not upon the things in the earth.

10. PARAPHRASE FORMED.

God, in [the exercise of infinite compassion and kindness] to [the fallen and helpless children of Adam,] from [a time which had no beginning,] [thought of, and devised] a [method, or scheme,] to [preserve from destruction] [mankind, who had ruined themselves.]—He, from [pure unmerited affection and kindness] to us, sent his only Son Jesus Christ to [the earth on which we dwell,] from [that glorious and happy abode, which he had enjoyed from eternity,] in heaven, to [accomplish for us a complete deliverance] from [endless torment

and misery,] and to [get for us, by a perfect obedience in our room,] [never-ending] life in [those glorious.and happy mansions where peace and joy are ever found.]

10.

10. Q. What kind of a place is heaven? A. Heaven is a happy place. It is full of glory, without sorrow, and sin is there unknown. There God appears in his glory; there Jesus our Mediator sits at the right hand of God; there the holy angels praise God continually; there are the redeemed; and there are the eternal mansions which our Lord has prepared for all believers.

1. VERBAL AND GENERAL EXERCISE.
What is heaven here said to le?
What is a happy place?
Of what is heaven full?
What is full of glory?
What is heaven without?

What is without sorrow?

What is said of sin, with respect to heaven?

What is unknown in heaven?

Where is sin unknown?

How does God appear in heaven ?

Who appears in glory in heaven ?
In what does God appear?

Where does God appear in his glory?
In whose glory does God appear?
What is here said of Jesus in heaven?
What is Jesus here said to be?
Whose mediator is Jesus?

Where is Jesus?

Where does Jesus sit in heaven?

At whose hand does Jesus sit?

At which hand of God does Jesus sit ?

E

Who sits at the right hand of God?

What is here said of the holy angels in heaven ?
Where are the holy angels?

What kind of angels are they who are in heaven?

What do the holy angels do in heaven?

Whom do the holy angels praise in heaven ?

When do the holy angels praise God?

What do the holy angels do continually?

Where do the holy angels praise God continually?

Where are the redeemed?

What mansions are in heaven?

What kind of mansions are they which are in heaven? Who has prepared those eternal mansions in heaven? Whose Lord prepared these mansions?

What has our Lord done to these mansions?

For whom has Christ prepared these eternal mansions ? What has been prepared for all believers ?

Where has Christ prepared these mansions for believers? For how many believers are mansions prepared in heaven ?

2. NUMERICAL EXERCISE.

How many things are here stated as belonging to heaven? (Two.-1. Happiness. 2. Glory.) What is the first? &c.

How many things are here stated, as not being in heaven? (Two.-1. Sorrow. 2. Sin.) What is the first? &c.

How many classes of persons are here stated, as being in heaven? (Four.-1. God. 2. Jesus, our Mediator. 3. Holy angels. 4. The redeemed.) What is the first? &c. How many things are here stated with respect to the mansions in heaven? (Three-1. They are eternal. 2. They have been prepared by Christ. 3. They have been prepared for believers.) What is the first? &c.

3. DOCTRINES SEPARATED.

How many doctrines are in this answer? (Nine.-1. Heaven is a happy place. 2. Heaven is full of glory. 3. Heaven is without sorrow. 4. Sin is not known in heaven. 5. In heaven, God appears in his glory. 6. In heaven, Jesus sits at the right hand of God. 7. In heaven, the angels praise God continually. 8. The redeemed are in heaven. 9. The eternal mansions which Christ has prepared for all believers, are in heaven.) What is the first? &c.

4. EXPLANATIONS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. Happy place, place of pure enjoyment.

Glory, brightness and splendour.

Sorrow, pain, anxiety, or grief.

There unknown, neither seen nor felt in that blessed place.

Appears, reveals himself.

Mediator, advocate and intercessor.

At the right hand of God, in the chief place of honour, authority, and power.

Holy, pure and sinless.

Praise, rejoice and sing to the glory of.

Continually, without weariness or intermission.

The Redeemed, those whom Christ has purchased by his blood.

Eternal mansions, glorious abodes which continue for

ever.

Prepared, procured and made ready.

Believers, those who believe in, and receive him as their Saviour.

5. DOCTRINES PROVED.

74. (1.) Heaven is a happy place.-Psal xvi. 11. In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

75. (2.) Heaven is full of glory.-Matt. xiii. 43. Then

shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father

76. (3.) Heaven is without sorrow or pain.-Rev. xxi. 4. And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

77. (4.) Sin is not known in heaven.-Rev. xxi. 27. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie.

78. (5.) In heaven God appears in his glory.-Rev. xxii. 5. There shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light.

79. (6.) In heaven Jesus sits at the right hand of God. -Col. iii. 1. Where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

80. (7.) In heaven the angels praise God continually.— Rev. v. 11. And I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne.

81. (8.) The redeemed are in heaven.-Rev. vii. 9. I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands

82. (9.) The eternal mansions are in heaven which Christ has prepared for his people.-John xiv. 2. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. go to prepare a place for you.

[For Doctrines in Rhyme, &c. see Appendix.]

6. LESSONS FROM THE DOCTRINES. From these doctrines we learn,

(1.) That we should always prefer heaven to earth. (2.) That we should not put too great a value on the glories of this world.

(3.) That we should look for complete happiness only in

heaven.

(4.) That sin is the cause of all our misery.