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Q3. What is the fecond reafon for it?

A. Because at death they are as ready for heaven as ever they fhall be; John ix. 4. I must work the work of him that fent me, while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work.

Q. 4. What is the third reafon for it?

A. Because death elfe could not be gain, as it is, Phil. i. 21. For to me to live is Chrift; and to die, is gain.

Q. . What is the fourth reafon for it?

A. Because there is the fame reason for all, as for any one: But fome are immediately glorified; Luke xxiii. 43. To day fhalt thou be with me in Paradise.

Q. 6. What is the fifth reason for it?

for becaufe Chrift longs for their coming to him, and they

for his enjoyment; and thefe longings are in vain, if not fatisfied; Rev. xxii. 17, 20. And the Spirit, and the bride fay, Come. And let him that heareth, fay, Come. And let him that is athirft, come: And whofoever will, let him take the water of life freely. He which teftifieth these things, faith, Surely I come quickly. Amen, Even fo come, Lord Jefus. Q. 7. What is the firft inftruction from hence?

A. That the apparitions of departed faints ordinarily are but fables: They wander not; Rev. iii. 12. Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go

no more out.

Q. 8. What is the fecond inference ?

A. That Purgatory is a groundless fable, and invention of men; and the fcriptures alledged to countenance it, grofly a bufed; 1 Pet. iii. 19. By which also he went and preached unto the fpirits in prison.

Q. 9. What is the third inference?

A. That heaven muft needs be a marvellous furprize to believers, how long foever they have conversed with it here. Q. to. What is the fourth inference?

A. The confideration of this fhould provoke faints to work hard to finish all they have to do on earth; Ecclef. ix. 10. Whatfoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Q. 11. What is the fifth inference ?

A. That there is no reason to grieve exceffively for departed faints; I Thef. iv. 14. Even fo them also which fleep in Jefus, will God bring with him.

VOL. VIII.

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Q. 12. What is the last inference?

A. That Christless ones are immediately in hell; Luke xvi. 22, 23. The rich man alfo died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments.

Of Reft in the Grave.

Queft. 1. A. Because where fin has been, death by HY muft believers come to the grave? WHY the law must follow; Rom. v. 12. Wherefore, as by one man fin entred into the world, and death by fin; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned. Rom. viii. 10. And if Chrift be in you, the body is dead because of fin; but the Spirit is life, because of righteoufnefs.

Q. 2. What is the firft privilege of their bodies there?

A. It is the privilege of their bodies to be there in union with Chrift; Thef. iv. 14. Them alfo which fleep in Jesus, will God bring with him.

Q3. What is their fecond privilege?

A. Their graves are places of reft; not prifons, but beds of reft; Ifa. Ivii. 2. He fhall enter into peace; they fhall reft in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

Q4. What is the first evil they rest from?

A. All the toils, and troubles, and afflictions, of this life; Rev. xiv. 13. They may reft from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Q. 5. What is the fecond evil they reft from?

A. They reft from all perfecutions from men; Job iii. 17. There the wicked ceafe from troubling; and there the weary be at reft.

Q. 6. What is the third evil they reft from?

A. They reft from fin, never to feel temptation or inclination to fin; Heb. xii. 23. And to the spirits of juft men made perfect.

Q. 7. How long fhall the bodies reft in the grave?

A. Not for ever, but till the day of the refurrection; Job xix. 26. And though after my fkin, worms deftroy this body, yet in my flesh fhall I fee God.

Q. 8. What is the firft inference from hence?

A. That union with Chrift redounds to the fingular advan tage of the body, as well as the foul; Rom. viii. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raifed up Jefus from the dead, dwell in you; he that raised up Chrift from the dead, fhall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Q. 9. What is the fecond inference?

A. That death diffolves not the union betwixt Chrift and the fouls or bodies of his; Matth. xxii. 32. I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob; God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Q. 10. What is the third inference?

A. That feeing our bodies are to have so long and fo fweet reft in the grave, we should not fpare them in God's fervice now; 2 Pet. i. 13, 14. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to ftir you up, by putting you in remembrance: Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jefus Chrift hath fhewed me. Q. 11. What is the fourth inference?

A. That Chriftians fhould neither too much fear their own, nor forrow for others death; Rom. viii. 38, 39. For I am perfuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,------nor any other creature, fhall be able to feparate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thef. iv. 13. But I would not have you to be igno rant, brethren, concerning them which are afleep, that row not, even as others which have no hope.

Quest. 1.

IS

Of the Refurrection.

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S the refurrection a credible doctrine? A. Yes, it is; Acts xxvi. 8. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

Q. 2. Why then doth it seem incredible to man?

A. Because they err, not knowing the fcriptures and the power of God; Mark xii. 24. Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the fcriptures, nor the power of God? The power of God affures us it may be fo, and the word of God tells it must be fo.

Q. 3. Is it finful to doubt of the doctrine of the refurrection? A. It is not only a fin to doubt it, but an heresy to deny it, it being a fundamental article; Heb. vi. 2. And of the refurrection of the dead. 1 Cor. xv. 13, 14. But if there be no refurrection of the dead, then is Christ not rifen; and if Chrift be not rifen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Q. 4. Who must rise again at the refurrection?

15.

A. All men, good and bad, muft rife again; Acts xxiv. And have hope towards God, which they themselves alfo allow, that there fhall be a refurrection of the dead, both of the juft and the unjuft. Rev. xx. 12, 13, 14. And I faw the dead, fmall and great, ftand before God, &c.

5. What is the first difference betwixt the refurrection of the juft and unjust?

A. Saints rife by virtue of their union with Chrift; Rom. viii. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jefus from the dead, dwell in you; he that raised up Chrift from the dead, fhall alfo quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you: But the wicked by his power.

Q. 6. What is the fecond difference?

A. The fecond and main difference will be in the contrary. ends to which they rife; fome to life, and fome to condemnation; Dan. xii. 2. And many of them that fleep in the duft of the earth fhall awake, fome to everlafting life, and fome to fhame, and everlasting contempt.

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Q.7. What is the glory to which faints bodies fhall be raised? A. In the likeness of Chrift's glorious body; Phil. iii. 21. Who fhall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body.

Q. 8. What is the firft inference from hence?

A. That every man fhould ftrive to the uttermoft to attain to the refurrection of the juft; Phil. iii. 10, 11. That I may know him, and the power of his refurrection, and the fellowfhip of his fufferings, being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain to the refurrection of the dead. Q. 9. What is the fecond inference ?

A. Comfort to them that now groan under manifold diftempers, and deformities of body; they being made equal to angels; Mark xii. 25. For when they fhall rife from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels which are in heaven.

Q. 10. What is the third inference?

A. Get union with Chrift by faith, as you expect a joyful refurrection; John xi. 25. Jefus faid unto her, I am the refurrection, and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet fhall he live.

Q. 11. What is the fourth inference?

A. Saints fhould not fear death; Gen. xlvi, 3. Fear not to down into Egypt.

Q12. What is the last inference ?

A. Employ your bodies for good now.

Of Chrift's acknowledging Believers.

Queft. 38. W

Hat benefit do believers receive from Chrift

at the refurrection?

A. At the refurrection believers being raised up in glory, fball

be openly acknowledged, and acquitted in the day of judgment, and made perfectly bleffed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity. Q. 1. What is it to be acknowledged by Chrift?

A. It is Chrift's owning of the special relation betwixt him and them; Mat. xxv. 34. Come, ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Q. 2. Whom will Chrift acknowlege for his?

A. Such as confefs Chrift now; Mat. x. 32. Whofoever therefore fhall confefs me before anen, him will I confefs also before my Father which is in heaven.

Q. 3. Before whom will Chrift confefs them?

A. Before his Father, angels and men; Rev. iii. 5. He that · overcometh, the same shall be cloathed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess, his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Q. 4. Who shall be denied by Chrift in that day?

;

A. All that now deny Chrift, fhall be denied by him 2 Tim. ii. 12. If we deny him, he also will deny us. Tit. i. 16. They profefs that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Q. 5. Why will Chrift openly acknowledge them?

A. To wipe off all afperfions and cenfures that now are caft upon them; Isaiah lxvi. 5. Your brethren that hated you, that caft you out for my name's fake, faid, Let the Lord be glorified; but he fhall appear to your joy, and they shall be afhamed.

Q. 6. What will be the effect of Chrift's acknowledgment? A. It will put a full end to all doubts, fears, and jealoufies of themselves; 1 Cor. iv. 3, 4. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment; yea, I judge not my ownfelf; for I know nothing by myself, yet I not hereby juftified; but he that judgeth me, is the Lord. Q. 7. What other effect will it produce in them?

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A. Joy unfpeakable and tranfcendent: hence called time of refreshing; Acts iii. 19. When the time of refreshing shall come from the prefence of the Lord.

Q. 8. Is this the only time Chrift acknowledgeth them ?

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A. No; he acknowledgeth them by his Spirit's teftimony now, but that is private in their bofoms; Rom. viii. 16. The Spirit itfelf beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God.

Q9. What is the first inference from hence?

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