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Q. 82. What is the communion in glory, which the mem bers of the invifible church have with Christ?

4. The communion in glory, which the members of the invifible church have with Chrift, is in this life w, immedi ately after death x, and at last perfected at the refurrection and day of judgment y.

Q. 83. What is the communion in glory with Chrift which the members of the invifible church enjoy in this life?

A. The members of the invifible church have communicated to them, in this life, the first fruits of glory with Christ, as they are members of him their Head, and fo in him are interested in that glory which he is fully poffeffed of z; and, as an earnest thereof, enjoy the fenfe of God's love a, peace of confcience, joy in the Holy Ghoft, and hope of glory b: as, on the contrary, fenfe of God's revenging wrath, horror of confcience, and a fearful expectation of judgment, are to the wicked the beginning

face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, faith the Lord thy Redeemer, v. 9. For this is as the waters of Noal unto me: for as I have fworn that the waters of Noah fhould no more go over the earth; fo have I fworn that I would not be wroth with thes, nor rebuke thee. v. 10. For the mountains fhall depart, and the hills fhall be removed, but my kindness fhall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, f:ith the Lord that hath mercy on thee,

82. w 2 Cor. in. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Luke xxiii. 43. And refus faid nato him, Verily I fay unto thee, To day fhalt thou be with me in paradife.

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y 1 Theff. iv, 17. Then we who are alive, and semain, fhall be

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caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and fo fhall we ever be with the Lord.

83. z Eph. ii. 5. Even when we were dead in fins, hath quickened us together with Chrift, (by grace ye are faved.) v. 6. and hath raifed us up toghether, and made us fie together in heavenly places, in Chrift jefus.

a Rom. v. 5. And hope inaketh not afhamed, becaufe the love of God is fhed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us, Compared with 2 Cor. i. 22. Who alfo hath fealed us, and given the carneft of the Spirit in our hearts.

Rom. v. 1. Therefore being jufrified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. v. 2. By whom alfo we have accefs by faith into this grace wherein we ftand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Rom. xiv. 17. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteoufncis, and peace,.

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of the torments, which they fhall endure after death c. Q. 84. Shall all men die?

A. Death being threatened as the wages of fin d, it is appointed unto all men once to diee: for that all have finned f. Q. 85. Deaths being the wages of fin, why are not the righteous delivered from death, feeing all their fins are forgiven in Chrift?

A. The righteous fhall be delivered from death itself at the last day, and even in death are delivered from the fting and curse of it g, fo that, although they die, yet it is out of God's love b, to free them perfectly from fin and mifery i, and to make them capable of further communion with Chrift in glory, which they

and joy in the Holy Ghoft.

Gen. iv. 13. And Cain faid unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Mat. xxvii. 4. Saying, I have finned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they faid, What is that to us? fee thou to that. Heb. x. 27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which thall devour the adverfaries Rom. ii. 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every foul of man that doth evil, of the Jew firft, and alfo of the Gentile. Mark ix. 44. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

84. d Rom. vi. 23. For the wages of fin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jefus Chrift

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The fting of death is fin, and the strength of fin is the law. v. 57. But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Heb. ii. 15. and deliver them who through fear of death, were all their life-time fubject to bondage.

6 Ifa. lvii. 1. The righteous perifheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none confidering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come. v. 2. He shall enter into peace, they shall reft in their beds, each one walking in his uprightnefs. 2 Kings xxii. 20. Behold, therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace, and thine eyes fhall not fee all the evil which I will bring upon this place.

Rev. xiv. 13. And I heard a voice from heaven, faying unto me, Write, Bleffed are the dead who die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, faith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them, Eph. v. 27. That he might prefent it to himself a glorious church, not having fpot or wride, or any fuch thing, but that

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Q. 86. What is the communion in glory with Chrift, which the members of the invifible church enjoy immediately after death?

A. The communion in glory with Chrift, which the members of the invisible church enjoy immediately after death, is in that their fouls are then made perfect in holiness /, and received into the highest heavens m, where they behold the face of God in light and glory; waiting for the full redemption of their bodies o, which even in death continue united to Chrift p, and rest in their graves as in their beds q, till at the last day they be again united to their fouls r. Whereas the fouls of the wicked are

it should be holy, and without blemish.

k Luke xxiii. 43. And Jefus faid unto him, Verily I fay unto thee, To day halt thou be with me in paradife. Phil. i. 23. For I am in a trait betwixt two, having a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift; which is far better.

86. / Heb. xii. 23. To the general affembly and church of the first born which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the fpirits of just men made perfect.

m 2 Cor. v. 1. For we know, that if our earthly house of this taberna, cle were diffolved, we have a building of God, an houfe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. v. 6. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilft we are at home in the body, we are abfent from the Lord. v. 8. We are confident, I fay, and willing rather to be abfent from the body, and to be prefent with the Lord. Phil.i. 23. For I am in a trait betwixt two, having a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift; which is far better. Compared with acts i. 21. Whom the len muft re ceive, until the times of reftitution of all things, which God hath fpoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, Gince the world began,

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And with Eph, iv. 10, He that defcended, is the fame alfo that af cended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.

# 1 John ii. 2. Beloved, now are we the fons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we fhall be: but we know, that when he thall appear we fhall be like him; for we thall fee him as he is. 1 Cor. xiii. 12. For now we fee through a glafs darkly, but then face to face: Now I know," in part: but then fhall I know even as alfo I am known.

• Rom. viii. 23. And not only they, but ourselves alfo,who have the firit fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redempti on of our body. Pfal. xvi. 9. There, fore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh alfo fhall reft in hope.

p 1 Thef. iv. 14, For if we believe that Jefus died and rofe again, even fo them alfo who fleep in Jefus, will God bring with him.

q Ifa. lvii. 2 He fhall enter into peace: they fhall reft in their beds. each one walking in his uprightness.

r Job xix. 26. And though after my skin, worms deftroy this body, yet in my fleth fhal! I fee God: v 27. Whom I fhall fee for myfelf,

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at their death caft into hell, where, they remain in torments and utter darknefs; and their bodies kept in their graves, as in their prifons, until the refurection and judgment of the great day f

Q87. What are we to believe concerning the refurrection ?, A. We are to believe, that at the last day there fhall be a ge neral refurrection of the dead, both of the juft and unjust 1: when they that are then found alive fhall in a moment be changed; and the felf-fame bodies of the dead which were laid in the grave, being then again united to their fouls for ever, fhall be raifed up by the power of Christ v. The bodies of the juft, by the Spirit of Chrift, and by virtue of his refurrection as their head hall be raised in power, fpiritual, incorruptible, and made

and mine eyes fhall behold, and not another; tho' my reins be confum. ed within me.

#

Luke xvi. 23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and feeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bofom. v. 24. And he cried and faid, Father, Abraham, have mercy on me, and fend Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. Acts i, 25. That he may take part of this mini@ry and apoftleship, from which Judas by tranfgreffion fell, that he might go to his own place. Jude 6. And the angels who kept not their firft eftate, but left their own habitation, he hath referved in everlafting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day. v. 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after ftrange flesh, are fet forth for an example, fuffering the vengeance of eternal

fire.

87. Acts xxiv. 15. And have hope towards God, which they themselves, alfo follow, that there hall be a refurrection of the dead,

both of the juft and unjuft.

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p 2 Cor. xv. 51. Behold, I fhew you a myflery; We fhall not all fleep, but we fhall all be changed. v. 52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the laft trump (for the trumpet fhall found) and the dead fhall be raifed incorruptible, and we shall be changed. v. 53. For this corruptible mult put on incorruption, and this mortal muft put on immortality, Theff. iv. 15. For this we fay unto you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, fhall not prevent them who are afleep. v. 16. For the Lord himself fhall defcend from heaven with a fhout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Chrift fhall rife first: V. 17. Then we who are alive, and remain, fhall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and fo fhall we ever be with the Lord. John v. 28. Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves fhall hear his voice, v. 29. And fhall came forth, they thắc have done good, unto the refurrection of life; they that have done eP 3

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like to his glorious body w: and the bodies of the wicked fhall be raised up in difhonour by him as an offended judge x.

Q. 88. What shall immediately follow after the refurrection? A. Immediately after the refurrection fhall follow the general and final judgment of angels and men y: the day and hour whereof no man knoweth, that all may watch and pray, and be ever ready for the coming of the Lord z.

Q..89.

vil, unto the refurrection of damna- caft them down to hell, and delivertion.

w1 Cor. xv. 21. For fince by man came death, by man came alfo the refurrection of the dead. v. 22. For as in Adam all die, even fo in Chrift fhall all be made alive. V. 23. But every man in his own order: Chrift the first fruits, afterwards they that are Chrift's, at his coming. v. 42. So alfo is the refurrection of the dead. It is fown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. v. 43. It is fown in dishonour, it is raifed in glory: it is fown in weakness, it is raised in power: v. 44. It is fown natural body, it is raised a fpiritual body. Phil. iii. 21. Who fhall change our vile body, that it may be fashion ed like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to fubdue all things unto himself.

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* John v. 27. And hath given him authority to execute judgment alfo, becaufe he is the Son of man. v. 28. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves fhall hear his voice, v. 29. And fhall come forth, they that have done good, unto the refurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the refurrection of damnation. Mat. xxv. 33. And he shall fet the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

88.y 2 Pet. ii. 4. For if God fpared not the angels that finned, but

ed them into chains of darkness, to be referved unto judgment. Jude 6. And the angels which kept not their firft eftate, but left their own habitation, he hath referved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day. v. 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorṛha, and the cities about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after ftrange flesh, are fet forth for an example, fuffer. ing the vengeance of eternal fire. v. 14. And Enoch alfo, the feventh from Adam, prophefied of thefe, faying, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his faints, v. 16. To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard fpeeches, which ungodly finners have fpoken against him, Mat. xxv. 46. And these fhall go away into everlafling punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

z Mat. xxiv. 36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. v. 42. Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. v. 44. Therefore be ye alfo ready: for in fach an hour as you think not, the Son of man cometh, Luke xxi. 35. For as a foare fhall it come on all them that dwell

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