He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. Q. 9. What is that resurrection here spoken of? A. The resurrection here spoken of, is the last and general resurrection of all the dead that have lived in all ages, from the beginning of the creation; which will be first of the righteous, and then of the wicked at the last day. John v. 28, 29, The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrec tion of life; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. 1 Thess. iv. 16, The dead in Christ shall ise first. Q. 10. How do you prove that there shall be such a general resurrection? A. It may be undeniably proved from the power of God, and the revelation of the word. If God be of infinite power, and therefore can raise all the dead; and infinitely true, and in his word hath revealed that he will raise all the dead, then there shall be a general resurrec-› tion: but God is infinitely powerful, and can raise all the dead; and infinitely true, and in his word hath revealed that he will raise all the dead, therefore there shall be a general resurrection. The ground of the Sadducees' error, who denied the resurrection, was their ignorance in these two great foundations of this doctrine, namely, the power of God, and the scriptures. Mark xii. 24, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God, Q. 11. Shall the dead be raised with the same bodies which they had when alive before? A. The dead shall be raised with the same bodies. Job xix. 26, And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. Q. 12. How do you prove that the dead shall be raised with the same body? A. 1. Because, if the dead were not raised with the same body, it could in no proper sense be called a resur rection, but a new creation. 2. Because the first body was an instrument of righteousnes, or sin, and therefore shall share in the reward or punishment. Q. 13. Will not the bodies, when they are raised, differ from what they are now? A. The bodies which shall be raised, will not differ from what they are now, in regard of their substance and essence; but they will exceedingly differ in regard of their qualities. Q. 14. Wherein do unbelievers differ from believers at their death? 1 Pet. A. The bodies of believers are at their death shut up in the prison of the grave; and the souls of unbelievers are shut down in the prison of hell, where they are filled with horror and anguish in the company of devils and other damned spirits, and there reserved in chains of darkness until the judgment of the great day. iii. 19, 20, By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison: which sometime were disobedient.— 2 Pet. ii. 4, God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down into hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment. Q. 38. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection? A. At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity. Q. 1. How many ways may the benefits which believers receive from Christ at the resurrection be considered? A. The benefits which believers receive from Christ at the resurrection may be considered in three respects: 1. In respect of their resurrection itself. 2. In respect of the day of judgment, after their resurrection. 3. In respect of heaven, after the day of judgment. Q. 2. What is the benefit of believers in respect of their resurrection itself? A. The benefit of believers in respect of their resurrection itself, is, that they shall be raised in glory. Q. 3. What glory doth this refer unto? A. It doth refer unto the glory which shall be put up on the bodies of believers at their resurrection, which were vile bodies, both while they were putrefied in the grave, and while alive bofore, as they were instruments of sin, and subject to diseases and death, Philip. iii. 21, Who shall change our vile body. Q. 4. What is that glory which shall be put upon the bodies of believers at the resurrection? A. The bodies of believers, at the resurrection, shall be made most healthful, strong, spiritual, incorruptible, immortal, most beautiful and glorious, like unto Christ's most glorious body. Philip. iii. 21, Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. 1 Cor. xv. 42, 43, 44, 53, 54, So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Q. 5. What benefits shall believers have after their resurrection, at the day of judgment? A. At the day of judgment, 1. Believers shall be gathered together from all the corners of the earth by the angels. Matth. xxiv. 31, And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 2. Believers shall be all caught up together in the clouds, to meet the Lord Jesus, who will come down with a shout from heaven. 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17, For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. 3. Believers shall be placed on the right hand of Jesus Christ. Matth. xxv. 33, And he shall set the sheep on his right hand. 4. Believers shall be openly acknowledged by Christ to be his, and acquitted from false aspersions which have been cast upon them, and from the real guilt of all sins which have been committed by them, because of their interest in Christ and his righteousness. Matth. x. 32, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. Rom. viii. 33, 34, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died. 5. Believers shall be entertained and invited by Christ, to take possession of the glorious inheritance prepared for them. Matth. xxv. 34, Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 6. Believers shall sit with Christ as assessors in judgment of the wicked angels and wicked men. 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3, Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? Q. 6. What benefits shall believers receive after the day of judgment in heaven? A. Believers in heaven shall be made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity. Q. 7. Wherein will consist the perfect blessedness of believers in heaven? A. The perfect blessedness of believers in heaven will consist, 1. In their perfect immunity or freedom from all evil, and that both of sin and misery. Eph. v. 27, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. xxi. 4, And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. 2. In their full enjoyment of God the chiefest good. Rev. Q. 8. What doth the full enjoyment of God in heaven imply? A. The full enjoyment of God which believers shall have in heaven doth imply, 1. That they shall have the glorious presence of God with them. Rev. xxi, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them. 2. That they shall have the immediate and beatifical vision of his face. Rev. xxii. 4, And they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads. 1 Cor xiii. 12, For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face. 1 John iii. 2, We shall see him as he is. 3. That they shall have both a full persuasion and sense of God's love unto them, and perfect love in their hearts towards him, which doth neces sarily result or arise from the vision of God in heaven. 4. That they shall have fulness and exceeding joy. Psal. xvi. 11, In thy presence is fulness of joy. Jude 24, Now to him that is able to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Q. 9. What is it that will sweeten the happiness of believers in the full enjoyment of God in heaven? A. That which will sweeten the happiness of believers in their full enjoyment of God in heaven, will be the eternity thereof; that it shall be without any interrup tion, and without any end. 1 Thess. iv. 17, And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Q. 10. Wherein will differ the condition of unbeliev ers and all the wicked world, from that of believers, at the last day? A. The condition of unbelievers, and all the wicked world, will be miserable beyond expression at the last day of judgment: For, 1. Their bodies shall arise and come forth like prisoners out of the grave, and whatsoever strength and immortality shall be put upon them, will be only to make them capable of eternal torments and misery. 2. They shall with horror and dreadful shriekings see Christ coming in flaming fire, to take vengeance upon them. Rev. i. 7, Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. 2 Thess. i. 7, 8, The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel. 3. They shall stand before the throne and judgment-seat of Christ; where the books shall be opened, wherein all their sins are record |