against thee, because thou haft left thy firft love. Yet grace cannot be totally or finally loft: For the feed of God remaineth in the fanctified; I John iii. 9. Whofoever is born of God, doth not commit fin; for his feed reniaineth in him: And he cannot fin; because he is born of God.

Q.9. Is there no hope of falvation for final apoftates?

4. No, the gofpel gives none; Heb. x. 38. But if any man draw back, my foul fhall have no pleasure in him.

Q.10. What is the first instruction from hence?

A. It warns all men to lay a good foundation, left the buildings of hope be over-turned when the ftorm comes; Matth. vii. 24, 25. Therefore, whofoever heareth thefe fayings of mine, and doth them, I will liken him unto a wife man which built his house upon a rock : And the rain defcended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

Q. II. What is the second inftruction?

A. That all men fhould look to themfelves, left they lose the things which they have wrought; 2 John, verfe 8. Look to yourselves, that ye lofe not thefe things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 1 Cor. x. 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he ftandeth, take heed left he fall.

Q. 12. What is the laft inftruction?

A. Let no true Chriftian be difcouraged, how weak foever, for God is able to make him ftand; Rom. xv. 4 Who art thou that judgeft another man's fervant? To his own mafter he standeth or falleth; yea, he shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand. Of Perfection at Death.

Quest. 37.

HAT benefits do believers receive from Chrift at their death?

WHAT

A. The fouls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pafs into glory; and their bodies being fill united to Chrift, do reft in their graves till the refurrection.

Q. I. What is the ftate of perfect holiness?

A. It confifts in a perfect freedom from fin, or the least inclinations to fin; Eph. v. 27. That he might prefent it to himself a glorious church, not having fpot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Q. 2. Wherein elfe doth perfection confift?

4. It confifts in the attainment of the highest measures and degrees of holiness the creature is capable of; Eph. iv. 12, 13. For the perfecting of the faints,--Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift.

Q. 3. Cannot this be attained whilft in the body?

A. No, for here all our graces are imperfect; 2 Cor. xiii. 12. For now we fee through a glafs darkly; but then face to face. And we

live at a diftance from God; 2 Cor. v. 6. Whilft we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.

Q4. How is this attained at death?

A. At death the roots of fin are pulled up out of the believer's nature; Heb. xii. 23. And to the fpirits of juft men made perfect. Q. 5. Why muft the foul be made perfect at death?

A. Because the purity of the heavenly ftate admits nofin or imperfec tion; Rev. xxi. 27. And there shall in no wife enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatfoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Q. 6. What is the first inference from hence ?

A. That death fhould be lovely and defirable in the eyes of believ ers; Phil. i. 23. Having a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift; which is far better.

Q. 7. What is the fecond inference?

A. That God hath provided fingular relief for his people that now groan under their fins, and many imperfections; 1 Cor. xiii. 12. For now we fee through a glafs darkly; but then face to face: Now I know in part; but then thall I know even as I am known.

Q. 8. What is the third inference ?

A. That the heavenly ftate is infinitely above and beyond whatever we enjoy here; 1 Cor. ii. 9. But as it is written, eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Q. 9. What is the fourth inference ?

A. That believers are but at a small distance from the fatisfaction of all their defires; Rom. xiii. 11. For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Q. 10. What is the fifth inference?

A. That the faints fhould earnestly pursue that perfection, even in this imperfect ftate; Phil. iii. 13, 14. Brethren, I count not myfelf to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting thofe things which are behind, and reaching forth to thofe things which are before, I prefs towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Chrift Jefus.

Q.11. What is the fixth inference ?

A. That death to the faints is better than life; Phil. i. 21. For to me to live is Chrift, and to die is gain.

Q. 12. What is the last inference?

A. That faith is abfolutely neceffary to entitle us to this perfect ftate.

Quest. 1.

Of immediate Glorification.

O all that die in Chrift immediately pass into

Do glory?

A. Yes, they do; Luke xxiii. 43. To day fhalt thou be with me in Paradife; Phil. i. 23. Having a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift.

Q. 2. What is the first reafon for their immediate glorification? A. Because heaven is prepared and ready for them; Matth. xxv. 34. Come, ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Q3. What is the fecond reafon for it?

4. 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.

Q4. What is the third reafon for it?

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

Q5. What is the fourth reafon for it?

A. Because there is the fame reafon 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 reafon for it?

A. 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 testifieth these things, faith, Surely I come quickly. Amen, Even fo come, Lord Jefus.

Q7. What is the first instruction from hence?

A. That the apparition 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 fhall go no more

out.

Q. 8. What is the fecond inference?

A. That Purgatory is a groundlefs fable, and invention of men; and the fcriptures alledged to countenance it, grofly abused; 1 Pet. iii. 19. By which alfo he went and preached unto the spirits in prifon.

Q. 9. What is the third inference?

A. That heaven muft needs be a marvellous furprize to believers, how long foever they have converfed with it here.

Q. 10. 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. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wifdom, in the grave, whither thou goeft.

11. What is the fifth inference?

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

VOL. VI.

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Q. 12. What is the laft inference?

A. That Chriftlefs 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.

Queft. 1.

Of Reft in the Grave.

HY muft believers come to the grave?

WHY

A. Becaufe where fin has been, death by the law must follow; Rom. v. 12. Wherefore, as by one man fin entered into the world, and death by fin; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned. Rom. viii. 10. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of fin; but the fpirit is life, because of righteousness.

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; I Theff. iv. 14. Them alfo which fleep in Jefus, will God bring with him.

Q. 3. What is their fecond privilege?

A. Their graves are places of reft; not prifons, but beds of reft; Ifa. lvii. 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 reft 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 rest from?

A. They rest from fin, never to feel temptation or inclination to fin; Heb. xii. 23. And to the fpirits 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 destroy this body, yet in my flesh hall I fee God.

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

A. That union with Chrift redounds to the fingular advantage of the body, as well as the foul; 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.

Q9. What is the second 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?

4. That feeing our bodies are to have fo long and so sweet rest in the grave, we fhould 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 muft put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jefus Christ 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. i Theff. iv. 13. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are afleep, that ye forrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Queft. 1.

Of the Refurrection.

S the refurrection a credible doctrine?

Is a

A. Yes, it is; Acts xxvi. 8. Why fhould it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God fhould raise the dead? Q. 2. Why then doth it feem 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 may be fo, and the word of God tells it must be fo.

it

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 herefy 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 Chrift not rifen; and if Christ be not rifen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

Q. 4. Who nuft rife again at the refurrection?

A. All men, good and bad, muft rife again; Acts xxiv. 15. 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 unjust, Rev. xx. 12, 13, 14. And I faw the dead, fmall and great, ftand

before God, &c.

Q. 5. What is the firft difference betwixt the refurrection of the juft and unjust!

A. Saints rife by virtue of their union with Chrift; Rom. viii. II. 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: 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,