Q. 85. Death being the wages of fin, why are not the righteous delivered from death, feeing all their fins are forgiven them by Chrift?

A. The righteous fhall be delivered from death itself at the last day, and even in death are delivered from the sting and curfe of it g; fo that, altho' they die, yet it is out of God's love h, to free them perfectly from fin and mifery i, and to make them capable of further communion with Christ in glo ry, which they then enter upon k.

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

A. The communion in glory with Chrift, which the members of the invifible church enjoy immediately after death, is in that their fouls are then made perfect in holiness 1, and received into the highest heavens m, where they behold the face

85. g 1Cor.15.26. The last ene my that fhall be deftroyed,isdeath. -0.55.O death, where is thy fting? Ograve,where is thyvictory?v.56. The fting of death is fin, and the ftrength of fin is the law. v.57. But thanks be to God,which giveth us the victory,through our Lord Jefus Chrift, Heb.2.15. Anddeliver them who through fear of death, were all their life-time fubject to bondage.

h Ifa. 57. 1. The righteous perifheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none confidering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. v. 2. He fhall enter into peace, they fhall reft in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. 2Kings 22. 20. Behold, therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace, & thine eyes fhall not fee all the evil which I will bring upon this place.

i Rev.14.13. And Iheard avoice fromheaven,faying untome, write, bleffed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth: yea, faith the Spirit, that they may reft from their labours; & their works

of

do follow them. Eph.5.27.Thathe might prefent it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing; but that it fhould be holy, and without blemish.

k Luke 23.43. And Jefus faid unto him, verily 1 fay unto thee, to day fhalt thou be with me in paradife.Phil. 1. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift; which is far better.

86.1 Heb.12.23. 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 juft men made perfect.

m2 Cor. 5.1. For we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were diffolved, we have a building ofGod,an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. v.6. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst 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, 1. 23,

For

of God in light and glory n; waiting for the full redemption of their bodies o, which even in death continue united to Christ P, and rest in their graves as in their beds 9, tili at the laft day they be again united to their Souls r. Whereas the Souls of the wicked are at their death caft into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness; and their bodies kept in their graves, as in their prisons, until the refurrection and judgment of the great day f.

Q.87. What are we to believe concerning the refurrection? A. We are to believe, that at the laft day there fhall be a general refurrection of the dead, both of the juft and unjuft t; when they that are then found alive shall in a moment

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a defire to depart,and to be with Chrift; which is far better, compared with Acts3.21. Whomthe heavenmuft receive,until the times of reftitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his prophets,fince the world began. And with Eph. 4. 10. He that defcended,is the fame alfo that af cended up far above all heavens, that he might fulfill all things.

n 1 John 3; 2. Beloved, now are we the fons ofGod, and it doth not yet appear what we fhall be: but we know,that when he fhall appear we fhall be like him; for we shall fee him as he is. 1 Cor. 13. 12. For now we fee through a glafs, darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part; but then fhall Iknow even as alfo I am known.

o Rom, 8.23.And not only they, but ourselves alfo, which have the firft-fruits of thefpirit,even we our felvesgroan within ourselves,waiting for the adoption, to wit,the redemption of our body. Pfal. 16.9. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also fhall reft in hope,

PI Theff.4,14. For if we believe that Jefus died and rofe again,even fo them alfo which fleep in Jefus, will God bring with him.

Ifa. 57. 2. He fhall enter into peace: they fhall reft in their beds eachone walkinginhis uprightnefs.

be

r Job 19.26. And though after my ikin,worms deftroy this body, yet in my flefh fhall fee God: v. 27. Whom I fhall fee for myfelf and mine eyes fhall behold, and not another; though my reigns be confumed within me.

f Luke 16.23.And in hell he lift up his eyes,being in torment, and feeth Abraham afar off, And Lazarus in his bofom. v, 24. And he cried and faid, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, & fend Laza rus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water & cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. Acts1.25.That he may take part of this miniftry and apostleship, from which Judas by tranfgreflion fell, that he might go to his own place. 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 thegreatday. v.7. Even asSodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication,andgoing after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, fuffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

87. t Acts 24.15. And have hope towardGod, which they themselves alfo allow, that there fhall be a re furrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

V I Cor.

be changed; and the self-fame bodies of the dead which were laid in the grave, being then again united to their fouls for ever, fhall be raised up by the power of Chrift v. The bodies of the juft, by the fpirit of Chrift, and by vertue of his refurrection as their head, fhall be raised in power, spiritual, incorruptible, and made like to his glorious body w: And the bodies of the wicked fhall be raised up in dishonour by him as an offended judge x.

Q.88.What shall immediately follow after the refurrection? A. Immediately after the refurrection fhall follow the ge neral and final judgment of angels and men y; the day and hour every man in hisown order: Christ thefirit-fruits,afterwards they that are Chrifts,at his coming. 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 difhonour,itis railed in glory: it is fown in weakness, it is raised in power; v. 44. It is fown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body Phil. 3.21. Who fhall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his gloriousbody,according to the working whereby he is able even tofubdueall things unto himself.

v1 Cor. 15. 51. Behold,I fhew you a myltery; We fhall not all fleep, but we shall all be changed. v.52.In amoment,inthe twinkling of an eye, at the laft trump(for the trumpet fhall found) and the dead thall be raised incorruptible, & we fhall be changed. v. 53. For this sorruptible mult put on incorruption, and this mortal mult put on immortality.1 Thefl.4.15.Forthis we fay unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord,fhall not prevent them which are afleep.7.16. For the Lord him felf fhall defcend from heaven with a fhout, with the voice of the archangels,andwith thetrump of God: and the dead in Chrift fhall rife firft; v. 17. Then we which 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. 5, 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 havedone goodunto the refurrection of life;and they that have done evil, unto the refurrection of damnation.

WI Cor. 15.21For fince by man came death, by man came allo the refurrection of the dead,v. 22. For as in Adam all die, even fo in Chrift Thall all be made alive, v. 23. But

x John 5. 27. And hath given himauthority to execute judgment alfo,because he is the Son of man. v. 18. Marvel not at this for the hour is coming, in the which all that arein their graves fhall hear his voice. v. 29.And fhall come forth they that have done good,untothe refurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the refurrection of damnation. Mat. 25: 33. And he fhall fet the theep on his right hand,butthe goats on theleft.

88. y 2 Pet. 2.4. For if God fpared not the angels that finned, but caft them down to hell,and de livered them into chains of darknefsto be referved unto judgment. Jude 6. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath referved in eyerlafting chains under dar

pefs

hour whereof no man knoweth, that all may watch and pray, and be ever ready for the coming of the Lord z.

Q. 89. What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgment.?

A. At the day of judgment, the wicked fhall be fet on Chrift's left hand a, and upon clear evidence, and full conviction of their confciences b, fhall have the fearful but juft fentence of condemnation pronounced again theme; and thereupon fhall be caft out from the favourable presence of God, and the glorious fellowship with Chrift, his faints, and all his holy angles, into hell, to be punished with unspeakable torments both of body and foul, with the devil and his angel sfor ever d. Q. 90.

Q. 90. What shall be done to the righteous at the day of judgment?

A. At the day of judgment, the righteous, being caught up to Chrift in the clouds e, fhall be fet on his right hand, and there openly acknowledged and acquitted f,shall join with him in the judging of reprobate angels and men g: And shall be received into heaven E, where they fhall be fully and for ever freed from all fin and mifery i; filled with inconceivable joys k; made perfectly holy and happy both in body and foul, in the company of innumerable faints and angels 1, but especially in the immediate vifion and fruition of God the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and of the holy spirit to all eternity m. And this is the perfect and full communion, which the members of the invisible church fhall enjoy with Chrift in glory, at the refurrection and day of judgment.

deftruction from the prefence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.

90. e 1 Theff. 4. 16. Then we which are alive, and remain, fhalf 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.

f Mat, 25. 33. And he fhall fet the fheep on his right hand,butthe goats on the left. Mat. 10, 32. Wholoever therefore fhall confefs me before men,him will I confefs alfo before my Father which is in heaven.

g 1 Cor. 6. 2. Do ye not know that the faintsfhalljudge theworld? And if the world fhall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the fmalleft matters! v.3. Know ye not that we fhall judge angels? how much more then the things that pertain to this life?

h Mat. 25. 34. Then fhall the King fay unto them on his right hand, Come,ye bleffed of my Father,inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, ". 46. And these fhall go a-. way into everlafting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Ha

i Eph.5.27.That he might prefent it to himfelfaglorious church not having spot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing; but that it fhould be holy and without blemish.Rev.14. 13. And I heard a voice from heaven, faying unto me, Write, bleffed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth: yea, faith the fpirit, that they may reft from their labours; and their works do follow them.

k Pfal. 16. 11. Thou wilt fhew me the path of life: in thy prefence is fulness of joy,atthy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

IHeb. 12.22.Butye arecome unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly lerufalem, and to an innumerable company of angels. v. 23. To the general affembly, & church of the firft-born which are written inhea ven, and to God the judge of all, and to the fpiritsof jufts men made perfect.

mi John3. 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 fhall appear we fhall be like him; for we fhall fee him as lie is.1 Cor. 13. 21. For

now