and bearing witness with their spirits that they are the children of God, be infallibly assured that they are in the estate of grace, and shall persevere therein unto salvation 9. Q. 81. Are all true believers at all times assured of their present being in the estate of grace, and that they shall be saved? A. Assurance of grace and salvation not being of the essence of faith', true believers may wait long before they obtain it'; and, and, after the enjoyment thereof, may have it weakened and intermitted, through manifold distempers, sins, temptations, and desertions'; yet are they never left without such a presence and support of the Spirit of God as keeps them from sinking into utter despair". of God. 1 John iii. 14. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren: he that loveth not his brother, abideth in death. Ver. 18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed, and in truth. Ver. 19. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. Ver. 21. Beloved, if cur heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God. Ver. 24. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him: and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 1 John iv. 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. Ver. 16. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Heb. vi. 11. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the end: Ver. 12. That ye be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises. PRom. viii. 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. 41 John v. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 81. Eph. i. 13. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. $ Isa. 1. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Psal. Ixxxviii. throughout. Ver. 1. O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Ver. 2. Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; Ver. 3. For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.Ver. 6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Ver. 7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.-Ver. 9. Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: Lord, I have called daily upon thee; I have stretched out my hands unto thee. Ver. 10. wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? - Ver. 13. But unto thee have I cried, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee. Ver. 14. Lord, why castest thou off my my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? Ver. 15. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted, &c. t [Psal. lxxvii. 1. to the 12th verse.] Ver. 1. I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. Ver. 2. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. Ver. 3. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.-Ver. 7. Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? 5. Cant. v. 2. I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. Ver. 3. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? Ver. 6. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him: I called him, but he gave me no answer. Psal. li. 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness: that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Ver. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit. Psal. xxxi. 22. For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before Q. 82. What thine eyes; nevertheless thou heard. est the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. Psal. xxii. 1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 1 John iii. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. Job xiii. 15. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. Psal. lxxiii. 15. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. Ver. 23. Nevertheless, I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Isa. liv. 7. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. Ver. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. Ver. 9. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. Ver. 10. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee. 82. W2 Cor. } Q. 82. What is the communion in glory which the members of the invisible church have with Christ? A. The communion in glory which the members of the invisible church have with Christ, is in this life", immediately after death *, and at last perfected at the resurrection and day of judgment ". Q. 83. What is the communion in glory with Christ which the members of the invisible church enjoy in this life? A. The members of the invisible church have communicated to them in this life the first-fruits of glory with Christ, as they are members of him their head, and so in him are interested in that glory which he is fully possessed of; and, as an earnest thereof, enjoy the sense of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, and hope of glory; as, on the contrary, sense of God's revenging wrath, horror of conscience, and a fearful expectation of judgment, are to the wicked the beginning of their torments which they shall endure after deaths. 82. W2 Cor. iii. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. *Luke xxiii. 43. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. 1 Thess. iv. 17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 83. 2 Eph. ii. 5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved,) Ver. 6. And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Rom. v. 5. And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts 26 Q. 84. Shall by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Compared with 2 Cor. i. 22. Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. b Rom. v. 1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Ver. 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Rom. xiv. 17. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Gen. iv. 13. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Mat. xxvii. 4. Saying, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. Heb.... x. 27. But a certain fearful look ing for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 84. Shall all men die ? A. Death being threatened as the wages of sind, it is ap pointed unto all men once to die; for that all have sinned. Q. 85. Death being the wages of sin, why are not the righVteous delivered from death, seeing all their sins are forgiven in Christ? A. The righteous shall be delivered from death itself at the last day, and even in death are delivered from the sting and curse of it, so that, although they die, yet it is out of God's love, to free them perfectly from sin and misery, and to make them capable of further communion with Christ in glory, which they then enter upon *. Heb. ix. 27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. f Rom. v. 12. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. 85. 81 Cor. xv. 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. * Ver. 55. O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? Ver. 56. The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. Ver. 57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Heb. ii. 15. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. h Isa. Ivii. 1. The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth to heart; 27 Q. 86. What and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. Ver. 2. He shall enter into peace, they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. 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 shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. i Rev. xiv. 13. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. 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. k Luke xxiii. 43. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Phil. i, 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better. 86. 1 Heb. Q. 86. What is the communion in glory with Christ, which the members of the invisible church enjoy immediately after death? A. The communion in glory with Christ, which the members of the invisible church enjoy immediately after death, is, in that their souls are then made perfect in holiness', and received into the highest heavensm, where they behold the face of God in light and glory", waiting for the full redemption of their bodies, which even in death continue united to Christ, and rest in their graves as in their beds, till at the last day they be again united to their souls. Whereas 86. 1 Heb. xii. 23. To the general assembly and church of the first born, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. m2 Cor. v. 1. For we know, that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Ver. 6. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. Ver. 8. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Phil. i. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better. Compared with Acts iii. 21. Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. And with Eph. iv. 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. 1 John iii. 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 Cor. xiii. 12. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. • Rom. viii. 23. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. Psal. xvi. 9. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. P1 Thess. iv. 14. For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 4 Isa. lvii. 2. He shall enter into peace; they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. Job xix. 26. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Ver. 27. Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. L 5 Luke 1 |