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النشر الإلكتروني

Rom. viii. 1. There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

Q. 2. How many Ways are Believers acquitted?

A. They are acquitted now in the Court of Heaven, Rom. viii. 33. Who shall lay any Thing to the Charge of God's Ele? It is God that justifieth. In the Court of their own Confciences, 1 John iii. 21. Beloved, if our Hearts condemn us not, then have we Confidence towards God. And in the Day of Judgment. Both particular, Heb. 9. 27. As it is appointed unto Men once to die, but after this the Judgment. And general, Acts iii. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your Sins may be blotted out. Their Sins are then blotted out.

Q. 3. How doth Chrift's Acquittance now, differ from that at Judgment?

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A. They differ in Respect of Publickness; this is secret in the Believer's Bofom, and that open before Men and Angels, Rev. iii. 5. I will confess his Name before my Faiber, and before bis Angels.

Q. 4. What is the second Difference?

A. They differ in Respect of subjective Certainty and Affurance. A Believer may doubt of this, but not of that, 1 Cor. iv. 4, 5. For I know nothing of myself, yet am I not hereby justified: But he that judgeth me is the Lord; therefore judge nothing before the Time, until the Lord come.

Q. 5. What is the third Difference betwixt them?

A. They differ in Point of Confolation. This always bears Proportion to the Certainty of it. Hence that Day is called the Time of refreshing; when Christ blots out their Sins by Sentencial Justification, Acts iii. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your Sins may be blotted out, when the Times of Refreshing shall come from the Presence of the

Lord.

Q. 6. Do Believers then lye under Condemnation till that Day?

A. No, they are truly and fully justified now, John v. 24. He that heareth my Word, and believeth on him that fent me, bath everlasting Life, and shall not come into Condemnation; but is paffed from Death unto Life. But this Sentence is not yet publisht by Christ's own Mouth, as it shall be then.

Q. 7. On what Account shall they be acquitted in that. Day?

A. On the very fame Account and Score they are now, viz. For the imputed Righteousness of Chrift in the Way of Free-Grace, Eph. i. 7. In whom we have Redemption through bis Blood, the Forgiveness of Sins, according to the Riches of bis

Grace.

Q. 8. Must the Saints be summoned to Christ's Bar in that Day?

A. Yes, they must appear as well as others, 2 Cor. v. 10. For we must all appear before the Judgment-feat of Chrifl. But not to the fame End, John v. 29. And shall come forth, they that have done good, unto the Refurrection of Life: and they that have done Evil, unto the Resurrection of Damnation.

Q. 9. What is the first Inference hence?

A. How fure is a Believer's Juftification, being so ratified privately and publickly, in this World, and that to come! Q. 10. What is the second Inference?

A. Though the Day of Judgment be awfully folemn, it should not be dreadful to Believers. They should look for, and haften to the coming of the Day of God, 2 Pet. iii. 12. Looking for, and haftening unto the coming of the Day of God, &c. Q. 11. What is the third Inference?

A. That Faith is a Grace of absolute Necessity, and unspeakable Excellency, Rom. v. 1, 2. Therefore being juftified by Faith, we have Peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Chrift. By whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand.

Q. 12. What is the last Inference ?

A. All Unbelievers are in a miserable State now, John iii. 18. He that believetio not, is condemned already. And worfe in the World to come, Mat. xxv. 41. Depart from me ye curfed into everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels.

Quest. 1.

Of the full Enjoyment of God.

HAT doth perfect Blessedness suppose and

Wimply do

A. It fuppofes the total Freedom of Believers from all the moral Evil of Sin, Eph. v. 27. That he might present you to

himself himself a glorious Church, not having Spot nor Wrinkle, or an fuch Thing, but that it should be holy, and without Blemish. And from all the penal Evils of Suffering, Rev. 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, for the former Things are passed away. Q. 2. What else is implied in perfect Blessedness ? A. It implies the full and perfect Enjoyment of God, 1 Cor. xv. 28. And when all Things shall be fubdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be jubject unto him that put all Things under him, that God may be all in all.

Q. 3. What is it for God to be all in all? A. It implies three Things in it. First, That all the Saints shall be filled and fatisfied from God alone. Secondly, That there shall be no Need of other Things out of which they were wont to fetch Comfort. Thirdly, That all other Things, as Heaven, Angels, Saints, should be loved and enjoyed in God.

Q. 4. In what Respect shall they enjoy God in Heaven? A. They shall have the glorious and immediate Prefence of God with them, Rev. xxi. 3. God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Q. 5. In what other Respects shall they enjoy God?

A. They shall see him as he is, 1 John iii. 2. We shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Q. 6. What will such a Vision of God produce ?

A. It will produce perfect Conformity in them to God, I John iii. 2. When be shall appear, we shall be like bim, for we shall fee him as he is. And perfect Joy will refult from hence, Pfal. xvi. 11. In thy Presence is Fulness of Joy, at thy right Hand there are Pleasures for evermore.

Q. 7. Do not the Sairts enjoy God here?

A. Yes, they do, but not so as they shall enjoy him in Heaven, 1 Cor. xiii, 12. Now we fee 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.

Q. 8. What are the special Differences between the Saints Communion with God here, and that in Heaven?

A. Their Communion with God here is clogg'd with Sin, Rom. vii. 21. I find then a Law, that when I would do

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good, Evil is present with me. Here it is not conftant, Pfal. xxii. 1. My God, my God, why haft thou forsaken me? Nor is it fatisfying: But in Heaven it will be pure, conftant and fatisfying.

Q. 9. How long shall they there enjoy God?

A. Not for Days, Years, Ages, but for ever and ever, 1 Thef. iv. 17. And so shall we be ever with the Lord. Q. 10. What is the first Instruction from hence?

A. That the World is not the Place of the Saints Reft and Satisfaction, Heb iv. 9. There remaineth therefore a Reft to the People of God, 2 Cor v. 2, 6. For in this we groan earnestly, defiring to be cloathed upon with our House which is from Heaven; therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at Home in the Body, we are abfent from the Lord. Q. 11. What is the fecond Instruction from hence?

A. That Death is a fingular Benefit to the Saints; and though it be an Enemy to Nature, yet it is the Medium to Glory, 2 Cor. v. 4. For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan, being burdened, not for that we would be uncloathed, but clearbed npon, that mortality might be swallowed up of Life. Q. 12. What is the third Instruction hence?

A. The Neceffity of Faith and Regeneration in this World. None shall be raised up in Glory, acknowledged, acquitted, and made perfectly blessed in the full Enjoyment cf God, but Believers, Rom. viii. 30. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them be also called; and whom he called, them be alfo justified; and whom he justified, them be also glorified, Heb. xii. 14. Follow Peace with all Men, and Holiness, without which no Man shall fee the Lord.

Of Man's Duty to God.

Queft. 39. W

HAT is the Duty that God requireth

of Man ?

A. The Duty which God requireth of Man, is Obedience to his revealed Will.

Q. 1. Is Obedience to God's Will the Duty of every Man?

A. It is unquestionably the Duty of every Man to obey the Will of God, fo far as he hath made it known to him,

Micah vĩ. 8. He hath shewed thee, O Man, what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love Mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

Q. 2. On what Account is Man's Obedience due to God? A. 'Tis due to him, First, As he is Creator, In whom we live, and move, and have our being, Acts xvii. 27, 28. Secondly, As he is our Benefactor, from whom we receive all our Mercies, Deut. xxviii. 47. Because thou ferveft not the Lord thy God with Joyfulness and with Gladness of Heart, for the Abundance of all Things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine Enemies, which the Lord hall send against thee, in Hunger, Thirst, and Nakedness, and in Want of all Things. Thirdly, As he is our Lord, and Law-giver, Jam. iv. 12. There is one Law-giver, who is able to fave, and to destroy.

Q. 3. Is Obedience due to none but God only?

A. Yes, Subjects must obey their lawful Magistrates, Rom. xiii. 1. Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers, for there is no Power but of God. The Powers that be are ordained of God. People their Ministers, Heb. xiii. 17. Obey them that have the

Rule over

you and submit yourselves, for they watch for your Souls, as they that must give an Account.

ildren obey

your

Parents

Children their Parents, Eph. vi. 1. in the Lord, for this is right. But not as they are to obey God.

Q. 4. What is the Difference betwixt our Obedience to God's Commands and Mens?

A. We are to obey God chiefly and supremely, for his own fake, I Pet. ii. 13. Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of Man, for the Lord's fake. And Eph. vi. 1. Children obey your Parents [in the Lord] for this is right.

Q5

What must we do when the Commands of God and Men fall cross to one another?

A. In that Case we must yield our Obedience to God, and not to Man, whatever we fuffer for it, Acts iv. 19. Whether it be right in the Sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

Q. 6.

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Why must we obey God rather than Man? A. Because God is the fupreme and Sovereign Lord of our

Confciences, and no Creature hath Power to command our

Obedience, but in, and from him, Ifa. xxxiii. 22. For the

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