25. Is the present time of the utmost importance to such frail creatures as we are?

Behold, now is the accepted time: behold, now is the day of salvation. (II. Cor. 6. 2.)

To day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (3 Heb. 7, 8.)

26. What caution does the Apostle give to the Ephesians?

Walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (5 Eph. 15, 16.)

27. Will the day of the Lord take careless sinners by surprise?

The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night: for when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them. (I. Thes. 5. 2, 3.)

28. Has God decreed the termination of time?

And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea, and upon the earth: lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever; who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer. (10 Rev. 5, 6.)

XXXVI. DEATH AND THE GRAVE..

Entrance of death

Circumstances attending ·

Cer

tainty of Preparation for-Christian's hopes in death -Christ's dominion over death.

1. How did God pass the sentence of death on man when he sinned?

Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. (3 Gn. 19,) 2. Does sin deserve death?

The wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. (6 Ro. 23.)

3. Are the circumstances of death various?

One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.Another dieth in the bitterness of his soul.-They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them. (21 Job 23, 25, 26,)

4. Does death often come unexpectedly?

Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh. (24 Matt. 42 to 44,)

5. Does the grave await us all?

Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb. The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him. (21 Job, 32, 33.)

The worm shall feed sweetly on him. (24 Job, 20.)`

6. Is death certain?

We must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. (II. Sam. 14. 14.)

7. How did David express the nearness of death? There is but a step between me and death. (I. Sam. 20. 3.) 8. How did Job express the certainty of death?

Behold he taketh away, who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou? (9 Job, 12.)

I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. (30 Job, 23.)

9. Will death be universal?

What man is he that liveth and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? (89 P. 48.) The living know that they shall die. (9 Ec. 5.)

10. How did Job express his hope?

All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. (14 Job 14.)

11. How did the Psalmist rejoice?

This God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death. (48 P. 14.)

God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for he shall receive me. (49 P. 15.)

12. What death did wicked Balaam desire?

Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his. (23 Numb. 10.)

13. How did Job in the season of his distress allude to death?

There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary be at rest. There the prisoners rest together, they hear not the voice of the oppressor. The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master. (3 Job. 17, 18, 19.)

14. How did the Psalmist express his confidence?

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod, and thy staff, they comfort me. (23 P. 4.)

15. What is the end of the good man?

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. (37 P. 37.)

16. How did the Psalmist exult in God when his strength declined?

Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. (73 P. 24 to 26.)

17. What is the difference in the death of the wicked and the righteous?

The wicked is driven away in his wickedness, but the righteous hath hope in his death. (14 Pr. 32.)

-18. Will God ransom his people from death?

I will ransom them from the power of the grave: I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction. (13 Hosea 14.)

19. What is the last enemy?.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (I. Cor. 15. 26.)

20. How did the Apostle Paul triumph over death?

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.-That mortality might be swallowed up of life.-Whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.-We are confident I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (II. Cor. 5. 1, 4, 6, 8.)

21. Does God bless his saints in their death?

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. (116 P. 15.)

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. (14 Rev. 13.)

22. Has Christ power over death and the unseen

world?

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Rev. 18.)

23. To whom are we indebted for life and im

mortality?

Our Saviour Jesus Christ; who bath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (II. Tim. 1. 10.)

24. Does the death of Christ give the Christian firm confidence?

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage. (2 Heb. 14, 15.)

25. Was St. Paul constantly mindful of Christ's death?

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (II. Cor. 4. 10.)

26. What was Stephen's dying prayer?

Lord Jesus receive my spirit. (7 Acts 59.)

27. How does Christ encourage each of his followers?

Be thou faithful anto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (2 Rev. 10.)

28. Are true Christians very anxious to glorify God, both in life and death?

Whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore or die we are the Lord's; for to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. (14 Rom. 8, 9.)