bodies of the just, by the Spirit of Christ, and by virtue of his resurrection as their head, shall be raised in power, spiritual, and incorruptible, and made like to his glorious body: (1)

tery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound; and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Thess. iv. 15, 16, 17. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 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. John v. 28, 29.

(1) 1 Cor. xv. 21, 22, 23, 42, 43, 44. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. [It is evidently the scope of the apostle's argument in this passage, to prove, that as all the natural seed of Adam, their covenant-head, were subjected to death by his offence; so all the spiritual seed of Christ, their new covenant-head, shall be raised from death, to an immortal life of glory and blessedness, by virtue of his resurrection. It is therefore a perversion of the Scripture, to adduce this text as a proof of universal redemption.] But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.So also is the resurrection of the dead: it is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. Phil. iii. 21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. Dan. xii. 2.

and the bodies of the wicked shall be raised up in dishonour by him as an offended judge. (1) Q. 88. What shall immediately follow after the resurrection?

A. Immediately after the resurrection shall follow the general and final judgment of angels and men: (2) the day and hour whereof no man knoweth, that all may watch and pray, and be ever ready for the coming of the Lord. (3)

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

A. At the day of judgment, the wicked shall be set on Christ's left-hand, (4) and upon clear

(1) John v. 28, 29. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. Dan. xii, 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Matt. xxv. 33.

(2) 2 Pet, ii. 4. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment. 2 Cor. v. 10. For we must all appear before the judg ment seat of Christ: that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Rev. xx. 12.

(3) Matt. xxiv. 36, 42, 44. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.-Watch, therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.-Therefore be ye also ready : for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh. Luke xxi. 35, 36.

(4) Matt. xxv. 33. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

evidence, and full conviction of their own consciences, (1) shall have the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them; (2) and thereupon shall be cast out from the favourable presence of God, and the glorious fellowship with Christ, his saints, and all his holy angels, into hell, to be punished with unspeakable torments both of body and soul, with the devil and his angels for ever. (3)

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

A. At the day of judgment, the righteous, being caught up to Christ in the clouds, (4) shall be set on his right hand, and there openly acknowledged and acquitted, (5) shall join

(1) Rom. ii. 15, 16.

Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing, or else excusing one another; in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

(2) Matt. xxv. 41, 22. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat, &c.

(3) Matt. xxv. 46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment. 2 Thess. i. 8, 9. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. Luke xvi. 26. John iii. 36. Mark ix. 43, 44; xiv. 21.

(4) 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.

(5) Matt. xxv. 33. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand. Matt. x. 32. Whosoever therefore shall

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with him in the judging of reprobate angels and men (1) and shall be received into heaven, (2) where they shall be fully and for ever freed from all sin and misery; (3) filled with inconceivable joys; (4) made perfectly holy and happy both in body and soul, in the company of innumerable saints and angels, (5) but especially in the immediate vision and fruition of God the Father, of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, to all eternity. (6)

confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

(1) 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3. Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?-Know ye not that we shall judge angels?

(2) Matt. xxv. 34, 46. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world :-But the righteous into life eternal.

(3) Eph. v. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle. Rev. vii. 17. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Rev. xiv. 13.

(4) Ps. xvi. 11. Thou wilt show me the path of life; in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. 1 Cor. ii. 9.

(5) Heb. xii. 22, 23. But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 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.

(6) 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

And this is the perfect and full communion, which the members of the invisible church shall enjoy with Christ in glory, at the resurrection and day of judgment.

Having seen what the Scriptures principally teach us to believe concerning God, it follows to consider what they require as the duty of man.

Q. 91. What is the duty which God requireth of man?

A. The duty which God requireth of man is obedience to his revealed will. (1)

Q. 92. What did God at first reveal unto man as the rule of his obedience?

A. The rule of obedience revealed to Adam in the estate of innocence, and to all mankind in him, beside a special command, not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was the moral law. (2)

Q. 93. What is the moral law?

even as also I am known. 1 Thess. iv. 17, 18.-So shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. Rev. xxii. 3, 4, 5.

(1) Deut. xxix. 29. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. Mich. vi. 8. 1 Sam. xv.

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(2) Rom. x. 5. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by them. Rom. ii. 14, 15.-Which show the work of the law written in their hearts. Gen. ii. 17.