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For the Lord himself fhall defcend from Heaven with a Shout, with the Voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God, and the Dead in Chrift shall rise first; that is to fay, that our Lord Jefus fhall be manifefted with unfpeakable Glory, when he, by the tremendous Trumpet of his Angel, fhall rend the univerfal Vault, and pierce the Dormitories of the Dead; when all fhall hear his Voice, and hearing fhall awake, and awaking shall come forth.

Q. What will be the fecond Property of it?

A. It will be exact and critical, Rom ii. 16. In the Day when God fhall judge the Secrets of Men by Jefus Chrift, according to my Gofpel. And Matt. xii. 36. But Ijay unto you, That every Idle Word that Men hall Speak, they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judg

ment..

Q. What will be the third Property of it?

A. It will be an univerfal Judgment, Rev. xx. 12. And I faw the Dead, fmall and great, ftand before God, and the Books were opened. And 2 Cor. v. 10.

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Q. How is this a Part of Chrift's Exaltation? A. He now acts in the fullness of his kingly Power, condemning the ungodly World, and the rebellious Angels, to Chains of Darkness, and Dungeons of Defpair; invefting the Righteous with the Inheritance of Heaven, Matt. xxv. 34. Then fhall the King fay unto them on his right Hand, Come, ye Bieffed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World. And this will roll away the Reproach of the Enemies against him and his People, Rev. i. 7. Behold, he cometh with Clouds, and every Eye fhall fee him, and they alfo which pierced him. And then fhall be Jeen the Difference between the Righteous and the Wicked, between him that ferveth God, and him that Jerveth him not, Mal. iii. 18. When he fhall fay unto them on the left Hand, Depart from me, ye Curled, into everlafling Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Matt, xxiv. 14. And these shall go

away

away into everlaflidg Punishment; but the Righteous into Life eternal, Verse 46.

The 52d Question of the HEIDELBERG CATECHISM.

Q. WHAT Confolation does the returning of our Saviour to judge the Quick and the Dead,

bring to us?

"A. That in all my Afflictions and Perfecutions, "I expect with Joy the very fame from Heaven (who

prefented himself beforehand for my Sake at the "Tribunal of God, and turned off all the Curfe "from me) as a Judge, to Sentence all his and "mine Enemies to eternal Damnation; but who,

'66 on the contrary, is to receive me and all the Elect "into celeftial Joy, and everlafting Glory."

Q. What learn we hence?

A. ft, That Believers fhall not be caft in Judg ment, Rom. viii. 1. There is therefore now no Condemnation to them that are in Chrift Fefus. 2dly, The deplorable State of Chrift's Enemies, Luke xix. 27. But thofe mine Enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and flay him before me. Q. What then ought every one to do?...

A. To give all Diligence to be found of him in Peace, 2 Pet. iii. 14. Wherefore, beloved, feeing that ye look for fuch Things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in Peace.

Of GOD the Holy Ghost.

The 53d Question of the HEIDELBERG

CATECHISM.

Q. WHAT do you believe of the Holy Ghost? "A. 1, That he is with the Father

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"and the Son, the true and coeternal God. 2dly, "That he is alfo given me, that by a true Faith he may make me a Partaker of Jefus Chrift and all "his Benefits, that he may comfort me, and abide "with me for ever."

Q: Is the Holy Ghost only a Property or Strength in God?

A. No. He is the Third Perfon in the Trinity, the fame in Subftance, equal in Power and Glory with the Father and Son, the true and eternal God, Acts v. 3, 4. Peter faid, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine Heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? Thou hast not lied unto Men, but unto God. 2 Cor. iii. 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty. And therefore we are baptifed in his Name, Matt. xxviii. 19.

Q. But how doth it appear that he is God?

A. Because he has the fame Excellencies with God, fuch as his Names, Properties, Works and Glory. Q. What Names are given unto him?

A. Not only God, As v. 3, 4. God of Ifrael, 2 Sam. xxiii. 2, 3. but alfo Jehovah, Jef. vi. 3. As xxviii. 25.

Q. What are his Properties, as mentioned in Scrip

ture?

A. Omniprefence, Pf. cxxxix. Omnifcience, 1 Cor. ` ii. 10. Omnipotence, Jef. xi. 2. Eternity, Gen. i. 2. Q. What are his Works?

A. The Creation, Pf. xxxiii. 6. The Restoration of the City and Temple, Zach. iv. 6. The Incarnation of Chrift, Luke i. 35. Chrift's Unction, Jef. Ixi. 1. P. xlv. 8. The Refurrection from the Dead, Rom. viii. 11. Q. What Operations and Government in and over the Church, are attributed to him?

A. The Operation in the Prophets, Num. xi. 25. 2 Pet. i. 20, 21. The Qualification of the Apofles, Acts ii. 1, 13. The fending of the Ministers, Aéts ix. 15. The Inftruction of the People of God, Neh. ix. 20...

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Q. Are

Q. Are there any more?

A. Yes. He illuminates and regenerates Sinners.. he infpires them with Prayer, and leads them in the. Truth; enables them to their Duty, and fits them. for Heaven, P. cxix. 18. Pf. cxliii. 10. John iii. 3.. Rom. viii. 14.

Q. What Glory are we obliged to give him?

A. To be obedient unto him, P. xcv. 7. Topray to him for his Bleffings, Matt. xxviii. 19. And, T fubject our felves wholly unto him, 1 Cor. iii, 16.

Q. Do not the true Believers receive him as their Sanctificator?

A. Yes; for by his Operation only we get a true Faith, 1 Cor. xii. 9. By him we must be fanctified, 2 Thef. ii. 13. And by Faith he makes us Partakers of Jefus Chrift, and all his Benefits, Heb. iii. 14. So that he dwells in our Heart, Eph. iii. 17.

Q: What does the Holy Ghot farther to promote our Sanctification?

A. He confoles us in all our Adverfity and Croffes, ftrengthening our Faith; he filleth us with the Love of God, Rom. v. 3. 5. He affures us of our Adoption. Rem. viii. 16. 17. And even allo of an happy Iffue. 1 Cor. x. 13. God is faithful, who will not fuffer you to be tempted above what ye are able; but will with the Temptation alfo make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Q. How does he finish our Sanctification?

A. He abides for ever with me; namely, to sustain and preferve me from falling off, John xiv. 16. Yea, he has fealed me unto the Day of Redemption, Eph. iv. 30. Q. What do you infer from hence?

A. That the Catechift hath pointed out unto his Difciple the ftrongeft Means, and has fhewn the fureft Way to a certain Confolation; by which alfo the Purity and Strength of our reformed Doctrine appears.

Q. And what do you learn now from it ?

A. That

A. That we without the Operation of the Holy Ghost cannot be Partakers of Jefus Chrift, or of his Benefits; and we ought confequently to be very forry for our Want of the Spirit, by whom only we can be regenerated and fanctified; yea, without his inlightening and fanctifying Influence, we can never hope to fee God in an everlafting Glory, Heb. xii. Therefore we ought to endeavour, with the greatest Supplication and Humiliation before his Throne, to pray for his Operation in us, whereby we may be illuminated in our Understanding, to know the wonderful Things of God's Law, and the glorious Myfteries of his Gospel; and be fanctified in our Will both Soul and Body, to live wholily before that fupreme Being, according to his Word, in a true Communion with Jefus Chrift; upon which we may, with all faithful Believers be affured, that the Holy Ghoft will preferve us unto the Day of Redemption. The 54th Question of the HEIDELBERG

Q. W

CATECHISM

HAT do you believe concerning the Holy
Catholick Church?

A. That the Son of God has chofen to himself out of all Mankind, for Life eternal, a Church; which from the Beginning to the End of the "World, he gathers, defends, and maintains by his "Spirit and Word, in the Unity of the true Faith; "and that I am a living Member of that Church, and fhall continue fuch eternally."

Q. What do you mean by the Church?

A. All those which God out of his meer good Pleafure from all Eternity hath elected, and by his Word and Spirit called out of their miferable State of Nature, to the Communion of God and Chrift, and them, which will be called to everlasting Life.

Q. How are they called in the Scripture?
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A. The

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