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3. Phil. ii. 8. He became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. Rom v. 19. By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Heb. ix. 12. By his own blood he entered into the holy place, having obtained eternal. redemption for us, 1 John i. 7. 9. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, —and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

43. Q. How could Christ obtain pardon and life for us by his doing or suffering?

A Our sios had deserved death, but Christ was the Son of God, and perfectly righteous, and God appointed him to suffer death to take away our sins, and to bring us into bis favour.

"Rom. vi. 23. The wages of sin is death. 1 Pet. iii. 18. Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God. 2 Cor. v. 21. He that knew no sin was made sin for us, that is, a sacrifice for sin. 1 Cor. xv. 3. Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. the righteous he is the propitiation for our sins. fested to take away our sins. Rom. v. 10. When we conciled to God by the death of his Son."

44. Q. Is Jesus Christ now among the dead?

1 John ii. 2. Jesus Christ 1 John iii. 5. He was maniwere enemies we were re

A. No he arose trom the dead on the third day, and afterward went up to heaven to dwell at the right-hand of God.

Eph. i. 20.

"1 Cor. xv. 4. He was buried, and he rose again the third day. God raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right-hand in heavenly places."

45. Q What is Christ now doing in heaven?

A. He pleads with God his Father to bestow mercy on men, and he rules over all things for the good of his people.

"Is. liii. 12. He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. 1 John ii. 1. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. Eph. i. 17, 22. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ-gave him to be head over all things to the church. Acts x. 36. He is Lord of all."

46 Q. What must you do to become one of his people, and to partake of this mercy?

A. I must repent of my sins, and confess them before God, and ask pardon for them; I must have faith in Christ as my Saviour, and obey him as my Lord and Ruler.

"Acts viii. 22. Repent of thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. Prov. xxviii. 13. Whoso confesseth and forsaketh, his sins shall find mercy. Luke xi. &. Forgive us our sins. Acts xvi. 31. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house. Acts v. 31. Him hath God exalted with his righthand to be a Prince and a Saviour. Heb. v. 9. He became the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him."

47. Q. What is it to repent of sin?

A. To repent of my sins is to be sorry at my heart that I have offended God, to hate every thing that displeases him, and to take heed that I offend him no

more.

"Ps. xxxviii. 18. I

To worketh repentance.

will be sorry for my sin. 2 Cor. vii. 10. Godly sorPs. cxix. 104.

I hate every false way. Job xxxiv. 32.

If I have done iniquity, I will do no more."

48. Q. What is it to have faith in Christ as your Saviour?

A. To have faith in Christ as my Saviour is, to believe that Christ is the Saviour of sinners, and to give myself up to him and to trust in him that he may save me in his own way.

"Acts viii. 37. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 1 Tim. i. 15. with 2 Tim. i. 12. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,―Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. I know whom I have believed, or trusted, and I am persuaded he is able to keep that which I have committed to him. 2 Cor. viii 5. They gave up their own selves to the Lord."

49 Q. What reason have you to hope that you shall then be delivered from the anger of God?

A. If we repent of sin and trust in Christ, God hath told us in his word that he will forgive our sins and save our souls.

"Acts iii. 19. Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out. Acts x. 43. Whosoever believeth, or trusteth, in him shall receive remission of sins. Acts xvi. 31. Believe on, or trust in, the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,"

50. Q. But is not your heart itself sinful, and have you power of yourself to repent of sin, and to trust in Christ and obey him?

A. We have sinful hearts and cannot do these duties of ourselves, but God has promised his own Holy Spirit if we pray for it, to renew our hearts to holiness, and help us to do bis will.

"2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. Eph. ii. 8. By grace ye are saved through faith: and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, Luke xi. 13, How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him? Ezek. xxxvi. 26. A new heart will I give you. Verse 27. And I will put my Spirit within you. Verse 37. I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. Rom, xii. 2. Be ye transformed by the renew. ing of your mind. Tit, iii. 5. He saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Rom. viii. 26, The Spirit also helpeth our

iofirmities,"

51. Q. How must you offer up your prayers so as to be accepted of God and obtain his holy Spirit or any blessings from him?

A. In all our prayers and all our services we must seek for acceptance only from the mercy of God and for the sake of Christ; for we have sinned and deserve no good thing.

"Dan. ix. 15, 17, 18. We have sinned, we have done wickedly-O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant-for the Lord's sake—We do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies, Eph. i. 6. He hath made as accepted in the beloved. John xvi. 23. Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you. Verse 24. Ask and ye shall receive."

52. Q. Hath God provided any other means for our help in the way to heaven?

A. God bath given his holy word both to Jews and christians, he bath sent his ministers to help us to understand his word, and appointed some special signs and tokens of his mercy for our use.

"Ps. cxlvii. 19. He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and bis judg ments unto Israel. John xvii. 14. I have given them thy word. Mal. ii. 7. The priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. Nehem. viii. 7. The levites caused the people to understand the law. Eph. iv. 11. He, that is, Christ, gave→→→ pastors and teachers for the work of the ministry, &c. Gen. xvii. 11. It shall be a token of the covenant between me and you; Rom. iv. 11. He received the sign of circumcision; Mat. xxviii. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."

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53. Q. What are the special signs and tokens which God hath appointed to shew forth his mercy among christians?

A. There are two signs or tokens which are commonly called sacraments of the New Testament, and these are baptism and the Lord's-supper.

"Mat. xxviii. 19. Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them. 1 Cor. xi. 20-The Lord's-supper. Verse 24. This do in remembrance me.

54. What is baptism?

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A. It is a washing with water in the name of the Father, the Soo, and the Holy Spirit,

Mat. xxviii. 19. Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

55. Q. What is meant by this washing?

A. It. signifies our being cleansed from sin, and our becoming new crea tures, and the disciples of Christ.

"Acts xxii. 16. Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins. Tit. iii. 5. The washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Gal. iii. 27, As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ, that is, are his disciples."

56. Q. Why must we be baptized in name of the Father?

A. Because it was God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who ap pointed this salvation, and he is our Father also if we are true christians,

"Eph. i. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings. John xx. 17. I go to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. 2 John 9. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ bath both the Father and the Son."

57. Q. Why must we be baptized in the name of the Son of God? A. Because this salvation was preached by the Son of God as our great Prophet, he procured it for us as our High-priest, and he bestows it on us as our Lord and King.

"Acts iii. 22. A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you like unto me. Luke iv. 18. The Lord hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. Heb. ii. 17. That he might be a merciful and a faithful High-priest to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Acts v. 31. God hath exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."

68. Why must it be done also in the name of the holy Spirit?

A. Because the wondrous works of the holy Spirit bare witness to this salvation heretofore, and it is this holy Spirit enables us to obey the gospel now, and to hope and wait for this salvation.

"Heb. ii. 4. God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders-aud gifts of the holy Spirit. 1 Pet. i. 22. Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit. Gal. v. 5. We through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousnesss by faith."

59. Q. What doth this baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and. holy Spirit oblige you to do?

A. If I am baptized I am given up to the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, that I may live as a new creature and a christian; and having been once washed I must not defile myself again with sin.

"Rom. vi. 2, 3. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein ?We were baptized into Jesus Christ, Verse 4. We should walk in newness of life. 2 Cor. v. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature. 2 Pet. ii. 20, 22. Those who profess christianity and return again to sin are compared to the sow that was washed and returns to her wallowing in the mire."

60 Q. What is the Lord's-supper ?

A. It is the eating of bread and drinking of wine in rememberance of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"1 Cor. xi. 24, 25, 26. This do in remembrance of me-As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew forth the Lord's death till be come."

61. Q. What doth the bread signify?

A. The bread when it is broken signifies the body Christ, which was wounded or broken on the cross for us.

1 Cor. xi. 23, 24.-He took the bread, and when be had given thanks he brake it, and said, take eat, this is my body which is broken for you." 62. Q. What doth the wine signify?

A. The wine poured out into the cup signifies the bloed of Christ, which was poured out in his death to take away our sins.

"Mat. xxvi. 27, 58. And he took the cup, that is, of wine, or the fruit of the vine, as verse 29, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

63. Q. Why must the bread be eaten, and the wine be drank?

A. To signify our partaking of the blessings which Christ hath obtained for us by his death?

"I Cor. x. 16, 17. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? We are all partakers of that one bread. And probably it is with reference to this sacrament which Christ designed to ordain in his church, that he represents our believing in bim thus, in John vi. 54, 55 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life-for my desh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed."

64. Q. What doth the Lord's-supper oblige us to ?

A. Those who partake of the Lord's-supper should thaukfully remember the love of Christ, who died for them, and they should love and serve him to the end of their life.

"Luke xxii. 19. This do in remembrance of me. Gal. ii. 20. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. John xxi. 15. Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. John xiv. 15. If ye love me, keep my commandments. Ps. Ivi. 12. Thy vows are upon me, O God, I will ren(der praise unto thee."

65. Q. When you have done the will of God, and served Christ to the end of your life, what are your hopes after death?

A. When my body dies, and my soul goes into the world of spirits, I hope it shall dwell with God and Christ, and be happy.

"Luke xx. 37, 38. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: He is uot a God of the dead, but of the living, for all live unto him. Luke xvi. 20, 22. Lazarus died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. Luke xxiii. 46. Jesus dying, said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Acts vii. 55. Stephen looked up stadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right-hand of God. Verse 59. And they stoned Stephen,-saying, Lord Jesns receive my Spirit. 2 Cor. v. 8. Absent from the body, and present with the Lord, that is, Christ; Phil, i. 23."

66. Q. And do you not expect some greater happiness afterward?

A. Yes, I hope for more complete happiness when my body ghall rise again and be joined to my spirit at the day of judgment.

"1 Cor. xv. 42, 43. So is the resurrection of the dead :-It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory, Rom. viii. 23. We groan within ourselves, wait. ing for the adoption, that is, the redemption of the body."

[ Since the scripture makes so frequent mention of angels and devils as instruments of divine Providence ; and since dwelling with angels or devils is our common description of heaven and hell, it was hardly proper to finish this catechism, without some account of these good and evil spirits; but it is placed at the very end, that children need not converse much about them till they are eight or nine years old: And then it is very fit they should be represented as being entirely under God's command and the government of Christ, that children may not be affrighted.

67. Q. But let us hear first, what is this world of spirits you talk of, whither the soul goes at death?

A. It is a very large world, though it is out of sight, in which there are different dwellings for angels and devils, and for the souls of men both good and and bad.

"Mat. xxii. 30. The angels of God in heaven. 2 Pet. ii. 4. Devils are said to be cast down to hell. Heb. xii. 23. The spirits of just men made per.. fect. 1 Pet. iii. 19, 20. The spirits in prison, which sometime were disobedient." 68. Q. Who or what are angels ? A. They are good spirits, who wait on God, and worship him in heaven, but they are often sent down to do service here on earth.

"Mat. xxii. 30. The angels of God in heaven. Rev. vii. 11. All the angels stood round the throne and worshipped God. Ps. ciii. 20. Bless the Lord ye his angels--that do his commandments. Dan. vi. 22. My God hath fent his angel, and shut the lions' mouths that they have not hurt me." 69. Q. Who or what are devils?

A. They are evil spirits, who were at first angels of God, but having sinned against him they were cast out of heaven, and now they are always tempting men to sin.

"Rev. xii. 9. That great dragon, the old serpent, called the devil and Satan, who deceiveth the whole word, he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. This text bears an allusion to their first sin and hell. 2 Pet. ii. 4. God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell. I Thess. iii, 5. Lest by some means the tempter have tempted you. Even Christ himself was tempted of the devil; Mat. iv. 1. See 1 Pet. v. 8."

70. Q. But are not all these spirits, both good and evil, put underthe dominion of Christ?

A. Yes, Christ is Lord over them all: He employs the angels for the good of his people; and the devils can do no mischief but when Christ suffers them.

"1 Pet. ii. 22. Jesus Christ who is gone into heaven, angels, authorities and powers being made subject to him. Acts xii. 11. The Lord hath sent his angel and delivered me. Heb. i, 14. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? Luke vii. 32. The devils besought him that he would suffer them to enter into the swine: And he suffered them."

71. Q. What will become of the devils at last?

A. They are now kept as prisoners for some greater punishment after the judgment day.

"Eph. iv. 8. He led captivity captive. Jude 6. Angels that kept not their first estate are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness till the judgment of the great day. See Rev. xx. 10."

72. Q. When will this day of judgment come, when you said your body should rise from the dead?

A. At the end of the world Jesus Christ shall come down from heaven to judge all mankind, and for that purpose he shall raise all that are dead to life again. "1 Pet. iv. 7. The end of all things is at hand. 1 Thess. iv. 16. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven. 2 Tim. iv. 1. The Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead at his appearing. John v. 28, 29. The hour is ceming in which all who are in the graves shall hear his voice and come forth. 1 Cor. xv. 52. The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised." 73. Q. What shall be done to mankind when the dead are raised to

life?

A. Christ shall call them all to appear before his seat of judgment, wbere both the righteous and the wicked must give an account to him of their behaviour in this world.

"Mat. xxv. 31, 32. When the Son of man shall come in his glory,before him shall be gathered all nations. Rom. xiv. 10, 12. We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ-every one of us shall give account of himself to God."

74. Q. How will the righteous appear in that day?

A. The righteous shall appear with courage and joy as the children of God, who have done the will of their heavenly Father, and are made like him in boliness

"1 John iii. 10. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil; whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God. 1 John ii. 29. Every one that doth righteousness is born of him. Eph. iv. 24. The new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, 1 John iv. 17. We may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world."

75. Q, And how will the wicked appear then?

A. The wicked shall stand before the Judge with fear and shame, like children of the devil; for they have done his will, and are like him in sinful works. "Dan. xii. 2. Some shall awake to everlasting shame, &c. John viii: 44: Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father will ye do. Acts Lxiii. 10. Thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness."

76. Q And how will Christ the Judge dispose of men and deal with them in judgment ?

A. He will place the righteous at his right-hand and the wicked on the left, and will pass a sentence on them both, according as their works have been.

"Mat. xxv. 32, 33. He shall separate them one from another, he shall set the sheep on his right-haud, but the goats on the left. 2 Cor. v. 10. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive-according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

77. Q. After the judgment what shall become of the wicked?

A. The wicked shall be driven into hell-fire both soul and body, to be tormeuted with the devil and wicked spirits for ever.

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