What Benefits Do Believers Receive from Christ at Death?

Answ. The souls of believers are, at their death, made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory; and their bodies being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection.

Q^ What different kinds of benefits do believers receive from Christ at their death? A. Benefits to their souls,

and benefits to their bodies, Heb. xii. 23. Isa. lvii. 2.

Q. Do the souls of the saints die with their bodies?

A. No •, they go to an house eternal in the heavens.

Q. How prove you that our souls cannot properly die?

A. They are spiritual, and not constitute
so cannot be dissolved, Matth. x. 28.

Q. How prove you that God will not su
to return to nothing * A. He hath promisee

life to saints, and threatened eternal death to the wickeu.

Q. What benefits do believers souls receive at death?

A. They are made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory, Heb. xii. 23. Phil. i. 23.

Q. What do you mean by being perfect in holiness?

A. Our being fully freed from all sin, and made perfect* ly like unto God, Rev. xxi. 4. 1 John iii. 2.

Q^ Are the saints made infinitely holy, as God is?

A. No 5 but they are made as perfect in holiness as their finite natures are capable of, Jude 24. Epb. v. 27.

Q. Why are saints made perfect in holiness at death?

A. Because no unclean thing can enter into heaven.

Q. Into what do the souls of believers pass when they leave the body? A. Into glory, Jude 24. Psal. lxxiii. 24»

Q. Into what glory do they pass? A. Into a glorious place, a glorious company, and a glorious state.

Q. Into what glorious place do the souls of believers pass at death? A. Into the third heaven, 2 Cor. v. 1»

Q. How is that glorious place described in scripture?

A. As Christ’s palace, an house not made with handrf the better country, the New Jerusalem,, the throne of God9 Paradise, the inheritance of the saints in light, &c.

Q. Why is it called Christ’s palace? A. Because

Christ there dwells and reigns in a glorious manner.

Q. Why is it called an house not made with hands?

A. Because God himself built it for his own dwelling 5 and it cannot be destroyed, Isa. lxvi. 1.

Q. Why is it called a better country P A. Because its inhabitants, manners, privileges, exercises, &c. are fas better than those on earth, 1 Cor. xiii. 12.

Q. Why is it called the New Jerusalem /

A. Because there all the holy tribes of God meet with him and with one another, Heb. xii. 23. Psalm exxii.

Q^Why is it called the throne of God?

A. Because there God most brightly shews his glory and authority, Rev. xxii. 3, 4. Isa. lx. 19, 20.

Q. Why is it called Paradise? A. Because like

the garden of God, it is full of pleasure, Psalm xvi. 11.

Q, What for an inheritance is that of the saints in lightf Benefits at Death. Quest. 37.

ince incorruptible, undefiled, arid that fad -

Pet. i. 4.

glorious company do believers go at death?

..ne company of God, Father, Son, and Holy

It and of holy angels and glorified saints, Heb. xii.

22, 23, 24.

Qj From what company do believers go to these?

A. From the company of a deceitful heart, devils, wicked men, and imperfect saints, Rom. vii. Eph. i.

Q. To what glorious state do the souls of believers go at death? A. To a state of rest and royalty.

Qj. From what do they rest r* A. From sin’s suggestions, Satan’s temptations, the world’s persecutions, and all the grief and sorrow arising therefrom, Isa. lvii. 1, 2.

Q. Where do believers souls rest? A. In Christ’s bosom of love, and on his throne of glory, Rev. iii. 21.

Q. How is their state a kingdom, or state of royalty?

A. Because of their kingly honour and happiness.

Q. With what are they, as kings, crowned?

A. With crowns of glory, life, and righteousness.

Q. When do believers souls pass into this glory?. A. They pass into it immediately after death.

Qj What do you mean by believers souls passing immediately into glory? A. That they pass into it as soon as out of the body, without going through any middle state by the way, Phil. i. 23.

Q. H«w prove you there is no purgatory, or middle state?. A. The scripture speaks nothing of it “,

but represents the rich glutton in hell, and the believing beggar and thief in heaven, as soon as they died, Luke xvi. and xxiii.

O. Why do believers immediately pass into glory?

A. Because heaven is fully ready for them, and they are made ready for it, and Christ longs for their coming thither, John xiv. 2. and xvii. 24.

Q^How doth Christ evidence his longing for them?

A. In his constant pleading that these whom the Father has given him may be with him, to behold his glory.

£). Who carry the soul-s of believers into Abraham’s bosom, or heaven? A. The holy angels, Luke xvi. 22.

Q. Of what benefits do believers dead bodies share?

A. They are still united to Christ, and do rest in their graves till the resurrection, 1 Thess. iv. 14., Q. How prove you that the dead bodies of believers are i still united to Christ? A. The scripture represents

!thera as dying and sleeping in the Lord, and calls them his dead body, Rev. xiv. 13. 1 Thess. iv. 14.

Q. Is it not dishonourable for Christ to be united to bodies rotting in the dust? A. No it is an evidence of his glorious condescension and love, Rom. viii. 38r.

Q. What is the grave to believers?

A. Bed of rest, perfumed by Christ, Isa. lvii. 2.

Q. From what do their bodies rest in the grave?

A. From all toil and trouble, Job iii. 17.

Q How long shall the bodies of believers rest in their graves? A. Till the resurrection, Job xiv. 12.

Q. May not the view of these benefits make believers greatly rejoice in the prospect of death?

A, Yes-, and sing, 0 death! where is thy sting? 0 grave! where is thy victory? 1 Cor. xv. 55.

Qj What disarms death of its sting to believers?

A. Christ suffering and vanquishing death.

Qj. WThat secures believers immediate passage into glory? A. Christ’s being accepted of God after his death.

Q. What secures the perpetual union of the bodies of believers to Christ? A. The perpetual union of our

nature to his divine person, Rev. i. 18.

Q. In what do the death of believers and of wicked men differ? A. The death of believers is unstinged j is a

promised blessing, translating them from misery to perfect happiness; but that of the wicked is armed with the sting of sin; is a dreadful punishment, forcibly carrying them from their present happiness to eternal wrath.

£). Wh|t.isjhe difference of the grave to believers and to the wicked?

A. To believers the grave is a bed of sweet rest ;, but to the wicked it is a prison, wherein their bodies are reserved for hell, Isa. lvii. 2. Psalm xlix. 14*