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Q. But fince Jefus Chrift died for us, how comes it that we are ftill fubject to Death?

A. This the Catechist, in his Answer to Question 42, hath rightly informed us of; because we are not able by our Death to fatisfy divine Juftice, as our Redeemer hath done by his Death for our Offences. Q. What is then the Death of Believers ?

A. A Means to make Sin die in us; and a Paffage to eternal Life, Rom. viii. 10. John v. 24. 2 Cor. V. I, 2.

Q. What do you conclude out of all this?

A. That our Catechift, by the Explanation of all thofe Articles of Faith, hath given to us the fureft Means to receive a conftant Confolation for our Souls, whether alive or dead; and hath fully displayed the Purity of our Doctrine.

Q: What Ufe must we make of this Doctrine?

A. ft, We are led to confider the Horribleness of our Sins, which hath brought fuch a terrible Wrath upon Chrift. 2dly, The fuperabundant Love and Kindness of fuch a bleffed Saviour and Redeemer fuffering in our stead, and by his bitter, but expiatory Paffion, procuring the Pardon of all our Sins. 3dly, To believe in him, that we may be discharged from all our Iniquity, living in a holy Communion with him. And 4thly, To offer up ourfelves to God, a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, for the unspeakable Benefits with which he hath bleffed us in his beloved Son Jefus Chrift, our bleffed Saviour and Redeemer ; where God was under no Obligation to admit of a propitiatory Sacrifice, but might, without any Dimunition of his Divinity, have left all Mankind to perifh in their Sins; but now an Interest in the great Atonement is granted to us, without the leaft Merit of our own. What Thanks are due to fuch infinitely rich Goodnefs? 5thly, That we may live always upright before God, free from the Terrors of the Grave, as knowing that Death is fwallowed up in I

Victory;

Victory; and that Death is but our Entrance into Felicity: For, Bleffed are the Dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth; yea, faith the Spirit, that they may reft from their Labours, and their Works do follow them, 1 Cor. xv. 54. and Rev.xiv. 13.

The 45th Question of the HEIDELBERG CATECHISM.

Q. WHAT Benefits have we from the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift?

"A. First, By his Refurrection he has overcome "Death, to make us Partakers of that Righteousness "which he had procured for us by his Death. "Secondly, By his Power we are also raised up to a "Newness of Life. And, lastly, Chrift's Resurrection is an affured Pledge to us of our happy Refurrection.” Q. Wherein confifts Chrift's Exaltation?

A. 1ft, In his rifing again from the Dead on the third Day. 2dly, In afcending up into Heaven. 3dly, In fitting at the right Hand of God the Father. And 4thly, In coming to judge the World at the last Day. Q. What is the first Step of Chrift's Exaltation? A. His Refurrection from the Dead.

Q. How doth his Refurrection appear?

A. By an Accomplishment of the Prophecies contained in Scripture, 1 Cor. xv. 4. And that he was buried; and that he rofe again the third Day, according to the Scriptures. Pf. xvi. 10. And Mark xvi. 6. He is rifen; he is not here. And because he revealed himfelf to his Difciples after his Resurrection, Acts i. 3. Q. By what Power was he raised from the Dead? A. By his own divine Power, John ii. 19. Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, Destroy this Temple, and in three Days I will raife it up. And John x. 17, 18. I lay down my Life that I might take it again; no Man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.

Q. Does

Q. Does not the Scripture fay elsewhere, that he was raifed by God the Father?

A. Yes. And the fame is not a Contradiction, when we confider Chrift and the Father are one in Natures, Works and Honour, John x. 30. And it's being faid that he was raised by the Father, is only to evi lence the Fullness of his Satisfaction, Acts ii. 24. Whim God hath raised up, having loofed the Pains of Death; because it was not poffible that he should be holden of it.

Q. What was the End of Chrift's Refurrection?

A. To our Righteoufnefs; namely, that the Righteousness which he hath merited by his Death, fhould be applied to us by his Refurrection, Rom. iv. 25. Who was delivered for our Offences; and was raifed again for our Fuftification.

Q. IVhat other End was there for Chrift's Refur

rection?

A. To establish our Faith, and abolish our Sins, 1 Cor. xv. 17. And if Christ be not risen, your Faith is vain; ye are yet in your Sins.

Q. Did Chrift rife in the fame Body he laid down? A. Yes; fubftantially the fame, John xx. 27. Then faith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy Finger, and behold my Hands and reach hither thy Hand, and thrust it into my Side; and be not faithless, but believing.

QWhat doth Chrift's Refurrection teach us?

A. The Certainty of our Refurrection after Death, I Cor. xv. 20. But now is Chrift rifen from the Dead, and become the firft Fruits of them that flept.

Q. What was the fecond Step of Chrift's Exaltation?
A. His Affention into Heaven.

The 46th Question of the HEIDELBERG
CATECHISM.

Q. WHAT do you understand by thofe Words, He

afcended into Heaven.

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"A. That Chrift was taken up into Heaven "from the Earth, in the Sight of his Difciples; " and that he is there at prefent for our Good, until "he returns to judge the Quick and the Dead." Q. How do you prove that?

A. By Scripture Testimony, Acts i. 9. And when he had spoken thefe Things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a Cloud received him out of their Sight.

Q. How long was Chrift upon the Earth after his Refurrection?

A. Forty Days, Acts i. 23. Until the Day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghoft had given Commandments unto the Apostles whom he had chofen; to whom alfo he fhewed himself alive after his Paffion, by many infalliable Proofs, being feen of them forty Days, and fpeaking of the Things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

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Q. Why did Chrift stay a long on the Earth?

A To aflure the Truth of his Refurrection, and 15ettle the due Extent and Government of his Church, Acts i. 2, 3. Luke xxiv. 47.

Q. In what Nature did Chrift afcend?

A. Not according to his divine Nature, which is prefent every where, but according to his human Nature, in which he only could afcend John xvi. 28. I leave the World, and go to the Father.

Q. Into what Place is he afcended?

A. Into Heaven, Acts i. 11. By which we must understand, the third Heaven of Heavens, 1 Kings viii. 27. Col. iii. 1. Acts iii. 21. Eph. 4. 10. QIn what Manner did he afcend?

A. By a Cloud receiving him out of the Sight of his Difciples, Acts i. 9.

The 47th Question of the HEIDELBERG

CATECHISM.

Q. Is S not Chrift with us to the End of the World, according to his Promife? " A. Jefus

"A. Jefus Chrift is very God, and very Man; "and according to his human Nature, is no longer on the Earth; but according to his divine Nature, "his Majefty, his Grace, and his Spirit, he is never, ❝ abfent from us.'

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Q. How do you prove the first Part of this Question, that Chrift, according to his human Nature, is no longer

on the Earth?

A. This I prove from Matt. xxvi. 11. For ye have. the Poor always with you; but me ye have not always. John xii. 8.

Q. How do you prove the fecond Part, as to his divine. Nature?

A. By Jer. xxiii. 34. Can any hide himself in fecret Places that I fall not fee him, faith the Lord. Do not I fill Heaven and Earth, faith the Lord.. And Matt. xviii. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there I am in the midst of them.

Q Doth Chrift, by his Spirit, always remain in the true Believers ?

A. Yes. He is not abfent from them for ever, Jef. lix. 21. As for me, that is, my Covenant with them, Jaith the Lord; my Spirit which is upon thee, and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth, fhall not depart out of thy Mouth, nor out of the Mouth of thy Seeds nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed's Seed, Jaith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.

The 48th Question of the HEIDELBERG CATECHISM.

Q: B

UT if the Humanity of Chrift be not every where, where his Divinity is, are not the two Natures in that Cafe feparated in Jefus Chrift? "A. Not at all; for fince his Divinity is incom "prehenfible, and prefent every where, it neceffarily "follows, that it is in Truth diftinct from the Hu"manity which it has affumed to itself, but that at

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