What do you mean

Quick, and the Dead

by that Phrafe, the

A. By the Quick, I understand those who fhall be found Alive on the Earth at the Day of Judgment: 1 Cor. xv. 51. 1 Theff. iv. 15. By the Dead, those who fhall have before departed out of this Life. And I make mention of Both to fhew, that ALL Men fhall be judged; Axvii.31. And that Chrift fhall be the Judge of ALL Rem.xiv.9. Acts x. 42. 2 Cor. v. 10. 2 Tim. iv. 1. I Pet:

Mat.xxiv.

XXV.32.

2 Thefii..

iv. 5.

Q. Do you then believe that there fhall be a General Day of Judgment, to the whole World?

A. I do believe there fhall be fuch a Day, and that moft Solemn,and Terrible: Mat.x.15. xi.22, 24. xii. 36. Fo.v. 22,25. Acts xvii. 31. Rom.ii.,&c. 2 Pet.ii.9. iii. 7, Heb.vi. 2. ix.27. 1 Jo.iv.17. Jude 6. *Wherein, first, the Angels fhall Sound the Trumpet; at the Voice of which, all that are in the Graves fhall Arife, and Come forth, and be Gather'd together into One certain Place: † Then our Saviour fhall Rev.xx4,11, come down in the Clouds of Heaven,with Power ånd Great Glory,and the Books fhall be Open'd, and the Judgment fit; and every Man be judged out of the things which are Written in thofe Books, according to his Works. See Mat.xxv. 31.. comp. Mat.xxiv. 30.

+ Dan. vii. 9,10.

Q. After what Manner fhall this Judgment be tranfacted?

A. The particular Manner is unknown to Us: Yet this we are told, that we shall then be call'd to an Account for all that we fhall have done in the whole Courfe of our Lives here on Earth. Every evil Work; every foolish, and wicked Word; every fecret Thought,

fhall

fhall be brought to light. Nothing that we now covet the moft to hide, but fhall be then difclofed. And we fhall be either Acquitted, or Condemn'd,laccording to what we fhall have done, whether it be Good, or whether it be Evil. Eccles. xii. 14. 1 Cor. iv. 5. 2 Cor. v. 10. Mat.xii.36. Rom.ii.5. Rev.xx.12.

*

|| 1

23.

I

16,17. Mat.xxv.32.

41.

Q. Shall there be any particular Method obferved, in the Proceedings of this Judgment? A. Yes, there fhall: For, Firft, The | Juft Cor. xv. fhall be Raifed, and Judged, and Acquitted; The iv. and Caught up into the Air, at fome convenient diftance from the Earth, where, with 34. the Holy Angels, they fhall fill up the Retinue of our Bleffed Saviour. Then the Wicked "Mat.xxv. thall be Raifed, and brought to Judgment: xix.28. And being condemn'd, not only by Chrift,and Cor.vi‚ê. his Saints, but by the Sentence of their Own Confciences, they fhall, together with the Devils, be driven away by the Angels there- + Mat. xxv, unto appointed, into their Place of Torments. 46. Which being done, Our Saviour fhall, together with all his Saints, Return triumphantly to Heaven, and there Reign in Glory at the Head of them for Ever, and Ever. Mat.xxv. Theff.iv,&c.

SECT. XV.

Q. What does the THIRD PART of your

Creed contain?

A. It contains all that is needful to be Known, and Profefs'd by Us, with Relation to the Holy Gholt.

Q. What do you account needful to be believed concerning Him? E 4

4. Not

A. Not only that there is a Holy Ghost; but that he is the Third Perfon in the everbleffed Trinity; and partakes, as fuch, of the fame Divine Nature, with the Father, and the Son.

Q. How does this appear ?

A. By the plain Teftimony of the Holy Scrip tures; by which alone we are capable of knowing any thing, in thefe Matters. Now thofe Sacred Writings evidently fpeak of him, not only as a Perfon; but as a Divine Perfon; and that diftinct both from the Father, and from Our Lord Jefus Chrift.

Q. Wherein do the Holy Scriptures fpeak of this Bleffed Spirit, as of a Perfon?

*

a

A. They give him the Proper Names of Perfon: God; Acts v. 3,4. Lord; 2 Cor. iii. 17. The Spirit, 1 Sam.xvi.14. Jo.xvi.13. The Comforter, Jo.xiv.26. xvi.7,&c. They afcribe to * Him the Properties of a

ing, I Cor.ii.11. Willerfon, Understand

*

Cor. xii. 11. They Reprefent Him as doing Perfonal Acts: He is Sent; He Cometh Goeth; Heareth; Teacbeth: Jo. xiv. 26. XV.26,27. Jo.xvi 7,13,&c. Is Tempted, Refifted, Grieved: Eph.iv.30. Speaketh; Commandeth Intercedeth: A&ts x.19. xiii. 2. Rom. viii.26. They join him with those who are confeffedly Perfons; viz. God the Father, and our Lord Jefus Chrift. In the Form of Baptifm: Mat.xxviii.19. In St. Paul's Wifh for the Corinthians 2 Cor.xiii.14. In St. John's Catalogue of Witneffes i Jo.v.7. They Oppofe him to fuch Spirits, as We All allow to be Perfons: 1 Sam. xvi. 14. They reprefent him under Perfonal Apparitions Mat.iii. 16. Acts ii. 3. and byall this undoubtedly affure us, that He is a Perfon.

Q. By

Q. By what Arguments from the Holy Scriptures do you prove, that He is a Divine Perfon?

7.

A. By the fame by which I before fhew'd the Son fo to be. They afcribe to him the Names of God: A&ts v. 3,4. 2 Cor.iii. 17. The Attributes of God: Heb. ix. 14. Pfal. cxxxix. Job xxvi.13. The Honour of God. They tell us, That He is the Spirit of God: 1 Cor.ii.11. 17. That a Sin may be immediately committed against Him: Mat. xii. 31. That his dwelling in Us, makes our Bodies the Temples of God:· I Cor.iii. 16. That Chrift, by being Conceived by him, became the Son of God: Luke i. 35. They teach us to Baptize in his Name, together with those of the Father, and Son: Mat.xxviii. 19. And fhew Us even St. Paul himself paying a Religious Invocation to him: 1 Thef.iii. 12, 13. 2 Thef. iii. 3,&c.

Q. How do you prove him not only to be a Divine Perfon,but a Perfon diftinct both from the Father, and the Son?

iii. 16. xxviii.

19.

4. He proceedeth from the Father; and there- Comp. Mar. fore is not the Father: Jo.xv.26. He is fent by the Son; and therefore is not the Son: Jo. xvi. Eph ii. 18. 7,15. He is fent, fometimes by the Father, in Gal iv.4.5.6, the Name of the Son; and fometimes by the Son, Jo.v.7., from the Father; and therefore is neither the Father, nor the Son: Jo.xiv. 26. xv.26.

Q. But did not you before fay, that there is but One God? And how now do you fay, that the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Gheft is God?

A. That there is but One God, the Holy Scriptures plainly declare; and even Reafon it felf confirms it to us. And yet the Same Scriptures as plainly declare, Every One of thefe

Three

Three to be God. And the only way we know of Reconciling thefe Two, feemingly contrary, Affertions; is to fay, that thefe Three partake of One, and the fame Divine Nature, commu nicated from the Father, to the Son; and from Both to the Holy Ghost: And that therefore They together make but One God.

Q. How can it be poffible that Three distinct Perfons, fhould fo partake of the One, Divine Nature, or Effence, as All together to make but One God?"

A. That is not my Concern to determine. This I am fure, that if the Scriptures be (as We all allow that they are) the Word of God, what they plainly deliver must be true, because it is, in effect, delivered by God himself, who can neither be Himself deceived, nor will deceive Me. Now that they deliver both thefe Propofitions to me; That the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God: And yet, that there are not Three Gods, but One God I am as fure, as I can be of any thing that is fpoken, or written, for my Understanding. That therefore both these Affertions are True, and Credible, I am fure. But how, or after what manner, I am to understand them, fo as to remove all fhew of Contradiction in them, this the Holy Scriptures have not Revealed; nor do I therefore prefume to pronounce any thing, more particularly, concerning it.

Q. Why then do you fay that they are Three Perfons,and but One, in the Divine Effence?

A. Because I know not how better to exprefs the Unity, and Distinction of them; and they are Terms which the Church has long Received; and I fee no Reason to depart from them, unless I knew of fome better

and