Blake - Houston-Packer Collection BT155 .B53 1653

202 The Old and New Covenant. Chap. 27 Church as it is invifrble only. This Matter Tombes bath taken in- to confederation, and anfwered. Bohr oever it be in the place,. in which the allu ion , yet it is certaine Mat here it is meant of fach a calling u is from darkne(fe to marvelotu light. Taking it, it feenes;_ for granted , thatthere is no marvelous light in vifible Churches, that in the land of Zebulon and Nepthstli, where they law a great light , there were only invifrble Members , Alarth. q., 15, 16. Fourthly, As honourable titles as thefe are frequently given in Scripture as ftrall be (hewen to vifible profeffours why fhould then thefe be limited to invifble Members ? Fifthly, Matter Tombes in his letter made this Text to be pa- rallel with thofe Texts, Gal. 6. ro. r Tim.3,15. I Pet 2.20. And thole Texts 1 have demonfirated to be meant of vifible Churches. 11 .1 o which Matter Tombes replies nothing. Matter Tombes his ar- guments to evince it to be meant of the Church as it is invifble, come to be confrdered. Obje tionsarl- (t.) I argue (faith MatterTombes) from the termer,'hofenGene- fp.eretl, ration, royall Prier hood, an holy Nation, a peculiar Peo; le. This 1 is by Cirri fts death which can be underftood of no other then E- lect and tare Beleevefs, Tittu 2. t 4. .e nfre. t. Such á way of arguing would not paffe with Matter Tombes in his iltiverfary. As peculiar people is taken in one place of Scripture, fo it muff be taken in all places; but in one place it is taken for the Elea, regenerate. If this would hold, much_ labour. .might be (pared in finding out the various acceptation of words in Scripture. a. T here termes. and others equipollent to thefe, are given to the Ifraelites, Tut, 14. t, 2. Deist. 9. 6. Deut. 32.9. not as, a Church invifrble, but as vifible Members. Their qualifications are often as low, as their appellations by reafon of their relation to God raffe them high. And letting apart Chrifts death 1 would "know how they come to this honour. 3. The gift of Apoftles, Prophets, Evangelifts Paftours and..' Teachers were the gift of Chrift , and the purcha, fe of his death. There are forconftitution of vifible Churches,vifeble Members en- joy there priviledges in common with regenerate perfons,to which more is already fpoken, (2.) .Matter Tombes objeds from that which is laid of them,:; 7ho

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