Ch. 3 5 . of the ue of Beleevers. 59 {hews, ver. f.' 17, But birth of Jewith Anceftors, of the ftock of Ifrael puts them into a felea condition`, into the number of a people holy to the Lord. Neither is this any contradh Lion common things dedicated for holy fervice and ufe are holy : A people by nature finners dedicated to the Lord , are for holy fervice and ufe , for the fervice of the Lord , when others are for fervice of idols. Therefore lerufalem a City , none of the holieft for any tranfcendent manners of the inha- bitants thereof, is yet called by the Evangelift, the holy - City , byreafon of the Temple and worfhip there, that were holy. That which is a priviledge of nature or birth , belongs to the natural iffue, that cannot be denied: But to be inCovenant with God as a people holy and exceeding others that are without as finners, is a priviledge of nature or birth; therefore this priviledge belongs to the natural iffue. This Argument, as it is clear of it feif, fo it bath this advantage that for interpretation of the word Nature, it path Mailer Tombes his approbation, vipolog.. page 125. He faith, 1 grant his fente of the word Nature,and that the Apofile there fpede.s of himfelf and other Iews, vs in reputation mère holy then the Gentiles, becaufe of their interefl in Circumcifion, and obfervance of Mofes Law; And this grant involves him not in a few contradit<tions. This was a Birth-priviledge as he here ac- knowledges , being the Jeves priviledge by birth of nature , and therefore belonged to the natural feed ; when exercit. page 3. he ¡faith, they inherit only domeflick and civil benefits. This inter - ' elfin Circumcifion, and obfervance of Motes Law , was a privi- ledge of Ordinances, and he is wont to deny, that birth entitles any to fuch priviledges. This is a fpiritual mercy which the Jews here had in Circumcifion , and Mofes Law. Circumcifion by Matter Tombes his confeflion feales Gofpelmercies, the fame that Baptifine fealeth, Exercit. page 3. And ILo fes in the Law wrote of Chrift, John 1.45. Iohn 5.46. and yet he denies the naturali feed any Promife of fpiritual mercies. But he faith, this was proper to the Jewes in that Church- fiate, who had preroga- tives peculiar to them. And here we urge it no farther ; and it fully concludes Mailer Tombes in a contradiction Alt will have the naturali feed of Abrabam, and no other then his fpiritual feed to be entitled to fuch priviledges. Any one of thefe Arguments L1 2 feve-
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