Mather - Houston-Packer Collection BS478 .M3 1705

74 The Goofpet oftheperfonal Types. Church ; theymutt be cut off-theoldTree where they grewbefore, and fitted, and hewed, and humbled, Hof 6. 5. I have hewed them by > the Prophets : And then compaaed and united together in the Faith, Love and Order of the Gofpel ; and fo they become aChurch ofChrift. 4. There was a Door in the Ark, and but one Door, Gen. 6. 16. So in, the Church, Chrift is the Door, John io. '7. 9. by whom alone we enter in to the Father, and find Pollute, that is, full fupplies according to our wants. 5. The Arkhad a iVindom to let in Light Gen. 6. r 6. which refembles the Windows ofSolomnòn's Temple, i King. 6. 4. whichwere made nar- row without, and widewithin, to diffufe the Light the better. This Light is Chrift,7ohn i .9. he is the Lightof the World,Luke i i .34, 35,. 36. as a Candle in a Room enlightens the whole Room So if there be a Light in the fupreanFaculties of the Soul, that is, true fpiritual Wif- dom in the Heart, it will enlighten the whole Man, fo as to dire& and guide it ; the whole Body of a Man's Carriage and Converfationwill be full of Light : The Light he gives, diffufeth it felt through the whole Man, and has an influence into all his Converfation. 6. There were manyRooms or Chambers in the Ark ; and fo in the Tem- ple ; yet all there made up but one Ark. This liignifies many particular Churches ; yet all the Churches in the World make up but one Church Càtholick, which is the myftical Body of Chrift, r Cor. t 2. 12. as the Body is one, and bath many Members, and all the Members of that one Bo- dy, being many, are one Body : So alfo is Chri,fl. See Cant. 6. 9. My un- defiled is but one. 7.. Therewere three Stories in the Ark` ; it was three Stories high, Gen, 6: i6. and fo Solomon's Temple had threeparts, an outer Court, an in- ner Court, and an Holy. of Holies. This holds forth the three degrees ofthe Church. There is, (t,) The vifible Church. (z.) The myJli- cal Church militant' here on Earth. (3.) The Church triumphant in Hea- ven. (s.) The Church in her lowefl`Story is her vifible Members hereon Earth, among whom there be many Hypocrites ; yet even fo, fhe is more Excellent than the Mountains of Prey, Pfal. 76. 4. Kingdoms are called Mountains of Prey, that faying being too often true, that magna Reg - na are indeed magna Latrocinia.: But the Church is more gloriots than they. (2.) The invifible Churches the fecondStory, againft` whom all the Gates and Powers of Hell (hale not prevail, Matth. 16.18. It is true in Tome Senfe in general, concerning thevifible Church; Chiift will always have 3'öme vifible Societies of Chriftians in.the .Wasld, that (hall make Pro- feáfiou.

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