fwered out of the fide of Jefus Chrift, Exod. xxv. 16, 17. Deut. x. 5. xxxi. 26. Pfal. xl. 8. John xix. 34. Heb. x. 7.

4. The ark had the name of God upon it; yea, it was called the ftrength of God, and his glory; though made of wood. And Christ is God, both in name and nature; though made flesh; yea more, made to be fin for us, 2 Sam. vi. 2. 2 Čhron. iv. 14, xiii. 6. John i. 14. Rom. ix. 5. 2 Cor. v. 21, 5. The ark was carried upon mens fhoulders this way and that, to fhew how Chrift fhould be carried and preached, by his apoftles and minifters, into all parts of the world, Exod. xxv. 14. 1 Cor. xv. 15. Matth. xxviii. 19, 20. Luke xxiv. 46, 47.

6. The ark had thefe teftimonies of God's prefence accompanying it, as it had no other ceremony of the law; and Christ had those signs and tokens of his prefence with him as never had man either in law or gofpel. This is fo apparent, it needs no proof. And now for a few comparisons more.

1. It was at that that God answered the people when they were wont to come and inquire of him; and in these last days God has spoken to us by his Son, Chron. xiii, 3. 1 Sam. xiv. 18. Heb. i. 2, John xvi. 23, 24.

2. At the prefence of the ark the waters of Jordan ftood ftill, till Ifrael, the ranfomed of the Lord, paffed over from the wilderness to Canaán ; and it is by the power and prefence of Chrift that we pafs over death, Jordan's antitype, from the wilderness of this world to heaven, Joh. iii. 15, 16, 17. John xi. 25. Rom. viii. 37, 38, 39. I Cor. xv. 54-57.

3. Before the ark the walls of Jericho fell down, and at the prefence of Chrift fhall high towers, and ftrong holds, and hiding places for finners be razed and diffolved at his coming, Ifa. vi. 20. xxx.* 25. ii. 1.-6. 2 Pet. iii, 10, Rev. xx. 11, 12, 13.

4. Before the ark Dagan fell, that idol of the Philiftines; and before Chrift Jefus devils fell, thofe gods of all thofe idols; and he must reign till all his enemies be put under his feet, and until they be made his footftool. u Sam. v. 1.

• Mark v. 12. 1 Cor. xv. 25. Heb. x. 13.

5. The Philittines were allo plagued for meddling with the ark while they abode uncircumcifed, and the wicked will one day be moft feverely plague for their meddling with Chrift with their uncircumcifed hearts, 1 Sam. v. 6. ———4 3. Pfal. 1. 16. Matth. xxiv. 15. xxv. 11, 12. Luke xiii. 25.-29.

6. God's bleffing was upon those that entertained the ark as they should; and much more is, and will his bleffing be upon thofe who embrace and entertain his Chrift, and profefs his name fincerely, 2 Sam, vi, 1. Acts iii, 26. Gal. i. 13, 14. Matth. xix. 27, 28, 19. Luke xxii. 28, 29.

7. When Uzza put forth his hand to stay the ark, when the oxen hook it, as despairing of God's protecting of it, without a human help, he died be fore the Lord; even fo will all thofe do (without repentance) who ufe unlawful means to promote Chrift's religion, and to fupport it in the world, 1 Chron. xiii, 9, 10. Matth. xxvi. 52. Rev. xi. 10, 8. The ark, though this dignified, was of itself bat low, but a cubit and an half-high: Alfo Chrift tho' he was the glory of heaven and of God, yet made himself of no reputation, and was found im the likeness of a man, Exod. xxv. 21, 12. Phil. ii. 6, to l.

9. The ark had a crown of gold round about up. on it; to fhew how Chrift is crowned by his faints by faith, and shall be crowned by them in glory, for all the good he hath done for them ; as allo how all crowns fhall one day ftoop to him, and be fet upon his head. This is thewed in the type,

Zech. vi. 11, 14 and in the antitype, Rev. iv. 10.

xix. 12.

10. The ark was overlaid with gold within and without; to fhew that Chrift was perfect in inward grace, and outward life; in fpirit and in righteoufnefs, John i. 12, 13, 14 r Pet. ii, 22.

11. The ark was placed under the mercy feat, to fhew, that Jefus Chrift, as Redeemer, brings and bears, as it were upon his fhoulders, the mercy of God to us, even in the body of his flesh, thro death, Exod. xxv. 21. Eph. iv. 23. v. 1, 2.

12. When the ark was removed far from the people, the goldly went mourning after it; and when Chrift is hid or taken from us, then we mourn in those days, 2 Sam. vii. 2, Mark ii. 19, 20 Luke v. 34, 35. John xvi. 20, 21, 22.

13. All Ifrael had the ark again, after their mourning time was over: and Chrift, after his people have forrowed for him a while, will fee them again, and their hearts fhall rejoice, John xvi. 1, 2, 3, 20, 21, 22.

By all these things, and many more that might be mentioned, it is moft evident, that the ark of the teftimony was a type of Jefus Chrift; and take notice a little of that which follows; namely, that the ark at last arrived at the place most holy, Heb.

ix 3, 4.

That is, after its wanderings: for the ark was first made to wander like a none inhabitant, from place to place; now hither, and then thither; now in the hands of enemies, and then abused by friends yea it was caused to rove from place to place, as that of which the world was weary. I need instance to you for proof none other place than the 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters of the firft book of Samuel: and anfwerable to this was our dear Lord Jefus pofted. backwards and forwards, hither and thither, by the force of the rage of his ene-, mies.

1. He was hunted into Egypt so soon as he was born, Matth. ii.

2. Then he was driven to live in Galilee, the fpace of many years.

3. Alfo when he fhewed himself to Ifrael, they drove him fometimes into the wilderness, fometimes into the defart, fometimes into the fea, and fometimes into the mountains, and ftill in every of thefe places he was either haunted or hunted by new enemies.

And laft of all the Pharifees plot for his life, Judas fells him, the priests buy him, Peter denies him, his enemies mock, fcourge, buffet, and much abuse him. In fine, they get him condemned, and crucified, and buried; but at laft God commanded, took him to his place, even within the vail, and fets him to bear up the mercy-feat, where he is to this very day, being our ark to fave us, as Noah's did him; as Mofes did him; yea, better, as none but Chrift doth fave his own. !

-CHA P. LXII.

Of the placing of the Ark in the Holiest, or Inner Temple.

1. THE ark, as we have faid, as the text de clares, when carried to its reft, was pla ced in the inner temple, or in the most holy place, even under the "wings of the cherubims. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, to the oracle of the house, unto the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims," Exod, xxvi. 33 xxxix. 35. 1 Kings viii. 3. 2 Chron. v. 7.

2. Before this, as was faid afore, the ark was carried from place to place, and caused to dwell in a tent under curtains, as all c our fathers did. To fhew that Chrift, as we, was made for a time to wander in the world, in order to his being poffeft

of glory, 2 Sam. vii. 1, 2, 6. Heb, xi. 9. John i. 10. xvi. 28. chap. iii. 13.

3. But now, when the ark was brought into the holieft, it is faid to be brought into its place. This world then was not Chrift's place, he was not from beneath, he came from his Father's houfe; wherefore, while here, he was not at his place, nor could until he afcended up where he was before, John viii. 23, xvi. 28 vi, 26. iii. 13.

4. Chrift's proper place, therefore, is the holieft, His proper place, as God, as prieft, as prophet, as king, and as the advocate of his people. Here, with us, he has no more to do, in perfon, as me. diator. If we were on earth he fhould not be a prieft, &c. His place and work is now above. with his Father, and before the angels, Acts v. 31. 1 Pet, iii. 22. Heb. iv. 14. viii. 4, ix. 24. 1 John ii. 1, 2. Rev. i. 1, 2.

5. It is faid, the ark was brought to the oracle of the houfe, Solomon was not content to say, it was brought into the holieft; but he faith, His place was the oracle, the holy oracle, that is, the place of hearing, For he, when he afcended, had fomewhat to fay to God on the behalf of his people. To the oracle, that is, to the place of revealing; for he alfo was there to receive, and from thence to reveal to his church on earth fomething that could not be made manifeft, but from this holy oracle. There therefore he is with the two tables of teftimony in his heart, as perfectly kept: he alfo is there with the whole fulfilling of the ceremonial law in his fide, fhewing and pleading the perfection of his righteoufnefs, and the merit of his blood with his Father; and to receive and to do us good, who believe in him, how well pleafed the Father is, with what he has done in our behalf.

6. Into the moft holy place. By thefe words is fhewed, whither alfo the ark went, when it went L