The Figures or Types of Christ, Typological category 21 – Notice 2
THE GOSPEL of the ARK and its Appertainances in the HOLY of HOLIES.
Jan. 3. 1668.Hebr. 9.4, 5.
THe Ark with its appertainances was another of the holy veſſels belonging to the Holy of holies, and it was the chief of all their holy things; as appears in ſundry reſpects: as for inſtance.
1. It had many glorious appertainances that related to it, many other veſſels belonging to this, as the Cherubims, &c.
2. The place of it was the Holy of holies.
3. Solomon, though he made all other things new in the Temple, yet he did not make a new Ark; but only introduced the ſame which Moſes had made, with great ſolemnity into the Oracle, the place which he had prepared for it. 2 Chron. 5.7.
Whatever changes and varieties there may be in other things whereby God diſpenſeth himſelf unto and amongſt mankind: other utenſils may be made new; there may be new Ordinances, new Adminiſtrations; but there is no new Chriſt. Never look for any new or further Adminiſtration in this reſpect: as there is no new God, ſo there is no new Chriſt: but Jeſus Chriſt the ſame yeſterday, and to day, and for ever. Heb. 13. It is a blind and blaſphemous deluſion to ſpeak of Chriſt as an Adminiſtration, that is to paſs away when the Saints have paſſed under it for a while.
4. In that the Providences about it were very great and glorious, and full of teaching and inſtruction.
The Ark of God led them through the Wilderneſs. We are to follow the Guidance of Chriſt through the world. It was carried with Bars; ſo is Chriſt upon the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, from one place to another. As the Levites did carry the Ark; ſo Preachers may be ſaid to carry Chriſt, to bear his Name among the Gentiles: ſo Paul Act. 9.15.
Many great things were done by it. Jordan was divided by it: ſo by Chriſt all obſtacles are removed out of the way. The Walls of Jericho fell by it: ſo by Chriſts coming the ſtrong holds of Satans Kingdom are caſt down. It was the downfall of Dagon: So is Chriſt of Satan and Idolatry. While the Ark was amongſt the Philiſtines they were plagued; but Obed-Edom was bleſſed while it was at his Houſe: ſo Chriſt in the Goſpel to ſome brings wrath being refuſed, to others Salvation. Eli and his Daughter died when the Ark was taken, and the Bethſhemites rejoyced exceedingly when they ſaw it: ſo the preſence of Chriſt brings comfort, but his abſence grief and ſorrow. The Bethſhemites were puniſhed for prying into the Ark. It is a dangerous thing to ſearch into inſcrutable Myſteries. Be wiſe unto ſobriety. The Ark after many travels was brought at laſt to a place of reſt in Solomons Temple: ſo Chriſt after many weariſome journies on Earth was at length taken up into Heaven, a place of reſt where he ſits at the right hand of God.
But as to this glorious Utenſil it ſelf, we may obſerve theſe things.
1. The Ark was the Throne of God on which he did appear ſitting on his Throne of Grace and Glory, and from whence he ſpake and gave forth Anſwers and Oracles. Hence we read of a Throne of Grace, Heh. 4. ult. This Throne of Grace is that Mercy-ſeat that covered the Ark on which God ſate, and where he is ſaid to dwell between the Cherubims, Pſal. 80.1.
1. Here he gave upon ſpecial occaſions viſible appearances of his Glory. This is that Shechinah which the Jewiſh Rabbins ſpeak of. And they have it from the Scriptures and the Prophets. Ezek. 1. laſt. and cap. 9. and 10. The Glory of the Lord is ſaid to appear, and to remove, and depart away by little and little. There was ſtill leſs and leſs of God among them till he was quite gone. So Iſai. 6.1. Rev. 4.2.3.
2. Hence the Lord ſpake with audible voice, and gave forth his anſwers: ſo he promiſed to Moſes, Exod. 25.22. ſo Numb. 7. ult. The myſtery of all which is this, that God is to be ſeen in Chriſt, and that he ſpeaks and reveals his mind to us only in and through Jeſus Chriſt.
2. The Mercy-ſeat which was upon the Ark, was a Type of the paſſive Obedience and Satisfaction of Jeſus Chriſt for our ſins, whom God hath ſet forth to be, Rom. 3.25. foreign a propitiation— 1 Joh. 2.2. he is the propitiation for our ſins.
3. The Law, which was within the Ark, is the active Obedience of Chriſt, Pſal. 40.8. thy Law is within my heart.
4. The Golden Pot of Manna is Chriſt in the Word, Exod. 16. Joh. 6.48, 49, 50, 51. He is the true Manna, the true Bread of life.
5. Aarons Rod that budded is the Miniſtry, bleſſed with ſucceſs for the good of Souls, Numb. 17.10. this was reſerved before the Teſtimony, for a token againſt the Rebels.
6. The Cherubims upon the Ark are the Angels miniſtring to the Lord, Ezek. 1. they are there deſcribed, Iſ. 6.2. they look towards the Ark; they pry into the myſteries of the Goſpel, 1 Pet. 1.12. held forth by the Church, Eph. 3.10. The myſtery of the Incarnation of the Son of God being above their comprehenſion, and their Subjection to Chriſt as Mediator being not included originally within the Law of their Creation: therefore they learn this myſtery from the Church.
7. The Chariot of the Cherubims, 1 Chron. 28.16. is the motions of Providence. The Throne of God is deſcribed with Wheels, Dan. 7.9. Ezek. 1.16. the Throne hath Wheels, and 10.9. Some think the other two Cherubims that were beſide the Ark, ſtood not upon the Golden Pavement of the Oracle, but upon a Chariot and Wheels; from whence that expreſſion, [the Chariot of the Cherubims]. However they are ſo repreſented in Ezekiels Viſion, cap. 1. there be not only living creatures, that is, Angels; but Wheels, that is, motions, turnings, revolutions of Providence.
Now to open theſe things a little more particularly in the method and order wherein they lie before us in the Text, we muſt obſerve that there are ſix particulars here enumerated as parts or appertainances to the Ark.
1. The Ark of the Covenant was overlaid round about with Gold] that is, this ſacred Cheſt it ſelf (for the Cover is mentioned afterwards.) The firſt Inſtitution of this holy Veſſel was in Exod. 25.10, &c.
An Ark] or a ſacred Cheſt. v. 10. A Cubit is about a Foot and an half of our meaſure; ſo that it was between three and four Foot long: the height and breadth equal, a Cubit and an half.
V. 11. Overlaid with Gold] for the matter was Shittim Wood. This was an intimation of the ſpiritual excellency and preciouſneſs of the Myſtery hereby adumbrated.
V. 11. A Crown of Gold round about] for Ornament and Glory.
V. 13. It had Staves of Gold alſo for carrying it in the Wilderneſs. Theſe were alſo put with it in the Temple, 1 Kings 8.8. to teach this people that if they did provoke the Lord, he might yet remove the Ark of his Preſence from them.
It is called the Ark of the Covenant, becauſe the two Tables of the Covenant which God made with Iſrael were put therein. Exod. 25.16. And thou ſhalt put into the Ark the Teſtimony which I ſhall give thee. Of which further afterward.
It was a Type of Chriſt in regard of his active Obedience, fulfilling the Covenant for us. Thy Law is within my heart, Pſal. 40.
2. In it was the Golden Pot that had Manna] of which Exod. 16. Of this we ſpake among the Occaſional Types.
Wherein] There be ſeveral interpretations of this word. Some refer it to the more remote antecedent, the Tabernacle: ſome to the Ark, conceiving it was in the Ark till Solomons time; for then there was nothing in it, but the Tables of the Covenant. 2 King. 8.9.
Or in which] may be interpreted in a larger ſignification: as if he had ſaid, About which, or belonging to which: For theſe things were appertainances to the Ark, and did belong to it; as being laid up by it or before it, as Exod. 16.34. Numb. 17.10.
3. Aarons Rod that budded, of which Numb. 17. A Type of the Goſpel-Miniſtry, bleſſed with ſucceſs for the good of Sou s: as alſo a pledge of Gods Preſence with it, and the Levitical Miniſtry during that Adminiſtration.
1. This Rod brought forth fruit, v. 8. And the Almond tree is a fruitful tree. The Miniſtry is and ſhould be fruitful for Converſion: and therefore it is lawful to preach any where, to any body. Go and preach the Goſpel to every creature: and for Edification and building up ſuch as are converted and brought home.
2. The Almond tree is very early in its Fruit. Some Naturaliſts write, that it is the firſt of all Trees that buds. Miniſters ſhould be fruitful to God betimes, as Jerem. 1.5. and ver. 11. he ſees an Almond tree the ſooneſt ripe. John the Baptiſt, Luk. 1.15. was filled with the Holy Ghoſt even from his Mothers Womb. And Timothy, 2 Tim. 3.15. from a Child knew the holy Scriptures.
3. The Fruit remains, the Buds and Bloſſoms miraculouſly continued upon the Rod of Aaron, Joh. 15.16. that you ſhould bring forth fruit, and that your fruit ſhould remain. The Fruit of the Miniſtry is never loſt; it doth remain in the hearts of Gods people, and ſhall remain for ever.
4. This Rod of Aaron is a Rod of Government: ſo the Scripture often ſpeaks of a Rod for a Rod of Authority and Government, Pſal. 110.2. he will ſend the Rod of his Strength out of Sion— ſhall I come unto you with a Rod? ſaith the Apoſtle. There is a Rod of Government and Diſcipline. For a Miniſter to lay this aſide, is the way to be popular, and to get applauſe amongſt the largeſt ſort of Profeſſors for a time: But if he make conſcience to exerciſe the Diſcipline of Chriſt in his Congregation, he ſhall be hated and laden with reproaches and revilings; he ſhall hear the defaming of many on every ſide, that will ſay, Report and we will report it. But the Lord will be with him as a mighty terrible one. Jer. 20.10, 11. If thou diſtinguiſh between the precious and the vile, thou ſhalt be as my month. Jer. 15.19, &c.
5. This Rod of Aaron is laid up before the Ark in the Holy of holies. An emblem of the neerneſs of faithful Miniſters unto God, which is both their Duty and their Priviledge. They ſhould be much in Heaven the holieſt of all, they ſhould converſe much with God and Chriſt, and the holy Angels. The Rod of Aaron ſhould be before the Ark.
4. The Tables of the Covenant, ſo called, Deut. 9.9, 11, 15. and Tables of Teſtimony, Exod. 31.18. Hence the Ark is called the Ark of the Covenant, as in the Text: ſo Numb. 10.33. and the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord went before them. Theſe were in the Ark, to teach us that the Law is in Chriſts heart; he hath kept the Covenant.
5. And over it the Cherubims of Glory. The firſt mention of Cherubims is in Gen. 3.14. and he placed at the Eaſt of the Garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming Sword, to keep the way of the tree of Life. Some derive the word Cherub from Rechub, a Chariot; becauſe God is ſaid to ride upon the Cherubims, Pſal. 18.11. He rode upon a Cherub and did fly. Though others have other derivations of the word; as may be ſeen by the Engliſh Reader in Aynſworth and Lee. The ſhape of them may be gathered from the Viſions of the Prophet Ezekiel and Iſaiah, Ezek. 1. and Iſai. 6. They were pictures of young men, though with four Faces; the Face of a Man, of a Lyon, of an Ox, and of a flying Eagle. They had alſo Wings, in Iſai. 6. ſix Wings: For with two they covered their Faces, with two they covered their Feet, thoſe parts of the body which are the feat of ſhame, and with two they did fly. There were two of them over the Ark; and Solomon made two more, which ſtood with their Feet upon the ground, or upon the Chariot of the Cherubims, as ſome ſuppoſe, 1 Chron. 28.18. the Text calleth them Cherubims of Glory, or glorious Cherubims.
As to the Myſtery of them, I find in Scripture phraſe three things ſignified thereby.
1. The Angels of Heaven who are compared to Chariots and fiery Chariots, Pſal. 68.17. the Chariots of God are twenty thouſand, even thouſands of Angels: which ſuits with that expreſſion of the Chariot of the Cherubims in the Oracle, 1 Chron. 28.18. and with that of the Apoſtle Peter, who ſaith, 1 Pet. 1.12. the Angels bow down their heads to pry into the myſteries of the Goſpel, alluding to the poſture of the Cherubims over the Ark.
2. Kings and Magiſtrates are called Cherubims in Scripture: ſo it is ſpoken of the King of Tyre, Ezek. 28.14. Thou art the anointed Cherub that covereth; and I have ſet thee ſo: thou waſt upon the holy Mountain of God. It ſpeaks forth both their Dignity and Duty. The Magiſtrate is to protect the true Religion and the Worſhip of God, as the Cherubims did cover the Ark.
3. Miniſters are called Cherubims: ſo in Revel. 4. thoſe four living Wights are nothing elſe but four Cherubims, as you will clearly ſee, if you compare that with Ezekiels Viſion, Ezek. 4. But theſe Cherubims or four living Wights in the Revelation cannot be interpreted concerning the Angels in Heaven: becauſe they are ſaid to be redeemed by the Lambs Blood, Rev. 5.8, 9. which the Angels in Heaven were not. And moreover the four living Wights are expreſly diſtinguiſhed from the Angels in Heaven, ver. 11. therefore it muſt needs be meant of a lower ſort of Angels, the Angels of the Churches; that is, the Officers and Miniſters of the Church, who ſhould be men of Angelick Spirits for induſtry, and zeal, and vigilancy in the Lords work.
6. The ſixth and laſt part of the Ark here mentioned, is the Mercy ſeat. The Cherubims of Glory overſhadowing the Mercy ſeat.
The Mercy-ſeat was the Cover of the Ark, of which, Exod. 25.17. The Hebrew word for it is Capporeth, from Caphar, to cover with pitch, and in another Conjugation, to expiate, atone, appeaſe. It implyeth a merciful covering of our ſins.
The Septuagint call it ſometimes foreign, a propitiatory covering, and ſometimes foreign, a Lid or covering laid on. The Apoſtle applies it to the Blood of Chriſt, and the ſatisfaction made thereby to the Juſtice of God for our ſins, Rom. 3.25. 1 Joh. 2.2.
Ʋſe 1. See the Glory of the viſible Church, and of the Preſence of God there. For all theſe glorious things are in the Temple, in the Holy of holies there. And therefore your ſhould ſee God himſelf there, and hear his voice, though not viſibly and audibly, but ſpiritually; yet really and powerfully and effectually ſpeaking to the heart. You ſhould ſee theſe things by the eye of Faith. When you come to a Meeting, though the World revile and call them Conventicles, you ſhould ſee a guard of Angels and Cherubims round about you, &c.
Ʋſe 2. See the fulneſs of ſupply and ſpiritual relief that is in Jeſus Chriſt, in the Goſpel, for poor loſt Souls.
Here is ſomething to anſwer all their caſes and neceſſities: here is God appearing and ſpeaking in Chriſt: here is paſſive and active Obedience: here is the Word, the Miniſtry, the Guard of Angels, the workings of Providence for the Churches good.
There be two things which an enlightned Conſcience needs, and cries for.
1. I cannot keep the Law; I want a perfect legal Righteouſneſs to appear before God in.
Therefore Chriſt hath done it: Here is the Law kept in this bleſſed Ark of the Covenant: He hath fulfilled all Righteouſneſs, &c.
2. But I want a Propitiation for the ſins that have been committed.
But therefore here is a Mercy-ſeat upon the Ark, a propitiatory Covering, in the paſſive Obedience of Jeſus Chriſt, whereby he hath not only kept the Law, but ſatisfied for our breaking of it. Draw neer to God in the faith and meditation of this myſtery.
An Advertiſement to the Reader.
THe obſerving Reader will remember, that in the method propoſed by the Author, the Legal Miniſtry ſhould have come in the next place to be treated of: But the Author in his courſe of preaching handled this Head before that; which alteration of his firſt deſigned method, and thus tranſpoſing theſe two heads of the Legal Miniſtry and the Legal Feſtivals, is by himſelf accounted for in the entrance on that of the Legal Miniſtry; and therefore no more ſhall be ſaid of it.
The Reader will alſo doubtleſs obſerve, his Entrance on this ſubject of the Legal Feſtivals to be more abrupt then in the reſt; of which this account may be given, That on this head the Authors Notes which he left behind him were leſs perfect then on any of the foregoing: and thence, as it coſt more labour to bring them to what is here preſented: ſo the judicious Reader will perhaps diſcern a difference between his Diſcourſes on this and on the other heads, as not being ſpun with an even thred. And we have therefore been neceſſitated to uſe a greater liberty here, then we allowed our ſelves elſewhere, to inſert in their propereſt places, as neer as we could, ſundry notions which we found noted down in the Authors broken Papers relating to this ſubject, ſome whereof perhaps were not his own, yea it may be not according to his Judgment, (though we do not know of any ſuch inſerted) but only noted down by him as they came into his mind, or as he met with them in reading, to be better conſidered of at further leiſure: For it is certain it was his manner thus to do. Moreover, we do find many imperfect hints of Notions amongſt his Papers, which we could not find where to inſert, nor indeed, as to ſome of them, well tell what to make of them, or how to expreſs them as the Author deſigned; and therefore they are loſt with him.
Laſtly, we may advertiſe the Reader, that we find the Author had thoughts of re-aſſuming and going over this whole head of the Legal Feſtivals again, in ſomewhat another method, the firſt rude lineaments whereof were thus drawn by himſelf, viz. he deſigned firſt a brief delineation of the whole, and when inſtituted; namely their Feaſts, (to wit, the Paſſover, Pentecoſt, the Feaſt of Tabernacles, the Feaſt of Trumpets, and the great Day of Expiation) their New Moons and their Sabbaths▪ to wit, the ſeventh day of the week, the ſeventh year, amd the fiftieth year. Next he deſigned to go over them all again, and ſhew how they made up a rude draught, or a dark ſhadow of better things; and here he would have made the firſt Inſtitution to be his Text for the ſeveral Heads and for the Sabbath the 12, 13, 14, 15. verſes of the fifth of Deuteronomy, becauſe the typical Reaſon is there annexed to the Command. And in the laſt place he intended to have ſpoken more fully to the unwarrantableneſs of Popiſh Holidays, and Muſick.
And indeed he had many years before written two brief Diſcourſes on that Argument, the main Materials whereof we ſuppoſe he would have brought in here, perhaps with ſome conſiderable Additions: and therefore we have for the affinity of the matter to this head of the Jewiſh Feſtivals ſubjoined, as an Appendix thoſe two Diſcourſes, as they were found amongst the Authors Papers. Farewell.