The Types Unveiled, Chapter 18
CHAP. 18. I now come to ſpeak of the place where the Ark did lie in the Tabernacle.
THe place appointed for the Ark to ſtand in while in the Tabernacle, it was under the Mercy-ſeat, for we read in Exod. That when Moſes had put the Tables (wherein the ten Commandments were written) into the Ark, then did he take the Ark and carry it into the Tabernacle, and placed it under the Mercy ſeat, Exod. 40. 20. Then took he a veil and ſpread over it for a covering that it might not be ſeen, ver. 21.
Now the great Myſtery of this Type or Figure, I conceive to be this.
Firſt, By the ten Commandments written in the Tables of the Ark, I underſtand for the matter of it to be meant the Covenant of works which God made with all men (in their Repreſentative Adam) in Paradiſe, which Covenant we have all broken, and ſo lie under the penalties of the breach of this Covenant in our ſelves for ever, John 3 36. Rom 5. 12. Which Covenant came Jeſus Chriſt to fulfil in the greateſt exaction of it; for all that ever Chriſt did or ſuffered in the fleſh was to give this Covenant its full ſatisfaction in our behalf, if we prove to be true believers, Rom. 10. 4. Chriſt is the end of the Law for Righteouſneſse to every one that believeth.
Now by Moſes his putting the fiery Law in the Ark under the Mercy ſeat, I underſtand theſe things.
Firſt, That the moral Law as it is a Law or Rule of life to a Chriſtian, is not ceaſed as ſome would have it go, you ſee it was not thrown away but only hid under the Mercy-ſeat, and the hiding of it was what had relation to God more then to the people, the hiding of the Law was to put out of Gods ſight, that he might never ſee it more, it was not hid that believers ſhould never ſee it more.
Secondly, It was to ſhew us that the condemning, accuſing, and eternal deſtroying power of the Law (as it was the Law of the old Covenant, and ſo a Law not ſatisfied for) I ſay, it was to ſhew that this Covenant or Law was taken away by the ſatisfaction which was given by Chriſt, that as the Law made the creature before to ſubject to its terrours, now Chriſt hath made the Law to ſubject to his merits, for you ſee the Law is forced to lie under the Mercy-ſeat: And beſides it ſhews us thus much for the great comfort of all believers, that God cannot look upon any of believers any more as in or under the old Covenant, becauſe the Covenant lieth hid under the Mercy-ſeat; now if it did ſtand upon the Mercy-ſeat, then indeed when at any time God had caſt his eyes about upon the Mercy-ſeat it would have been the firſt thing that God would have had in his eyes. But to prevent that it is a Law hid out of ſigh, a Law that muſt not appear before God, a Law that muſt lie under the Mercy-ſeat, a Law veiled up in the Mantle of rich and free grace, that if God will at any time caſt his eyes about that way where the Covenant lieth, God muſt look through a whole heap of ſatisfaction before he can eſpie this old Covenant, therefore ſaith St. Paul, Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to thoſe which are in Chriſt, who walk not after the fleſh, ſo Jer. 50. 20. In that time, ſaith the Lord, ſhall the iniquity of Iſarel be ſought for, and there ſhall be none, and the ſins of Judah and they ſhall not be found, for I will pardon them whom I reſerve.
But the queſtion will be, that if the moral Law was a Law hid out of ſight and veiled up ſo as you ſpeak, then whether or no believers are to take any notice of it at all,
I anſwer, Its true indeed, as the moral Law was for the matter of it the old Covenant of works, ſo its a Covenant or Law hid from believers, and in this ſenſe a believer hath nothing to do with the Law, nor the Law with a believer; but when Jeſus Chriſt on the believers part had fulfilled and ſatisfied the Law as it was formally the old Covenant, he takes up the matter of the old Covenant which is the ten Commandments, and makes it the Law of his Kingdom, and ſo Impoſeth it on his people as a Rule to walk by for ever in their ſeveral Generations; but with differing reſpects in compariſon to what the Law was to be ſubjected unto before, for when the ten Commandments (as it was for the matter of it, the Covenant of works) called for obedience from the creature before it was for life, ſaying, Do this and thou ſhalt live, if not thou ſhalt die the death. But as its become (for the matter of it) the Law of a Mediatour, and a Law in Chriſts hand, and ſo a Law which comes forth to us from under the Mercy-ſeat, it ſpeaks otherwiſe then it did before, not for life, but from life, not that you might live, but becauſe you do live, not that you might get-heaven, but becauſe heaven is freely given unto you and beſtowed upon you. The Law in Chriſts hand doth not ſay you muſt repent and mourn for ſin and get it mortified, and be humbled and holy, that God might love you and pardon ſin in you, and that he might give you an inheritance amongſt them which are ſanctified, but becauſe all this is freely procured by Jeſus Chriſt for you already, and is freely by the grace of God made over to the ſoul as his through ſound believing, Like 1. 74, 75, That we being delivered (mark that) not that we might be delivered, might ſerve him without fear, in righteouſneſs and holineſſe all the dayes of our lives, ſo Hebrewes 12. 28. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved (mark that) a Kingdom already received, Let us have grace whereby we may ſerve God with reverence and godly fear, ſo Titus 2. 11, 12. The grace of God which bringeth ſalvation hath appeared to all men, (mark that) which hath already appeared, This teacketh them that denying ungodlineſſe and worldly luſts, ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godlily, in this preſent world; So that a believer is ſo far from being ſet free by Chriſt from the Law or ten Commandments, as that he is the more obliged to the ſtrict obſervation of it; Therefore ſaith Saint Paul, Romans 3. 31. Do we then make void the Law through faith, God forbid, yea we eſtabliſh the Law, Romans 7. 12. Wherefore the Law is holy, and the Commandment holy, juſt, and good.
The form of the Old Covenant is taken away by Chriſt from a Believer, but the matter ſtill remains, itceaſeth to be a Law commanding for life to a Believer, but it ſtill requires obedience in all manner of Coverſation at a Believers hands, becauſe he doth live; and ſo its a Rule to walk by as binding as ever.
Thus you may ſee if you will but conſider the place where the Tables of the Law were placed, they were placed in the Ark, which Ark typed out Chriſt as you have heard before, ſo that by Moſes his placing the Tables of the moral Law in the Ark under the Mercy-ſeat, both which places being types of Chriſt, it is very clear that the moral Law or ten Commandments are become the Law of Chriſts mediatory Kingdom.