of this incense before the testimony, as is there affirmed, is the same with what our apostle affirms, that the most holy place 'had it.'

That in general by incense, prayer is signified, the Scripture expressly testifieth. Let my prayer come before thee as incense,' Ps. cxli. 2. And there is a fourfold resemblance between them. 1. In that it was beaten and pounded before it was used. So doth acceptable prayer proceed from a broken and contrite spirit, Ps. li. 17. 2. It was of no use until fire was put under it, and that taken from the altar. Nor is that prayer of any virtue or efficacy, which is not kindled by the fire from above, the Holy Spirit of God, which we have from our altar Christ Jesus. 3. It naturally ascended upwards towards heaven, as all offerings in the Hebrew are called mby, ascensions,' risings up. this is the design of prayer, to ascend unto the throne of God: 'I will direct unto thee, and look up;' that is, pray, Ps. v. 3. 4. It yieldeth a sweet savour, which was one end of it in temple services, wherein there was so much burning of flesh and blood. So doth prayer yield a sweet savour unto God; a savour of rest, wherein he is well pleased.

And

In this general sense, even the prayers of the saints might be typified and represented in that daily burning of incense which was used in the sanctuary. But it must be granted that this incense is distinguished from the prayers of the saints, as that which is in the hand of Christ alone, to give virtue and efficacy unto them, Rev. viii. 4. Wherefore, this golden altar of incense as placed in the sanctuary, whereon incense burned continually every morning and evening, was a type of Christ, by his mediation and intercession, giving efficacy unto the continual prayers of all believers.

But that to which alone the apostle in this place hath respect, was the burning of the incense in the golden censer on the day of expiation, when the high priest entered into the most holy place. And this represented only the personal mediatory prayer of Christ himself. Concerning it, we may observe,

Obs. III. That the time of it was after the sacrifice of the sin-offering. For the high priest was to take along with him the blood of that sacrifice, to carry with him into the holy place, Lev. xvi.

Obs. IV. That the incense was kindled with fire taken from the altar where the blood of the sacrifices was newly offered. And two things in the mediatory prayer of Christ are hereby intimated unto us.

1. That the efficacy of them ariseth from, and dependeth on, the sacrifice of himself. Hence intercession is best apprehended as the representation of himself, and the efficacy of his sacrifice in heaven before the throne of God.

2. That this prayer was quickened and enlivened by the same fire wherewith the sacrifice of himself was kindled, that is, by the eternal Spirit, whereof we shall treat on ver. 14.

Yet we must not so oblige ourselves unto the times, seasons, and order of these things, as to exclude the prayers which he offered unto God before the oblation of himself. Yea, that solemn prayer of his, recorded John xvii. (wherein he sanctified himself to be an oblation) was principally prefigured by the cloud of incense which filled the most holy

place, covering the ark and mercy-seat. For by reason of the imperfection of these types, and their accommodation unto the present service of the church, so far as it was carnal, they could not represent the order of things as they were to be accomplished in the person of Christ, who was both priest and sacrifice, altar, tabernacle, and incense. For the law had only a shadow of these things, and not the perfect image of them. Some obscure lines of them were drawn therein, but their beautiful order was not represented in them. Although, therefore, the offering of incense from the golden altar in the most holy place, was after the offering of sacrifice on the altar of burnt-offerings, yet was the mediatory prayer of Christ for the church of the elect, wherein he also prepared and sanctified himself to be a sacrifice, thereby typified. So also the beating or bruising of the incense before its firing, did represent the agony of his soul, with strong cries and supplications that he offered unto God therein. And we may observe,

Obs. V. The mediatory intercession of Jesus Christ was a sweet savour unto God, and efficacious for the salvation of the church. The smoke of this perfume was that which covered the ark and mercy-seat. Hereby the law itself, which was contained in the ark, became compliant unto our salvation. For herein Christ was declared to be the end of the law for righteousness, unto them that do believe.

Obs. VI. The efficacy of Christ's intercession dependeth on his oblation. It was fire from the altar of burnt-offerings, wherewith the incense was kindled.

Obs. VII. The glory of these types did no way answer the glory of the antitype, or that which was represented by them. It is acknowledged that the service of the high priest, at and from this golden altar, and his entrance with a cloud of incense into the most holy place, had great glory in it, and was suited to ingenerate a great veneration in the minds of the people. Howbeit, they were all but carnal things, and had no glory, in comparison of the spiritual glory of Christ in the discharge of his office. We are apt in our minds to admire these things, and almost to wish that God had ordained such a service in the gospel, so outwardly glorious. For there is that in it which is suited unto these images of things, which men create, and are delighted withal, in their minds. And besides, they love in divine service to be taken up with such a bodily exercise as carries glory with it, an appearance of solemn veneration. Wherefore, many things are found out by men unto these ends. But the reason of all this is, because we are carnal. We see not the glory of spiritual things, nor do know how to be exercised in our minds about them, with pure acts of faith and love.

Obs. VIII. We are always to reckon that the efficacy and prevalency of all our prayers depends on the incense which is in the hand of our merciful high priest. It is offered with the prayers of the saints, Rev. viii. 4. In themselves our prayers are weak and imperfect; it is hard to conceive how they should find acceptance with God. But the invaluable incense of the intercession of Christ gives them acceptance and prevalency.

4. The second thing in this part of the tabernacle mentioned by the apostle is the ark. This he describes, 1. From its appellation, the ark

of the covenant. 2. From one particular in its fabric; it was overlaid round about with gold. 3. From the things that were in it, accompapanied it, and had no other use but to be laid up in it; the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that blossomed. 4. From what was placed in it, which to preserve was its principal use; the tables of the covenant.

This vessel in the Hebrew is called, as the ark in the flood was But the Greeks render both by Kibwтоç, as the, Latins by arca. This, with the mercy-seat, wherewith it was covered, was the most glorious and mysterious utensil of the tabernacle, and afterwards of the temple; the most eminent pledge of the divine presence, the most mysterious representation of the holy properties of his nature in Christ. This, as the heart of all divine service, was first formed; all other things had a relation unto it, Exod. xxv. 10, 11. To treat of the fabric, that is, the materials, dimensions, and fashion of this ark, is not unto our present purpose. For the apostle himself here declares, that the consideration of his present argument does not afford a fit season to treat of these things particularly. This he intends in those words, which we shall not now speak of,' and their mystical signification, which he gives afterwards.

1. The name of it is the ark of the covenant, rns dianкns. Sometimes it is called the ark of the testimony, Exod. xxvi. 33, xl. 3, 5, 20, 22. Most commonly the ark of the covenant, Num. x. 33, xiv. 44; Deut. x. 8, &c. Sometimes the ark of God, 1 Sam. iii. 3, vi. 2, 3, &c. The ark of the testimony it was called, because God called the tables of the covenant by the name of his testimony, or that which testified his will unto the people, and by the people's acceptance of the terms of it, was to be a perpetual witness between God and them, Exod. xxv. 16, xxxi. 18, &c. On the same account is it called the ark of the covenant, namely, because of what was contained in it, namely, the tables of the covenant, which, as I have shown elsewhere, were usually called the covenant itself. And so they are called the tables of testimony, Exod. xxxi. 18. That is, the covenant which was the testimony of God. And lastly, it was called the ark of God, because it was the most eminent pledge of the especial presence of God among the people.

2. As to the fabric of it, the apostle observes in particular, that it was on every side overlaid or covered with gold, περικεκαλυμμενην πανTOOEY, every way, within and without,' with plates of beaten gold. This ark, as I said before, was the most sacred and glorious instrument of the sanctuary; yea, the whole sanctuary, as unto its use in the church of Israel, was built for no other end but to be as it were a house and habitation for this ark, Exod. xxvi. 33, xl. 21. Hence sanctification proceeded unto all the other parts of it; for, as Solomon observed, the places were holy whereunto the ark of God came, 2 Chron. viii. 11. And of such sacred veneration was it among the people, so severe was the exclusion of all flesh from the sight of it, the high priest only excepted, who entered that holy place once a-year, and that not without blood; as that the nations about took it to be the God that the Israelites worshipped, 1 Sam. iv. 8. And it were not difficult to evidence that many of the pretended mysterious ceremonies of worship, that prevailed

among the nations of the world afterwards, were invented in compliance with what they had heard, concerning the ark and worship of God thereby.

This was the most signal token, pledge, or symbol of the presence of God among the people. And thence metonymically it hath sometimes the name of God ascribed unto it, as some think; and of the glory of God, Ps. lxxviii. 61. And all neglects about it, or contempt of it, were most severely punished. From the tabernacle it was carried into the temple built by Solomon; where it continued until the Babylonian captivity; and what became of it afterwards is altogether uncertain.

God gave this ark that it might be a representation of Christ, as we shall show; and he took it away, to increase the desire and expectation of the church, after him and for him. And, as it was the glory of God to hide and cover the mysterious counsels of his will under the Old Testament, whence this ark was so hidden from the eyes of all men ; so under the New Testament, it is his glory to reveal and make them open in Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. iii. 18.

3. In this ark, as it was placed in the tabernacle, the apostle affirmeth that there were three things.

1. Σταμνος χρυση εχουσα το μάννα, 'the golden pot that had manna.' When the manna first fell, every one was commanded to gather an omer for his own eating, Exod. xvi. 16. Hereon God appointed that a pot should be provided, which should hold an omer, to be filled with manna, to be laid up before the Lord for their generations, ver. 33. There was it miraculously preserved from putrefaction, whereas of itself it would not keep two days unto an end. And it is added, that as the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the testimony to be kept, ver. 34. But there is a prolepsis in the words; Aaron is said to do, what he did afterwards. For the testimony was not yet given, nor Aaron yet consecrated unto his office. It is not said in this place of Exodus, where the making of it is appointed, that it is of gold; nor is there any mention of what matter it was made. That it was of gold, the apostle, who wrote by inspiration, here declares, and the thing is evident in itself: for it was to be placed in that part of the sanctuary, wherein all the vessels were either of pure gold, or at least, overlaid with it; and a pot of another nature would have been unsuitable thereunto. And it was to be made of that which was most durable, as being to be kept for a memorial throughout all generations. The reason of the sacred preservation of this manna in the most holy place was, because it was a type of Christ, as himself declares, John vi. 48-51.

2. The next thing mentioned, is Aaron's rod that budded,' 'H paßdos Ααρων ἡ βλαστησασα. This rod originally was that wherewith Moses fed the sheep of his father-in-law, Jethro, in the wilderness, which he had in his hand when God called unto him out of the bush. And thereon, God ordained it to be the token of the putting forth of his power in the working of miracles, having by a trial, confirmed the faith of Moses concerning it, Exod. iv. 17. Hereby it became sacred: and when Aaron was called unto the office of the priesthood, it was delivered unto his keeping. For on the building of it, on the trial about the

priesthood, it was laid up before the testimony, that is, the ark, Num. xvii. 10. That same rod did Moses take from before the testimony, when he was to smite the rock with it, and work a miracle, whereof this was consecrated to be the outward sign, Num. xx. 8-11. Hereof the apostle affirms only that it budded, but in the story it is, that it brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds; being originally cut from an almond tree, Num. xvii. 8. But the apostle mentions what was sufficient unto his purpose.

This rod of Moses belonged unto the holy furniture of the tabernacle; because the spiritual rock that followed them, was to be smitten with the rod of the law; that it might give out the waters of life unto the church.

3. The last thing mentioned is, ai Tλakes Tns dialnкns, the tables of the covenant.' The two tables of stone, cut out by Moses, and written on with the finger of God, containing the ten commandments, which were the substance of God's covenant with the people. This testimony, this covenant, these tables of stone, with the moral law engraven in them, were by the express command of God, put into the ark, Exod. xxv. 16, xl. 20; Deut. x. 5. And there was nothing else in the ark, but these two tables of stone, with the law written in them; as is expressly affirmed, 1 Kings viii. 9, 2 Chron. v. 10. Wherefore, whereas it is said of Aaron's rod, and the pot of manna, that they were placed before the testimony, Exod. xvi. 34; Num. xvii. 10, that is, the ark; and the book of the law was also put into the side of it, that is, laid beside it, Deut. xxxi. 26, and not only are the tables of stone appointed expressly to be put into the ark; but also it is likewise affirmed, that there was nothing else in the ark but these tables of stone; this place of the apostle hath been exceedingly tortured and perplexed by critics, and all sorts of expositors, with multiplied conjectures, objections, and solutions. I know not that the repetition of them in this place, would be of any use; those who have a mind to exercise themselves about them, do know where to find them. I shall, therefore, give only that interpretation of the words, which, for the substance of it at least, all sober expositors do betake themselves unto. The true real position of these things, was after this manner. In the closed ark, there was nothing at all but the two tables of stone. Before it, or at the ends of it, adjoining unto it, were the pot of manna, and the miracle-working rod. Neither of these were of any actual use in the service of God, but only were kept as sacred memorials. Unto this end being placed by it, they were joined unto, and reckoned with the ark. This appurtenance of them unto the ark, the apostle expresseth by the preposition & from the Hebrew . Now this preposition is so frequently used in the Scripture to signify adhesion, conjunction, approximation, appurtenance of one thing to another, that it is mere cavilling to assign it any other signification in this place, or to restrain it unto inclusion only, the things themselves requiring that sense. See Job xix. 20; Deut. vi. 7; I Sam. i. 24; Hos. iv. 3; Luke i. 17; Josh. x. 10; Matt. xxi. 12. And a multitude of instances are gathered by others.