366 ,Sermonpreached at Aldermanbury-cfnircb, Chapter : therefore we read there were four thouland. If Attires thin by the Pailiftines : And the Eders of Ifrael met together, to con. Cult how to repair this great 101!I ; they conreffe it was the f.ord that had fmitten them : fob fay they, Wh.lefore hallo the L9idfmhten us to day b,,,foe the Phil; : And they conclude, the way to repair this their loffe, it was to fetch the Alit of the Covenaht of the Lord from Shiloh, and carry is into the Bartel ; wherettoon they appoint LI"oph- ny and Phinehas to ftt:Ei it, whereby they imagined that the preferce of the Ark would rave them from ruine, but herein they were mife- rabfy miltaken ; for this judgement befell them not becaufe the Ark was not in the Camp, but becaufe -their fin was in the Camp : The Ark of the Covenant would not preferve chofe that had broken Covenant with God : And therefore there was a great (laughter of the Ifraelites, and were fltin thirty thoufand Men, and Ilophxy and Phinehas were fain, and the Ark it fel f was taken prifoner. But what was old EL? doing ? He was ninety and elEhr yeares old, and was not able to go to the Batted, but fits upon a feat by the way fide, near the Battel ; and there he fits, thinking what (hall become of the Ark : And 13, Ely fate upon a feat by the way fide, Watching ; for his heart trembledfor the ArksorGod,` for fear tell the fhould be taken He was not troubled what fhould becotre of his two Sons, or hat fhould become of the people. of Ifrael, but vvhat fhould become of the Ark of God. - In the words are three parts. 1. Old Eltes folicitoufneffe for the Ark. 2. Old Elies heart-trembling for fear of the Ark. 3. Old Elie; preferring the fafety.of the Ark, before tie farm of his twoSons, Wife and Children. He fate upon 4 feat- by the way fide, wirching ; for his heart trim- . bledforthe Ark of God. But what was thz-: Arkof God ? why fhould old EGes heart trem- ble for fear of the A rk ? I Anfwer, This Arkwas the holieft of all the th;,ngs of God ; it was fo holy, chat it made every-place holy-where it carne, 2 ChrOn, 8. 4nd Solomon brought hp ti daughter of l.:In cut of Ile City of' David, into the bottle that he La for her : for he My wife [hall not dwell in the flours of I) ¢vid K'ng .nf Iii aci. 4.-caufe the places are holy, whereunto the Ar; or' the cart fo Thic. Ark was the dwAling place of God , it vvls the haNtvion of God, Pf he Lord RPicneth, he fittchBetween the Cheubim,. Now there Chertabims w::re. placed over the A!lt : it wig the (peaking place Of God ; he met his people there, and there he give an ataw > k o them:
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