The Gofpel of the Holy Places. 327 The Tabernacle you know, was made in the Wildernefs by Mores, and fo was the Ark ; it marched before them to reek Reft for them, till they came into the Land of Canaan. The firft Place, where it was pitched there, was at Gilgal, Jofh, cap. 4. 19. there it continued about fixor fevers Years, till go(hua had con- quered the Land, and then it was fet up at Shilo, Jofh. IS. I. there it continued ( as fome compute ) three hundred Years from Yofhua's Time to Eli's ; and then the People in a Carnal Confidence carrying the Ark before them to Battle, it was taken Captive by the Pbilifiines ; and Shilo was rejeaed of God, and laid defolate for the Wicked. refs of his People Ifrael. The Story whereof you have recorded in Sam. 4. Avery inftruaing Providence, to teach them to take heed of car- naI refting in external Ordinances. Yea, Gofpel- Ordinances, Baptifm and the Lord's Supper, if thou art a Wicked Man, will ftand thee in no more ftead, than the Ark did them, Ter. 7. 12.. But goye now unto my Place which wa6 in Shilo, where I [et my Name at firs, and fee what 1did to it for the Wickednefs of my People Ifrael. And after this, it is obfervable, that the Ark and the Tabernacle, fo far as it appears out of the facred Hiftory, never met again after this parting. Which íhould teach fuch as pretend to be the Tabernacles of God, in whom he dwells (as every Chriftian is) to take heed of Decays and Backílidi.ngs in your Chriftian Courfe. For it may be God and thou may part, never to meet more. We fee fad Examples of it in many Profeffors, that after Backflidings never recover their former Glory, they never enjoy the Ark of his Prfence any more as for- merly. What became of the Tabernacle after the Defolation of Shilo, and after this departure of the Ark from it, the Scripture is in a great meafure Silent. Only this we find, that it was at Nob in Saut's Time, r Sam, 21. I, 4, 6. and that it was afterwards at Gibeon in David's Time, t Chron. i 6. 39. And finally, that the Veffels of it were removed to theTemple af- ter the building of that by Solomon. Not, as the Yews fuppofe, to be laid by there ; but rather to be ufed as occafion was, together with the other Vefhels of the Temple. Some think the Tabernacle had a Station once at Mizpeh, which they gather from that Phrafe, i Sam. Io. 17. and Samuel called the People together unto the Lord to Mizpch. Bet this is not certain, be- caufe
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