3 The Gofpel of the Holy Places. caufe they might be faid to appear before the Lord elfewhere, and not only where the Tabernacle was. Tho Places where the Ark came are more ,particularly recorded in the Scripture. Firft it was carried from Shilo into the Field of Apbek, againft the Pbiliflines, i Sam. 4. 2. where the Phili/lines took it Captive, and car- ried it from Place to Place, to Afhdod, to Ekron, to Gath, i Sam. 54. At laft they fent it home into the Land of 7isdab. Firft to Betbfheme/h, cap. 6. Thence it went to Kirjath fearim. Thence'to the Houfe of Abinadab, cap. 7. Thence to the Houfeof Obed-Edom, 2 Sam. 6. Thence to the City of David, ibid. Verf. 12. And finally, it was placed in the Oracle in the Temple by Solomon,' . Kings,8. 6, 7. where it continued till the Captivity of Babylon; at which time it was either deftroyed in the burning of theTemple, or elfe carried away to Babylon, and reltored amongft the reft of the Vef- fels of the Lord's Houfe by Cyrus. Some indeed think it was never returned, and that the fecond Tem- ple wanted the Ark. But this to others féems improbable ; becaufe the High Prieft was annually to Minifter in the molt Holy Place, and that in reference to the Ark ; for he was to fprinkle the Mercy-feat with Blood, of which hereafter. But thefe various Removals and Travels of the Ark to and fro from Place to Place, may teach us this Leffon, that God hath not tied himfelf and his Ordinances, and the Tokens of, his Prefençe fo to any People, but that if they prove unworthy, he may remove them, and feek unto himfelf another Habitation, Mat. 21.43. Rev.2.5. I will remove the Candle,ick. 4. Hence fourthly, among the Holy Places Yerufalem was very e- minent, as being the Place of the Temple and Ark, andall the Pub- lick VVorfhip thereunto belonging, Pfal. 76.2 In .Salem alfo ú bis Tabernacle, and his Dwelling-place in Sion. Pfal. 87. 2. The Lord lovetb the Gates ofSion, more than all the Dwellings of Jacob. Yerufalem therefore is made in Scripture a Type of the Church both Militant. and Triumphant, Gal. 4.26. for Jerufalem which ú above is free, which is the Mother of us all. Therefore in that magnificent De-; fcription of the Church Catholick myftical, Heb. 12. 22, 23. amongft other Elogies, it is called heavenly Yerufalem. So Rev. 2r. 2, the new . yerufalem that comes down from God out of Heaven, as a Bride a- dorned for her Husband, is the 'Church throughly reformed latter e
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