VERSE 3, 4.

And after the second veil, the tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant.

§1. The apostle's design, not to give a minute description. §2. The situation of the second part of the tabernacle. $3. Called the Holy of holies. §4. The golden censer, or rather the altar of incense $5. The ark of the covenant. $6. The golden pot, Aaron's rod, and the two tables. $7. Observations.

$1. THE apostle in these verses proceedeth to describe the second part of the tabernacle, with its holy furniture. His design is not to give us an exact description of these things, as he observes in the close of "the fifth verse, but only to declare their use and signification. Wherefore, they deal injuriously both with him and the text, who rigidly examine every word, as if he had designed an exact account of the frame, posture, fashion, and measure of this part of the tabernacle, and every thing contained in it; a due consideration of this renders all anxious inquiry of the kind altogether needless. With respect to the end he aimed at, the words he useth are exactly true and proper.

§2. The first thing mentioned is the situation of this part of the tabernacle; it was "after, the second veil;" that is, with respect to them who entered into the tabernacle; for they were to pass through the whole length of the first part, before they came to this; nor was there any other way of entering into it. The first veil was not a separating veil of the tabernacle as this was, but the hanging of the door of the tent.

This the

apostle here reckons as a "veil," because as by this the

priests were hindered from entering or even looking into the most holy place, so by that the people were forbidden to enter or look into the first part of the sanctuary, into which the priests entered daily.

3. "The tabernacle which is called," by God himself, (pp Exod. xxvi, 33, 34;) "the holy of holies;" that is, most holy; the superlative degree being expressed by the repetition of the substantive, as is usual in the Hebrew. What is thus called was most eminently typical of Christ, who is called by this name, Dan. ix, 24. "To anoint the most holy." In short the place in the tabernacle, which was most sacred, and most secret, which had the most eminent symbols of the divine presence, and the clearest representations of God in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, is so called.

§4. The first utensil reckoned to this second part of the tabernacle is, (xpuσav Oupalnpiov) the golden censer. He doth not say it was in it, but it "had it." The word (Auμialypion) which we translate a censer, may as well be rendered the altar of incense, as it is by the Syriack "the house of spices," the place for the spices of which the incense was compounded. The altar of incense was all overlaid with beaten gold, hence it is here said to be (xpucsv) of gold. And whereas it was one of the most glorious vessels of the tabernacle, and most significant, if the apostle intended it not in this word, he takes no notice of it at all, which is very unlikely. There was a two-fold use of the altar of incense; the one of the ordinary priests, to burn incense in the sanctuary every day; and the other of the high priest, to take incense from it when he entered into the most holy place, to fill it with a cloud of its aromatic smoke. The apostle intending a comparison peculiarly between the Lord Christ and the high priest only, in this place,

and not the other priests in the daily discharge of their office, he takes no notice of the use of the altar of incense in the sanctuary, but only that which respected the most holy place, and the entrance of the high priest into it; and therefore he affirms this place to have had the golden altar, its principal use and end being designed for the service of it. This I judge to be the true meaning of the apostle, and proper sense of his words, and shall not therefore trouble myself nor the reader with the repetition or confutation of other conjectures. Although it was placed without the veil, that the high priest might not enter one step into the most holy place until the smoke of the incense went before him; yet had it a peculiar respect to the ark and mercy-seat, and he has therefore assigned it the same place and service with them.

The manner of the service of this altar was briefly thus: the high priest, on the solemn day of expiation, took a golden censer from this altar; and, going out of the sanctuary, he put into it fire taken from the altar of burnt offerings, which was without the tabernacle in the court where the perpetual fire was preserved; then returning into the holy place, he filled his hands with incense taken from this altar, which, as before observed, was placed just at the entrance of the most holy place, over against the ark and mercyseat; upon his entrance he put the incense on the fire in the censer, and entered into the most holy place with a cloud of smoke, Lev. xvi, 12, 13. The composition of the incense is mentioned Exod. xxx, 34, 35, &c. and being compounded, it was beaten small, (that it might immediately take fire) and so placed on this altar before the ark, ver. 36. cing of the incense "before the testimony," as there af

And the pla

firmed, is the same with what our apostle affirms, that the most holy place "had it."

This golden altar of incense, as placed in the sanctuary, and whereon incense burned continually every morning and evening, was a type of Christ, giving efficacy, by his mediation and intercession, to the continual prayers of all believers, Psal. cxli, 2; Rev. viii, 4.

But that which the apostle in this place hath alone respect to, 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; which represented only the personal mediatory prayer of Christ himself. Yet we must not so oblige ourselves to the seasons and order of these things, as to exclude the prayers which he offered to God before the oblation of himself. For by reason of the imperfection of these types, 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. Although therefore the offering of incense from the golden altar in the most holy place was after the offer. ing of sacrifice on the altar of burnt-offerings, yet was the mediatory prayer of Christ for the church of the elect, by which he also prepared and sanctified himself to be a sacrifice, thereby typified.

$5. The second thing in this part of the tabernacle is, (Tη ßwlov Tus diabиxns) the ark of the covenant. 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 to it, Exod. XXV, 10, 11. Sometimes it is called "the ark of the

testimony," because God called the tables of the covenant by the name of his "testimony," or that which testified his will to the people, and which, by the people's acceptance of the terms of it, was to be a perpetual witness between God and them, Exod. xxv, 16; chap. Xxx, 18, &c. On the same account it is called "the ark of covenant:" and lastly, it was called "the ark of God," because it was the most eminent pledge of the special presence of God among the people.

As to its fabric, it was (Tavlobev) every way, within and without, overlaid with plates of beaten gold.

This, as I said before, being the most sacred and glorious instrument of the sanctuary, 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 all neglects about it, or contempt of it, were most severely punished. From the tabernacle it was carried into the temple built by Solomon; wherein 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 shew; and he took it away, to increase the desire and expectation of the church after 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 Christ Jesus, 2 Cor. iii, 18.

§6. In (or rather adjoining to) this ark there were three things: