And what is said in the same chapter, v. 22? [The glory is departed from Israel.]

Did God, in any remarkable instance, shew how holy the Ark was? 1 Sam. v. 3-5.

Was the Ark afterwards restored? Read 1 Sam. vi. 21; vii. 1, 2; 2 Sam. vi. 1, 2. 12.

Were many persons punished for approaching the Ark contrary to God's command? 1 Sam. vi. 19; 2 Sam. vi. 6, 7; 1 Chron. xiii. 9, 10.

And may the knowledge of these punishments be useful to us?

Yes: my children, these things" are written for our admonition." We see the holiness of every command of God, and the punishment of disobedience. We learn how holy God is, and that He is only to be approached in His own appointed way.-Our hearts therefore should especially be impressed with a sense of the Divine Mercy to us in Jesus Christ.

We considered the description of the Ark of the Covenant, given us by Moses. We have read of the most holy place, where the Ark was deposited; of the vail which divided this part from the rest of the tabernacle; of the tables of testimony in the Ark ;-of the Cherubim-of the Mercy-seat upon the Ark-of the Presence of God, manifested above the mercy-seat: now read what St. Paul says, Heb. viii. 1-5; ix. 2-12, 24.

Since these subjects have a heavenly signification, seek to understand them in a heavenly manner; attend to them with reverence.

Is any thing further said of the Ark in the New Testament:?

Read, Rev. xi. 19.

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Why do we call the Ark God commanded Moses to make, the Ark of the Covenant? [It is called in Scripture," the Ark of the Covenant," the "ark of His Testament."It contained the tables of the Covenant God made with Moses, for the children of Israel.] Has the Ark of the Covenant been preserved?

This Ark of the Covenant does not remainof whom was it a type or figure?

The Ark of the Covenant is one of the many types of Jesus in the Old Testament. Jesus Christ?

Christ, presented to us

How was it a figure of

In several respects. Attend to what I am endeavouring to explain to you: we will try to think of it in some particulars. We have seen that the Ark was constructed by the Divine appointment, and committed to the people of Israel that it was the consecrated abode for the manifestation of the Divine Presence.Jesus Christ, the Holy Saviour and Mediator, the glory of the Father, (Heb. i3.) was manifested in a human body, in our world, and dwelt among the Israelites.

I

We said that the Ark contained the tables of the law, or covenant God made under the Old Testament: Jesus Christ alone perfectly fulfilled that law. God has also established with us in Him, the New Covenant, the cove nant of peace in the Gospel. We read that, upon the Ark was the Mercy-seat; and that, God was pleased to commune with the High Priest, from above the mercy-seat on the Ark, It is through Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, alone, that God now holds communion with us. (Eph. ii. 18; Heb. vii. 25; x. 19– 22.) The Ark of Israel is no longer upon earth, but the true Ark of the Covenant is in Heaven; Jesus is with departed saints, the people of God, in His glorified human nature united with the Divinity.

Observe that, though the Ark was a type of Jesus Christ, it was not to be approached, except by consecrated persons; but we have always access to our Saviour, and through Him to the Father!

[The Instructor should ask questions, in order to see how far the subject has been understood.]

In the New Testament, my dear children, Jesus Christ is fully manifested, but He is also revealed in the Old. He Himself exhorted the Jews to search the Scriptures, telling them that they testify of Him. (John v. 39.) The Jews had only the Scriptures of the Old Testament. We are told that, in our

Lord's discourse with the two disciples going to Emmaus, beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures, the things concerning Himself: (Luke xxiv. 27.) and that when He afterwards appeared to the eleven Apostles, He reminded them, it was necessary all things should be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Him. Luke xxiv. 44. From these and other passages, we learn that the Antient Scriptures abundantly testify of Jesus Christ. Though you may not yet perceive this, you may reverently wait to be taught it by the Holy Spirit. Pray that He may take of the things of Jesus Christ and shew them unto you.

BAPTISM.

Who instituted baptism?

What institution in the Jewish church did it succeed?

Who first baptized persons?

How were persons baptized?

What was the baptism of John called? ["The baptism of repentance for the remission of sins," Mark i. 4; Luke iii. 3; Acts xix. 4.]

To what did he exhort persons, Luke iii. 8, 9?
Have we need of repentance?

What is the outward sign used in baptism?
Of what is water the sign?

Was Jesus Himself baptized?

What took place at His baptism? [Matth. iii. 16, 17.] O that we might receive the Holy Spirit with His dove-like influences!

With what was Jesus to baptize? Mark i. 8. [Read Matth. iii. 11; with Isa. iv. 4; and Mal. iii. 1-3. What does the fire signify? Fire is a means of purification.]—Read again Matth. iii. 11; and Luke iii. 16; and Acts xix. 4. Observe Repentance is the first blessing which the Gospel brings (Acts v. 31.) it must go before a sense of pardon, peace, and sanctification.

Is there a baptism of the heart? Who baptizes the heart?

What effects does the Holy Spirit produce?