[Though many of the sacred vessels were restored to the Jews by Cyrus, there was much that was irrecoverably lost. The Shechinah, the bright cloud, the symbol of the Deity, was withdrawn : the ark, with all that it contained, was missing? : the urim and thummin, or breast-plate, whereby the high-priest discovered the Divine will, was also gone : the fire, that came down from heaven, was extinguished. These defects however were more than supplied to the latter temple by the presence of Jesus. Instead of a shadowy resemblance of the Deity, it had God incarnate : it had the true ark, containing infinitely richer memorials of Divine love q : it had a divine Instructor, who revealed all his Father's counsels : nor could it need the fire to render the sacrifices more acceptable, since Jesus was about to offer one sacrifice for all. Thus did it excel in glory, even in those very particulars wherein it appeared most de- fective.]
He also exhibited in it a brighter display of the Deity than ever had been seen in the former temple —
[The glory of God did indeed fill the temple of Solomon1-, but in Christ it shone with brighter, though less dazzling splen- dour. Behold the condescension of the Deity, in that he not merely dwelt with man, but became man ! Behold the wisdom, in every discourse that Jesus uttereds! Behold the power, in in his miraculous cures, and irresistible operation on the minds of men1! Behold t\ve grace, in his treatment of the adulterous woman11 ! Such an exhibition of the Divine perfections in the temple far overbalanced every defect.]
Application —
[Wherever Christ dwells, he imparts a glory. And has he not yet a temple to which he will comex? Will he not vouch- safe his presence in his ordinances ? And will not his presence in them make them glorious y? Will he not also make the souls of his people his habitation2? And will not the soul, in which he takes up his residence, be transformed3 ? Let him then be " the desire of our hearts ; nor let us ever be satisfied till we possess that privilege b — .]
p viz. a copy of the law, the pot of manna, and Aaron's rod that budded.
i The Jews no longer need the law to instruct them, the rod to confirm their faith, and the manna to shew them how their fathers were sustained : since Jesus himself possessed all that was necessary for their instruction, confirmation, and nourishment.
r 1 Kings viii. 10, u John viii. 1 1. >' Isai. lx. 7, 13.
11.
s John vii. 46. x Matt, xviii. 20. z 2 Cor. vi. 16.
4 Matt, xx i. 12 and xxviii. 20. a Isai. lv. 13.
b Eph. ii. 21, 22.