Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 3:16

16 And it shall come to pass when ye be multiplied , and increased in the land, in those doyes , saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind, neither shall they remember it, neither shall they visit it, neither shall that be done any more .

Pointing at the great work of Conversion, that should be among them, especially in the dayes of the Messias and how greatly the Church should be encreased by the accession of the Gentiles, a beginning whereof we read Act. 2.41. and 4.4.

After the growth of the Church under the Messiah.

A Synecdochical expression for all the legal Ceremonies, whereof the Ark was a chief part, the sense is, that whole Worship with all the Rites and Ceremonies belonging to it should wholy cease, Christ being come, who was the substance of what the Ark, and all other Rites did but shadow out for a time, he being now our propitiatory, instead of the covering of the Ark, or Mercy-seat, Rom. 3.25. he answers all the uses and purposes thereof, in the Ark was laid up the Manna, Aarons Rod, and the Tables of the Law, Heb. 9.4. he is now the bread of Life, Ioh. 6.35. he is our Rod of Government, Psal. 23.4. in him is the whole Law fulfilled, Rom. 10.4. and now God shall reign gloriously in his Church by his Word, and Spirit, and shall be so Worshipped without Ceremony, Ioh[illegible: 1 letter] 4.21, 23. For if this so eminent, and comprehensive a token of Gods presence must cease in the dayes of the Gospel, much more the Temple Service, with all the Rites belonging to it, Ioh. 1.17. Col. 2 17. Heb. 10.8, 9.

Called also the Ark of the Testimony, Exod. 25.22. and 30.26. and 31.7. and the reason is, because the two Tables of the Law, which were the Testimony, or witness of the Covenant were closed up in it, Exod. 25.16, 21. and 40.20.

i. e. It shall be no more in use, neither shall there be any miss of it, or any thing like it, there shall be no such thing; men shall not trouble their thoughts about it, or mention it, compare Isa. 65.17. or repair to it as an Oracle to receive the answers of God; nor for Gods Worship, compare Ier. 16.14, 15. Or to the place of its residence, as if no where else to be had; in a word, it shall not at all he had in honour or respect or made much of. The word [non-Latin text not transcribed] H[illegible: 1 letter]asah, done or made signifies to magnifie, as it seems to be used, Deut. 32.6. and 1 Sam. 12.6. the whole Church shall now be the Throne of God, ver. 17. to which purpose the Ark formerly served, now God foreseeing, partly how hard a thing it would be to be believed, and partly the pleas that the corrupt Wit, and invention of man would find out for the retaining of these Rites, and by consequence their loathness to forgo them, he useth such an heap, and variety of expressions to the same thing, that he may leave no room for doubting in a thing so plainly, and fully prohibited in Gospel times.

Marginal references: Heb. upon the heart.; Or it be magnified.