messenger there spoken of, "My name is in him," be an argument to prove the deity of that angel, the assertion that the name of God was in the CHERUBIM must be, I think, equally conclusive in proving that the CHERUBIM were symbols of the Deity, and not of any created being. When St. John saw in the vision of God, recorded Rev. vii. the throne of his glory; "in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind;" the scenery is borrowed, as is also that of Ezekiel, i. from the emblematic heaven of the temple. The station of the CHERUBIM was in the midst of the throne; while with their wings (as I conceive the meaning to be, in order to avoid the contradiction of placing the same creatures in two places at the same time) they surrounded and covered the throne, as they did in the most holy place. The attribute of fulness of eyes, before and behind, can surely symbolize nothing but Omniscience. But, 3. I appeal to the office assigned, symbolically, to the CHERUBIC figures. Before them was the typical blood sprinkled by the high priest on the great day of atonement; for it was sprinkled on the mercy-seat on which they stood. (Comp. Exodus, xxxvii. 9; Levit. xvi. 14; and Heb. ix. 7, 12.) But still more expressly is divine protection ascribed to the shadow of their wings. Consider, in this view, Ps. xvii. 8; xxxvi. 7; lvii. 1'; lvi. 4; xci. 4; lxiii. 7. I transcribe only the last of these passages, "In the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice;" and I ask, can it be doubted whether there be, in the symbolic reference to divine protection and comfort, an allusion to the wings of the CHERUBIM on the mercyseat? To rejoice in the shadow of the wings of created angels, and much more to place confidence in the protection of human ministers, CHRIST. GUARD. VOL. XIII. would not be an act of faith, but of gross impiety. In the first verse of the 91st Psalm, though the wings of the CHERUBIM are not mentioned, yet as those wings are alluded to in verse 4, it seems clear to me that both "the secret place of the Most High," and "the shadow of the Almighty," or " (shedi) the All-gracious, allude to the temple and its most sacred emblems, the CHERUBIM on the mercy-seat; and that the cause of safety, thus symbolically described, is the covenant-relations in which the Aleim stand to men *. 4. I observe, in corroboration of this opinion, that it is by no means novel. Perhaps some suspicion may justly attach to that which appears new in divinity, though there should be reason to think that it may be justified by the word of truth; for though the Bible is the only criterion to which a Protestant can submit his faith, yet an humble and cautious Protestant will be very sure that he has a solid scriptural basis to stand on before he will suffer his creed to oppose the general stream of antiquity. But that the current of a river may have been discoloured, through no inconsiderable part of its course, by some adventitious mixture received by its waters, and not derived from the fountain-head, is plain, from the history of the Reformation, and from a variety of literary and theological recoveries since the revival of learning. If, then, it can be shown that the view of the CHERUBIC figures, which is here patronized, may be traced to the times of the Apostolic fathers, and even to a period anterior to the coming of Christ, the charge of novelty will be re * It is, I conceive, as kings are the vicegerents of God, that the king of Tyre is called, Ezekiel, xxviii. 14, "the anointed cherub that covereth," viz. an earthly re presentative of the Divine Majesty, whose office it is, subordinately, to afford protection to his subjects, as God affords protection to his people that trust in him. D moved. "The Hebrews themselves confess," says Buxtorf (referring to Corri and Johada Muscatus), that the ark, with the propitiatory and CHERUBIM, was the foundation, root, heart, and marrow of the whole tabernacle, and consequently of all the Levitical worship." Philo Judæus, quoted by Doddridge, in a note on the first chapter of St. John, speaks of "the CHERUBIM on the mercy-seat as symbolical representations of what he calls the creating and governing powers," and then makes this additional reflection: "The divine Logos is above these; of whom we have no idea by the sight or any other sense; he being himself the image of God, the eldest of all intelligent beings, sitting nearest to him who is truly THE ONLY ONE, there being no distance between them, &c." I quote this passage for no other purpose than to disprove the supposed novelty of the opinion that the CHERUBIM on the mercy-seat were symbolical representations of the creating and governing powers of the universe, and not with any view to set up its writer as authority on a theological question. Let me add, that Origen, a Christian father, who died in the year of Christ 254, with other Greek and Roman Christians, maintained that our Lord and the Holy Spirit were intended by the SERAPHIM in Isaiah. This is stated in his first Homily on that prophet, and also in his celebrated work reg agxwy (Lib. i. c. 3; and Lib. iv. c. 2); in which he says that he derived it from a Hebrew source. I am not possessed of his works, but should like much to see all that he has said concerning it. Vitringa, in his Commentary on Isaiah, vi. is my authority for these references to the learned father; and he has indeed inserted Origen's own words: "What are these two Seraphim? My Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit." If the above notices be thought sufficient to rescue the revivers of this opinion in modern times from the charge of unwarranted invention, the end for which they are produced will be fully answered. 5. I should also have recourse, in assigning reasons for my belief on this subject, to the physiological connexion, which I conceive subsists, between the CHERUBIC figures and the threefold agency of nature. But as this connexion will more properly come under our notice in a future letter, wherein, according to the plan I have mentioned, I shall lead your attention to the fullest account to be found in Scripture, of their form, character, and symbolic intention; I abstain for the present from entering further into it, than just to observe, that when it is said, Ps. xviii. 10, "Jehovah rode upon a cherub and did fly;" the cherub can hardly be supposed to be either an unembodied spirit, or a minister of the Gospel of Christ. Indeed the meaning is fully explained by the other distich of the Psalmist, "Yea, He did fly upon the wings of the wind." The imagery is made up of a mighty tempest, in which the threefold powers of nature are all introduced, not in their ordinary functions, but in terrific majesty, adapted to the object for which the scenery is used. But I cannot 6. I should not omit the mythological view of the subject, and point out to you the heathen imitations of the CHERUBIC figures, in the accounts of their deities which have been handed down to us, if I had not limited myself in this discussion. help persuading myself that, if you will look at my theological notices, which Parkhurst has subjoined to the article 7 (cherub) in his Lexicon, you will think with me, that even heathenism adds its suffrage in favour of the doctrine which maintains a Trinity in the Godhead, and which contemplates the CHERUBIM as an emblem of that Trinity. Thus the absurdities of idolatry are made subservient to the glory of the true God. But, 7. Lastly, I think I have the express authority of Scripture for believing that the CHERUBIC images were symbols of the Triune JEHOVAH, and not of unembodied spirits, or human ministers. That the TERAPHIM of early times were symbols of the object of worship, I think there can be no doubt; for they are repeatedly called ALEIM. See Gen. xxxi. 30, 32 (compare ver. 19, 34); Judges, xviii. 24. And as there is no reason for thinking that either Laban or Micah were idolaters, or at least, however they might have debased the worship of the true God, that they believed in any other God but Jehovah, these TERAPHIM, or images, as they are called, must have been symbols of the Lord God of Israel. That Laban was a worshipper of the true God, appears from the charge which he addressed to Jacob, "The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us;" in which words he expressly identifies the God of the father of Jacob's wives, that is, of himself, with the God of Abraham. What then could these TERAPHIM, which Rachel had stolen, be, but symbols of the true God? In like manner, the silver which the mother of Micah gave him, out of which he made his TERAPHIM, was by her dedicated to Jehovah; and there seems no reason to doubt that Micah's house, set apart to the worship of the Aleim, was a temple of the true God; however irregular, in those days of religious anarchy, his conduct might be. If, then, these images, as they are expressly called by the Targum of Onkelos, and in the text of the English Bible, were symbols of the true God (whether the use of them were justified or not, enters "I not into my argument); what were they but the CHERUBIM in miniature, penates, or household gods; from which, I should conceive, the heathen drew their household symbols of their false deities? believe that they were CHERUBIM," says Cocceius, in his Lexicon, under the word (tereph). Indeed, I know not what other inference can be drawn from a comparison of the passages of Scripture in which the word occurs. But must we not also conclude, that when the inhabitants of Bethshemesh (1 Samuel, vi. 20) spake of the ark and its furniture, with a direct reference to "the holy Jehovah Aleim," saying, on the catastrophe that befell them for looking into it, "Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God?" I say, must we not conclude that they referred to the sacred emblems of the Aleim; namely, the CHERUBIM, the constant appendages of the ark? So also "the Philistines," when they understood that the ark, of which the CHERUBIM were an essential part, was come into the camp of Israel, were afraid, for they said, The Aleim is come into the camp: woe unto us: who shall deliver us out of the hands of these mighty Aleim?" But I think there is still more positive evidence on this subject. And though I shall have to refer to it again, when I take the exhibition made to Ezekiel into more particular consideration; yet I must refer to it now, in proof that, in the opinion I have formed on the subject of the CHERUBIM, I have the positive sanction of the word of God. In the first chapter of his prophecy, Ezekiel describes a vision which he had of the CHERUBIM; evidently a copy of the figures that were placed, under the direction of Jehovah, on the mercyseat in the holy of holies of the temple. And at the close of his parable, he gives this interpreta tion of it (ver. 28): "This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah. And when I saw it I fell upon my face." He does not say that it was a likeness of unembodied created spirits, or of the ministers of the Gospel, but "of the glory of JEHOVAH." I am aware, my dear friend, that the evidence produced is as yet very imperfect. But I wished to give you, before I proceeded to a review of the several accounts given us of the CHERUBIC images, a general notion of the reasons on which my opinion has been built; and I hope to make it appear, that it is consistent with all these accounts. The other explanations of the symbol which I have specified, and I know of no others, appear to me to fail in consistency; if it is to be maintained, as I think it must, that the symbol must have the same interpretation in every instance of its occurrence. embodied created spirits cannot well be placed on the mercy-seat, nor identified with the CHERUBIC exhibition in Ezekiel; nor can ministers of the Gospel occupy either of these stations. But, according to my view of the matter, symbols of THE COVENANTING THREE are adapted to all these connexions, and are significantly introduced into the mystic scenery of St. John. Un It will be the object of some further communications to consider the scenery at the entrance of Paradise (Genesis, iii. 24); the symbolic figures on the mercy-seat (1 Kings, vi. 23 to 28); the vision of Isaiah (ch. vi. 2), and that of Ezekiel (ch. i. and x.); and, finally, that of St. John in the Apocalypse. To these views of the subject may be added some more incidental references made to it in the sacred pages. And may He, who, according to my hypothesis, thus revealed himself unto the fathers in old time, now make himself experi mentally known, in all his covenant characters and relations, to the soul of my beloved friend, and to him who is yours in ours, PHYSICO-THEOLOGUS. ORIGINAL LETTER FROM THE LATE J. THORNTON, ESQ. OF CLAPHAM, TO A YOUNG GENTLEMAN AT PETERSBURGH, RUSSIA. DEAR SIR, Clapham, Sept. 3, 1790. YOUR letter of February 22 I duly received. Though I have ed pass my threescore years and ten, and the grasshopper becomes a burden, I could not refrain setting pen to paper to testify my regard and best wishes for my namesake. It is above fifty years since I left Russia, after about four years' residence at Moscow and Riga; my last visit was to attend the Empress Catharine's coronation at Moscow, where I was quartered with Mr. John Jamezz. I apprehend you are as little mended in morals in Russia as we are in England; but the same restraining grace of God that kept me will, I hope, watch over you; and pray be not deficient in seeking it earnestly in humble prayer; for if we ask not amiss, and avail ourselves of our all-powerful Intercessor the Lord Jesus Christ, in and through him we shall assuredly be blessed. I rejoice to hear yours is a busy life; the devil always finds idle people an easy prey to his suggestions. I would particularly recommend to you a watchfulness against bad company, for evil communications ever did and ever will corrupt. We at first can bear to hear profane and lewd talk with reluctance; but when it becomes familiar, we soon learn to listen to it, and get beguiled to join the practice. If we attempt to stand on the devil's ground, he soon foils us; if we cleave to the Lord, and unfeignedly seek his face, he will be found of us, and amply make up any failure of faithful Ministers. I will point out a few of his monitions, a lecture from each you may have every day. You have a very close intimate, called conscience, which, if it is an enlightened one, as I hope yours is, will be a faithful friend: its language is-Keep me tender, quick of feeling, void of offence towards God and man; consult me on all occasions; act according to my dictates, and thou shalt have a continual feast: but if thou shalt grieve me, then beware of a deceitful reconciliation; I will be satisfied with nothing less than a fresh pardon from the blood of Christ: He that first gave me quiet must keep me in peace. Another friend you have about you, that is the Bible, and it will speak in a true language, though in a different dialect: it will show you the great and glorious salvation of Jesus Christ, a perfect atonement, righteousness, justification, and glorification; it says, Soul, fix thy faith here, continually look upon this as far superior to humiliations, gifts, graces, and highest attainments; let every sheaf bow down to this Sheaf: look upon it also as far more extensive to cover and pardon all thy sins, corruptions, imperfections, than thy sins and short-comings can be to condemn thee. It is Christ's most holy act, it cannot be added to, it must not be diminished from, as this work of God is every way perfect. It speaks also in the language of promises, exceeding great and precious promises, many in number and rich in variety, suitable for every case, calculated for every emergency, secured by covenant love and everlasting mercy. A summary of these you may find Heb. viii. 9 and 13. It sometimes makes use of a dictatorial language, and speaks in the way of precept: this voice must be attended to; it supposes you to have grace, strength, experience, and a will to choose the things that are excellent. Where much has been bestowed, much has been required. Walk in the path of duty, as the redeemed of the Lord; show thy love to him by keeping his commandments; demonstrate that the doctrine of the Gospel is according to godliness, and, by welldoing, put to silence the ignorance of foolish men; see that the law is established in all its divine and heavenly injunctions, and walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. Many other voices the Bible makes use of by way of warning, encouragement, and example, which might, if enlarged on, lead me to too great a length; but whenever you advise with it, you will find it a faithful and able counsellor. There is also the still small voice of the Spirit, which will insist much upon your keeping up communion with God, plying the throne of grace, guarding against temptations, striving against the flesh; it says, I appeal to thine own experience, soul; when art thou so happy as under my smiles? when is thy faith so delighted as when I am taking the things of Jesus Christ, and showing them unto thee? when is the throne of grace so privileged a place as when I am in thee, a spirit of prayer and supplication, making intercession in thee and with thee? when are thy evidences of the Divine Spirit so bright and convincing as when I am sealing thee to the day of redemption? Therefore grieve me not, banish me not from thee; for I am a Spirit of holiness, and will not dwell with the unclean. There is also the voice of the Beloved, which I must not pass by, Rev. iii. 20. We are apt to pay too little attention to the voice of our best friend; see a most interesting and tender expostulation respecting this matter, Cant. v. 2-7. Time is also another monitor of God, and speaks loudly, Live to-day, redeem what has been misspent, improve thy talents, prepare for death and |