four faces that appeared, emblems of courage, strength, intelligence, power, etc., and the fact of their being beneath the throne, was demonstration, that the government of God was sustained by them; or that these would be found at the basis of all his plans and purposes among men. The whole was designed to demonstrate to the captive children of Israel, that the mighty God was their protector; that he would come to them with power; that he would deliver them; and that the same God, the JEHOVAH, the symbol of whose presence had been in the temple, which was now destroyed, would still be the God of this nation, would sit in the throne which was to rule them, (Ezek. x. 18-20.) and would come to their aid and protection. Thus considered, the appearance was full of instruction; but we are not to regard the cherubim as either living things on earth or in heaven; but as emblematical representations of the attributes and perfections of God.

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5. The fifth appearance of the cherubim proper to be noticed, is that which occurs in Rev. iv. 6-11. This is noticed in the present order simply because the description is evidently borrowed in its main features from that of Ezekiel. The vision which John had was "in heaven," (iv. 1.) and the whole description is in the main a transfer to the heavens of what Ezekiel saw by the river of Chebar; and is a representation of the worship which is presented there. His view is first of the throne and of him who sits upon it (iv. 2.); and this view accords with the one seen by Ezekiel, at the close of the vision which appeared to him. (Ezek. i. 28.) Thus, in both there is the rainbow around the throne the jasper, the amber, and the brightness, and the emerald. Compare the two descriptions. Around the throne John saw (iv. 3.) what Ezekiel did not see, twenty-four seats and as many elders," (per Burépous) clothed in white raiment, and having on their heads crowns of gold, and these all employed in the adoration of God. (Rev. iv. 10, 11.) Before the throne there was a sea of glass like chrystal, (Rev. iv. 6.) answering to the "firmament" of Ezekiel; and "round about" the throne, and "in the midst v pé of the throne," were seen "four beasts full of eyes before and behind. The first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, or (the ox of Ezekiel,) and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him," etc. Here the description is evidently borrowed from that of Ezekiel, except that the beasts seen by Ezekiel had four wings, while those seen by John had six; in which he has blended the view of the cherubim of Ezekiel with that of the seraphim seen by Isaiah. (Isa. vi.) These beasts, as seen by John, or these living creatures, (wa) are employed in praise, and the language which they use is so nearly like the language of the seraphim in Isa

iah, (Rev. iv. 8. com. Isa. vi. 3.) that there can be no doubt John intended to mingle the two statements; and to present at a single view a magnificent description of the Deity, as drawn in one of the most sublime portions of the old testament, as described in Ezekiel; and at the same time to present ANOTHER view of God as drawn from another grand description of the old testament, where praise is the element,-that seen by Isaiah. (vi. 3.) It is not true, therefore, that John intended to represent the cherubim as angels, or as intelligent beings; but that he designed to present a magnificent and glowing description of the appearance of the Most High, in symbols and images such as are used in the old testament.

If now, we apply the view which we have so far gained of the cherubim to the account in Gen. iii. 24, we shall not infer, that Moses meant to state, that an angel was stationed at the gate-way of Eden, or that any living being was there; but merely, that God guarded the way in a magnificent and striking manner; that he so manifested himself, and so effectually and awfully barred the access, as to render it unapproachable; and that his attributes and his Providence, represented by the cherubim, constituted an insuperable barrier to the tree of life. In other words, by some striking and awful manifestation which would be symbolical of his presence, he forever prevented access of the wandering and wretched pair to the tree of life.

The two remaining modes in which the cherubim are mentioned in the scriptures, need not detain us long. They are,

6. The passages in Ex. xxv. 22; Num. vii. 29; Isa. xxvii. 16; Ps. lxxx. 1; xcix. 1; where God is represented as dwelling between the cherubim, or above the cherubim, and as speaking to his people there, etc. These representations are drawn from the figures of the cherubim in the tabernacle and in the temple, where the visible symbol of Jehovah was on the ark of the mercy-seat; or from the description in Ezekiel, where he is represented as sitting over the cherubim, or as sustained and upheld by them. In accordance with these descriptions also, God is represented as riding on the wind and the tempest, where the clouds and the wind become the cherub on which he is borne. Thus, 2 Sam. xxii. 2; Ps. xviii. 10:

And he rode upon a cherub and did fly,

And he was seen upon the wings of the wind,

That is, God is represented as coming upon the tempest, as coming rapidly and with power; as coming for deliverance and protection in a mighty manner, or to prostrate his enemies. See Isa. xix. 1:

Lo! JEHOVAH rideth in a swift cloud, etc.

And Habak. iii. 3. seq.:

God came from Teman,

And the Holy One from Mount Paran;
Before him went the pestilence,

And burning coals went forth at his feet, etc.

In all this there is high poetic illustration, designed to represent the majesty and glory of God, and all bearing a striking resemblance to the description in Ezekiel.

7. The only other representation of the cherub, is that in which the king of Tyre is called "the anointed cherub," and "the cherub that covereth." Ezek. xxviii. 14, etc. This description is remarkable, and particularly so, as there is an evident allusion in it to the account in Gen. iii. 24; and the whole description of the king of Tyre as a cherub, is a mere transfer to him of language, that was applicable to the cherubim of Eden. The description is of so much importance in illustrating the cherubim of Eden, that we shall copy it in the version proposed by Herder, as translated by Marsh:

'Oh thou, the crown of art, with wisdom filled,
And perfect in thy form, in Eden thou

Hast been, the garden of the Elohim.

With every precious stone wast thou adorned,

With ruby, emerald, and the diamond's fire,
With hyacinth, and jasper, onyx-stone,

And sapphire, and with gold. They welcomed thee,
The day of thy creation, with the voice

Of joy and praise, with drum and trumpet's sound.

I placed thee for the Cherub, that outstretched
Its wings, and guarded Eden; thou didst stand
Upon the holy mountains of the gods.
The Elohim, and up and down didst walk
Amid the stones of fire. In all thy ways
Hast thou been unpolluted, from the day
Of thy creation, till transgression now
Is found in thee. By all thy merchandise
Hast thou been filled with violence and fraud,
And therefore will I thrust thee, as profane,
From out the mountain of the Elohim.

Thee, the protecting Cherub, I destroy,

And cast thee from amidst the stones of fire.' etc.

Spirit of Hebrew Poetry. vol. i. pp. 155, 156.

The scope of this description is evident. It is intended to rep resent the king of Tyre, as magnificent and grand; as distinguished for wealth and riches made by merchandise; as elevated in honor and in privileges; and as having become proud, vain, and corrupt; and therefore as about to be cast down, and destined to be soon destroyed, and to exist no more. The passage is the more important, as it seems in some sense to connect the full and minute description of the cherub, in Ezek. i. 10, with the brief account in Moses, Gen. iii. 24, and to explain the sense in which this was understood to be used in Genesis. The

several parts of the cherub of Eden, as described by Ezekiel, in his description of the king of Tyre, are the following, viz :

(1.) He had been in Eden, the garden of the Elohim, or of God. (Ezek. xxviii. 13.) The word God, here, Elohim, referring to some tradition of the garden of the gods, (ver. 14.) called in verse fourteenth "the holy mountain of God," or of the Elohim, D, and that he had walked up and down in the inidst of the coals of fire. This relates undoubtedly to the tradition of the garden of Eden, as having been guarded and secured in this manner by a cherub, or by cherubim, who ranged up and down amidst fire; and is in accordance with the account in Gen. iii. 24.

(2.) The cherub of Tyre, the king of Tyre, is adorned with that which was the production of the land of Eden. (Ezek. xxviii. 13.) There was "the ruby, the topaz, and the diamond, the onyx, the jasper, the sapphire, and the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold,"-all, or nearly all, the production of the land of Eden. (See Gen. ii. 11, 12.) The allusion here was doubtless to the fact, that Tyre had been celebrated for its merchandise, had maintained commercial intercourse with all the world, and had enriched herself with the productions of all climes; but still the imagery is drawn from the terrestrial paradise, and the productions here specified, are mainly those which were found in that region. The image is, that the king of Tyre, like the cherub stationed at the east of Eden, had ranged through these regions which produced in abundance gold and precious stones, the ruby, the emerald, the jasper, the hyacinth, the onyx, and the sapphire. Tyre was the richest commercial city of its day, and this idea is here conveyed under the image of the decorated cherub.

:

(3.) The king of Tyre is represented as "the anointed cherub that covereth;" (ver. 14.) and as "the covering cherub." (ver. 16.) In this place our translators have understood the word as if it were derived from to anoint, or to rub over with oil; as was done to kings and priests, when they were set apart, or consecrated to their office. But this is evidently an erroneous translation, because the word may be derived, and doubtless is, from the root win in Aramean, though it is not found in Hebrew, to stretch out, extend, and thus it would denote a stretching out, or extending of the wings, a description entirely applicable to the cherub. The cherub, too, was not anointed, nor is there any allusion to such a thing in the scriptures. But the allusion here is doubtless to the form of the cherub in the tabernacle, and the temple, where the wings were stretched out, or extended over the ark, and, as it were, protecting the ark, or covering it, 567 Ex. xl. 3; 1 Kings, viii. 7; Ex. xxv. 20;

xxxvii. 9; Ps. v. 12; xci. 4. The image here is drawn from the form of the cherub over the ark, with extended and protecting wings. See the ancient versions. The Vulgate: "Tu cherub extentus et protegens." The Syriac and the Targum, however, render it by anointed. Targum: "Thou art a king anointed for the kingdom."

The image, however, is plain. Though Ezekiel is describing the cherub in the mountains of the north, or near the garden of Eden, yet his image is that which is taken from the temple, a cherub with outstretched covering wings, protecting, as it were, the holy mercy-seat, and bending over it with anxious care and attention.

(4.) This cherub is represented as placed by Jehovah "upon the holy mountain of God," (ver. 14.) and it is said "thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.” And in ver. 16, God says, "I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God, and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire." Here there is evident allusion to the cherub of Eden, and the mount which is not unfrequently referred to as the mountain of the north, and as the mountain of God. The allusion has two parts. First, "Thou wast upon the holy mountain of God," (ver. 14.) DT in the holy mountain of the ELOHIM, or of the gods. The same thing is referred to in Isa. xiv. 13, 14, which we shall soon notice more distinctly and fully. The obvious and most natural interpretation of this phrase would be, to regard it as in accordance with a tradition, or oriental belief, that the land of Eden, (Ezek. xxxviii. 13.) was in that region, which is here supposed to be near "the mountains of the gods," or Elohim; the place where they congregated or assembled for counsel. That this mountain should be so called with any allusion to the true God, or to JEHOVAH, is wholly improbable; since in no instance are any of the mountains of Eden, or of Armenia, so called. The second part of the allusion here, is to the fact, that the cherub was accustomed to walk "up and down in the midst of the stones of fire." (Ezek. xxviii. 14, 16.) Whether these stones are to be considered as precious stones, or whether they were regarded as fiery eruptions, or meteors, or burning mountains, perhaps cannot be determined, and could be ascertained only by a thorough acquaintance with the views which were entertained in regard to this mountain of the gods in the north. That this image of glowing, or burning stones, was placed in Eden, and that the cherub was represented as ranging among them, and walking up and down in them; that this was regarded as an honor (ver. 16.) from which by his sins he was to be cast out, is sufficient for our present purpose. We have here obtained a view of the cherub of Eden, which served as an illus