up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them; for the Spirit of the living creatures," or, "of life, was in the wheels."

Considering this as a symbolical representation" of things, that appear not as yet," we cannot but remark, that splendour, power, and intelligence, are strongly expressed in the various parts of the figure. The superior qualities found in the nature of man, or beast, or bird, or cattle, are represented as united in these cherubs, for so they are expressly called afterwards. But, especially, their locomotive powers are particularly indicated, whether they wing the air, or roll along the ground. I have no doubt that the whole is a symbol of the church triumphant, or of certain parts of it, that are to ascend with Christ at the great day. -a symbol of the powers and functions of "the holy myriads," whom the "Lord from heaven" is to "bring with him."..

"They cannot represent Jehovah," Archbishop Newcombe has observed, "because they pay worship in heaven." They cannot always represent angels alone, because they were redeemed to God by the blood of the Lamb, and are distinguished from angels. I am of Taylor's opinion," he further remarks, "that in the Apocalypse they represent the people, or body of the church of God; as the twenty-four elders represent the ministers of the church. But I do not think with him, that in the book of Revelation they represent the church of God upon earth. They seem to foreshadow the glorified state of Christ's redeemed in heaven, who will serve God with reason, with strength of affection, with perseverance, and

Chap. ix. 3; x. passim. 1 Rev. v. 9.

+ Rev. iv. 8; v. 8, 9.

|| Rev. v. 11.

with swift obedience; qualities which seem to be signified by the emblem here described. Angels may have occasionally assumed this form, and they may have been represented under this form in the Holy of Holies; as it expresses their own nature, and that of those who will be "like angels," ayyɛho, in heaven." +1

This explanation of Archbishop Newcombe appears to me to be very correct, except that I would suggest, that the emblems here used are not so much symbolical of the worship which glorified men will pay before the throne of God in heaven, as of the powers they will possess to serve God upon earth, when they appear with him in glory, at the revelation of Jesus Christ at the last day. For we have already had reason to infer from former oracles, that the saints in their glorified bodies come with the King Messiah, to rule over the nations of earth, nations of men still in the flesh and in order to exercise this rule, they will of course be invested with proper powers; of which whatever is most excellent in the visible creation, may be used as meet emblems: but as emblems only, we should remember; " It does not yet appear what we shall be.”

The cherubim mentioned in the third of Genesis, and those made for the Jewish sanctuary, were, I conceive, prophetical emblems of the same future blessings to mankind. It will appear hereafter, that by the reign of Christ, and his glorified saints, the days of Eden are again restored to the earth; and the leaves of" the tree of life," which is in the midst of the glorious abode of the

Gen. iii. 24.

"Quatuor excellunt in mundo:

leo inter feras, bos inter jumenta, aquila inter volucres, homo vero

+ Luke, xx. 36.

super omnia: et Deus eminet super universa. Ita Talmudici."

saints, are mystically said to be "for the healing of the nations." Whatever was in the Jewish tabernacle, the cherubim of glory among the other symbols, must have an antitype in that true tabernacle of which it was a figure, which Jesus entered on his ascension; and which is one day to be opened in heaven, and entered by the children of men.

It is plain, indeed, from what follows in this first chapter of Ezekiel, that these living creatures, or cherubim, are the attendants on ONE LIKE TO THE SON OF MAN," enthroned in glory.

22. And there was a resemblance over the heads of the living creatures, an expanse like the brilliancy of shining' crystal, stretched forth over their heads above: and under the expanse, their wings were straight,' or 'horizontal'- one towards another; each one had two, which covered on this side; and each one had two, which covered on that side their bodies: and I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, as the voice of the Almighty, as they went; a voice of speech, as the noise of a host. When they stood, they let down their wings; and there was a voice from the expanse, that was over their heads; when, on their standing, they let down their wings: and above the expanse, that was over their heads, like the appearance of sapphire stone, the resemblance of a throne, and the resemblance of the throne, A RESEMBLANCE LIKE THE APPEARANCE OF A MAN on it above: and I saw, as it were, the shining of chasmal, like the appearance of fire, within it round about: from the appearance of his loins and upwards, and from the appearance of his loins and downwards, I saw as the appearance of fire, and it had a radiation around it: like the appearance of the bow which is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of this radiation around it. This was

2

matic colours; than which the

imagination of man can form no idea of any thing more beautiful.

the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah; and when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice speaking.

This, then, is evidently a symbolical representation of the "King of Glory." Though in the form of the children of men, he comes in the glory of the divine majesty; and in subordination to him, but invested with his glory, are seen the ministers of his power and kingdom. We had learnt from former prophecies, that He who was to be " the Woman's Seed" should come as "the Lord from heaven with his holy myriads," to take vengeance on an ungodly race. And the blaze of fiery flame, and of darting lightnings, which is seen among the emblems, distinct from the appearance of the divine glory, is certainly symbolical of wrath and vengeance. The glory itself, beaming around with the colours of the covenanting bow, may well be understood to denote that the fulfilment of God's gracious promises and pledges to his people is the ultimate object of the manifestation,"the year of his redeemed is come."

The whole is therefore, we may conclude, a prophetical symbol of the Great Redeemer, when "he shall sit upon the throne of his kingdom," when " he shall come in the clouds of heaven," and "be revealed in flaming fire," taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel.

SECTION VIII.

Remarks on Parts of the Tenth and Eleventh Chapters. CHRIST'S assumption of the visionary appearance described in the first chapter, representative of the future

realities of his reign, is intended to show that the ETERNAL SON ever acts, in all his intercourses with his church, in the character he had assumed in the divine purpose, and in anticipation of the future manifestation of his kingdom. Therefore, when he comes in vision, as is represented in the tenth chapter, to execute vengeance on Jerusalem, he is described as coming in the same state and in the same circumstances.

This vision of the cherubim ends with a clear prophecy of the restoration and endless blessedness of Israel, very similar to what we have read before:

CHAPTER XI.

17. Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, I will even gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries, where ye have been scattered; and I will give you the land of Israel: 18. And they shall come there and remove every abomination, and every detestable thing from thence: 19. And I will give them one heart,' even a new Spirit will I put within you; Ay, I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh. 20. That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances and do them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their Elohim: 21. But for all their detestable things, and the abominations after which their heart goeth, I will recompense their way upon their heads, hath the Lord Jehovah said. 22. Then did the cherubim lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; 23. And the glory of the Elohim of Israel was over them, and the glory of Jehovah went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which was on the east side of the city. 24. Afterwards, the Spirit took me up, and brought me, in a vision by the Spirit of God, into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.