the same word which in its substantive form is used to express the tabernacle or earthly dwelling of the Lord, and the brightness or glory of his apparent presence in that tabernacle.

Again, that which was thus placed has been but imperfectly apprehended. The Hebrew term rendered "Cherubims," is the Cherubim ; importing beyond doubt an appearance of the symbolic figures which, as we shall see, occur frequently in the Old Testament economy, and of which the prophet Ezekiel, when he saw them, could state, I knew that they were the Cherubim.

Again, the words "a flaming sword" require explanation. "A flame of the sword" is the literal rendering; and "the sword" may be retained, provided we understand it to be expressive of the attributes of the fire, which was the thing placed. The word itself which we translate sword, is in its primary meaning "withering," or " desolation:" but whether it here refer to the destructive nature of the flame, or to its sword-like shape, there can be no doubt, from the construction of the sentence, and from the analogy of other passages where the Cherubim are introduced, that the fire was the substance, and the adjoined word descriptive of its nature.

We read that it turned every way to keep the

way of the tree of life. "turning upon itself;"

The literal rendering is, which words, as we shall

see in the sequel, are remarkable from their coinciding with those used in a description given elsewhere.

So that the appearance which guarded from our fallen parents the forfeited paths of Eden, consisted of the Cherubim, accompanied by a wasting flame,-a flame of the sword, turning upon itself, endued with mysterious vitality and

motion.

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In our enquiry respecting the purport of this appearance, there is one other word which deserves to be noticed. It is that rendered" at the east of," or as the LXX have it, over against." Its original meaning being "the front,' it assumes as its secondary sense, agreeably to the oriental method of viewing the cardinal points, "the east ;" and is so generally rendered by our translators. But as our word "before" relates both to situation and order of time, so this word also signifies priority: and in several passages where one version renders it "at the east of," and another "in front of," a third adopts the wholly different interpretation, "from the beginning." But the primary signification of "standing before," or "in presence," seems to

have entered into the usages of this word more than may have been suspected. In Genesis xi., when the descendants of Noah were dispersing from Ararat, it is said, as they journeyed from the east, they discovered a plain in the land of Shinar and in Genesis xiii., when Lot left Abraham in Bethel, and went to Sodom, the same word "from the east" occurs. But in both these cases the persons were journeying towards, not from, the east. Accordingly, our translators have rendered the word " eastward" in the latter passage, and in the former have inserted "or eastward" in the margin. Now it has been suggested that the difficulty may be removed by reference to the sense of presence involved in this word, and recollecting that in both cases the persons were going out from the presence of the Lord, the place where his altar had been established. In Deuteronomy xxxiii. 27, we have the expression the God of Kedem, i.e. as usually rendered, the east. Here we translate, "the eternal God;" and of the principal versions, no one agrees with another. Here again it is possible that the Divine Presence upholding Israel

8

8 Hebrew, English Version, The eternal God is thy refuge. Septuagint, kai σкεtάσel σe Dɛov apxn. Vulgate, Habitaculum ejus sursum. Luther, Das ist die wohnung Gottes vom anfang. Ostervald, C'est une retraite que le Dieu qui est de tout tems. Diodati, Che son

l'abitacolo dell' eterno Dio.

may be referred to. I have been led to allude to the usages of this word, as being at least confirmatory of the conclusion, which circumstances still to be noticed will yet more confirm, that the appearance of which we are speaking, was that of the Divine presence. I attach no great weight to the word as occurring in this verse, it is probably here used in its primary simple sense: but I find it afterwards bearing higher meanings, and am disposed to question whether the very cir cumstance here related may not have given it those meanings.

I may remark on the whole passage, first, that it seems, by an expression in the Book of Wisdom," "the tabernacle which thou hast set up from the beginning," to have been anciently understood as I have now explained it: and secondly, that the common notion of angels armed with fiery weapons being intended by "the Cherubim with a flame of the sword," has, as far as I can ascertain, no foundation in Scripture; "the Cherubim" being every where used to designate symbolic creatures, distinct from angels.

I shall next notice the acknowledged manifestations of the Divine presence to God's chosen people.

We read, on the occasion of God making his covenant with Abraham," that victims were slain.

9 Wisd. ix. 8.

10 Gen. xv. 17.

and disposed in order, and that a smoking furnace and a lamp of fire passed between them.

Again, when the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, shewed himself to Moses,' we find that a flame of fire dwelling in the midst of a thicket, but not consuming it, was the symbol by which the Divine presence was announced.

Again, when the children of Israel went up from Egypt, the Lord went before them in a pillar of fire.

And in the giving of the law from Sinai, we read, "And Mount Sinai was altogether in a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire."

But these scattered notices are succeeded by the permanent abode of the Divine presence in the tabernacle, which was in the midst of God's journeying people. Moses is directed to make3 two cherubim out of the same piece of pure gold as the propitiatory, or mercy-seat, which were to look towards the mercy-seat, and overshadow it with their wings: "And there," says God, "I will meet with thee from above the mercy-seat, and I will commune with thee from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel." And that presence also, as abundantly testified throughout the history, was manifested by fire. We have 2 Ib. xix. 18. 3 Ib. xxv. 17—23.

1 Exod. iii. 2.