And their suggesting the mode of coming under its wings, viz. baptism and circumcision, as may be seen in Schoettgen on the word Shekinah. In one sense of the word, creature, indeed, the observation of Schleusner, quoted above, is correct; viz. that of 1 Peter ii. 13. every human creature, παση ανθρωπινη κτίσει, translated in our version 66 every ordinance of man," but from what follows, it appears that kings and governors are denoted and meant by the word creature. And Parkhurst justly observes, that we have a similar use of the word borrowed from the Latin, creare regem, to create a king; creare consulem, to create a consul. But this was not Schleusner's meaning and application of the word creature: nor does he seem to have had the remotest conception of this symbolical sense and use of it. The name or symbol of a chariot denotes a kingdom or monarchy; the four chariots in Zechariah vi. signified the four great monarchies. Hence the device and emblem of God's throne and chariot in his temple, was neither unworthy of infinite wisdom to have planned, nor of the supreme majesty and glory to sanction. For he was thereby represented to be seated on the kingdoms of the world as on a chariot; which therefore constituted 66 currus tonantis," "the chariot of the thunderer," and were ruled and guided by him according to the dictates of his own wisdom, and the counsels of his own will. They were but one kingdom,

whereof he was the supreme and absolute master, and the sole owner and sovereign; and was therefore King of kings, and Lord of lords. And the symbol and device of the Shekinah and Cherubim, is put into words by David,-" Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine: thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all *” Such indeed was obviously king Hezekiah's reasoning and application of them both considered together.

O Lord of hosts, God of Israel,

Thou that art seated upon the Cherubim,
Thou art the God, even thou alone,

Of all the kingdoms of the earth † ;

6

which is nearly Bishop Lowth's translation, and in this quatrain the verses are alternately parallel and cognate; and the being seated upon the cherubim,' answers to his being over all the kingdoms of the earth.' So that, as in the language of the Old Testament, and of the first covenant; the tabernacle or temple was the house, the altar the table, and the sacrifices the food, of this

* 1 Chron. xxix. 11, 12.

Isaiah xxxvii. 16.

great monarch; all the kingdoms and nations of the earth constituted, in like manner, his throne and kingdom; and were wholly subservient to him and governed by him: and as nothing had ever existed but by his power and appointment, so nothing could happen but by his will and permission. And this seems to have been the immediate design and the primary and literal sense and use, of the profoundly instructive and affecting emblem and device, of the Shekinah seated on and between the two cherubim, in the holy of holies. And hence it is observed by Jeremiah, "A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary* ;" and Psalm xcvii. "The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne†;" where there is another obvious reference to the Shekinah or cloud of glory enthroned upon the cherubim, and thereby denoting and evincing that the Lord is King. But the Shekinah and the cherubim were not merely symbols connected with the ancient worship, and adapted to the patriarchal and the Jewish economy; they were also figures or types of future and better things; and were intended for, and adapted to, a holier and brighter economy, and a more spiritual and glorious

* Jer. xvii. 12.

+ Psalm xcvii. 1,

2.

church. They had a secondary object and import, and a prospective aim and application to the promised never-ending reign and glory of Messiah. And the not duly separating these very different objects and uses; and the not distinguishing their literal from their mystical intents and significations; has caused great confusion. And has produced almost as inextricable perplexity and absurdity in respect of them as of prophecy itself.

Hence the Shekinah, in its secondary and mystical use and design, shadowed out God manifest in the flesh. "He dwelt among us as in a tent," εσkηνwσεv, as the Shekinah in the tabernacle or the temple; and, "we saw his glory," as the Shekinah or glory had been seen in them; and, "destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.' " It represented and prefigured also, in consequence of this important and fundamental adumbration, the Holy Ghost dwelling in the church, which is peculiarly his temple, and also in individual Christians, who are likewise "habitations of God through the Spirit." But the Shekinah and the cherubim, combined together, in their grand and ultimate intent and application, shadowed out King Messiah, the Theanthrope or God-man, the Christ of God; seated upon the throne of Israel and of the world, of grace and of glory; ruling the church militant and triumphant, and head over all things to the church; which is peculiarly

Ff

his throne and kingdom, and even his body the fulness of him who filleth all in all. And, in this view and design of them, both seem to be referred to by St. Paul," that the power of Christ might rest or dwell upon me, or over me*,” as the Shekinah rested or dwelt upon or over the cherubim. And to this mystical and most momentous aim and use of them the visions of Ezekiel and of St. John directly lead us: " And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon itt." And that the cherubic Zwa, living creatures, constitute his throne, over which and upon which the Lamb, or the glorified humanity, is enthroned, is easily shewn. For in no other way, and in no other position, could these living creatures be, "in the midst of the throne, and in the circle of the throne, or round about the throne ‡," in Rev. iv. 6. "And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind." They were, therefore, under it, and in some degree composed it. As they had done in the Holy 'of holies on earth,

* iva επισκηνωση επ' εμε ἡ δυναμις του Χριστου.

+ Ezek. i. 26.

† εν μέσῳ του θρονου και κυκλῳ του θρονου.