cherubims, lions, and palm-trees, 1 Kings vii. 36, where neither the face of an ox nor man is mentioned.

Perhaps these differences may in some measure be reconciled, if we observe that these cherubs which adorned the walls of Ezekiel's visionary temple and of Solomon's real temple, and the borders of the brazen lavers, are only graven or carved upon the flat or plane, or at least, with some little protuberance above the flat, which the Italians call Basso Relievo: and then that figure which would have had all four faces visible if it had stood forth by itself as a real animal, or a statue, namely, that of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle, can have but two faces visible, or three at the most, when figured upon a plane or flat surface; the other one or two being hid behind: and thus the cherubs may be in all these places the same four-faced animals, and yet only two or three of their faces appear, according to their designed situation and the art of perspective. And perhaps Solomon might diversify these figures for the sake of variety in different parts of the sacred works.*

Upon the whole, what if we should conclude a cherub to be most usually figured with a body like a man with four wings, two whereof are stretched for flight, and two covering the lower parts; with

It is the opinion of some learned men that Eze. kiel's temple was but a kind of repetition of the pattern of the same temple which God gave to David, and by which Solomon built his temple: and that this pattern was given to Ezekiel that he might shew it to the Jews, if they were pious and obedient, to animate them to hope for another temple in their own land, and to instruct them in the building of it when they should be released from Babylon, Ezek. xl. 4, and xliii. 10, 11; since it was supposed none remained who could remember so much of their old temple as to give particular directions for the building of it.

the feet of an ox or calf; with the head of a man or an ox, whatever other faces were joined to it, whe ther lions or eagles, or whether it had any other face or no. It is more likely there was but one sort of face belonging to each of the two cherubs on the mercy-seat, because it is said, their faces look towards one another, but whether this was the face of an ox or a man is not yet absolutely determined.

I think we may allow Jeroboam to be supposed to imitate these cherubs which were on the mercy-seat, in his idolatrous worship; and though they had not the perfect shape of a calf, yet they might be called calves in scripture language, by way of reproach and contempt, because they had the feet of a calf if not the head also.

It is evident that Aaron's idol, which was called the golden calf, had more of the resemblance of an ox or calf than of a man, because the Israelites are said to change their glory, that is, their God, into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass, Psalm cvi. 19, 20, which would hardly have been thus expressed if the idol had nothing of a calf but its feet.

If any will imagine that in Psalm xviii. where God is said to ride upon a cherub, the grandeur and ter. ror of the appearance may require the whole figure of a flying ox, rather than of a flying man, or rather of a flying animal with all these four faces, I will not oppose it, since it is plain from this whole account, that a cherub is described sometimes more like a winged ox, and sometimes more like a winged man with feet like oxen or calves. But where it is represented complete in all its various forms united, as in the first and tenth chapters of Ezekiel, it seems to be the body of a winged man with calves' feet, and with four faces, namely, that of a man, an ox, a lion, and an eagle; and thus it is always designed to represent the various properties of angels, which are attendants on the blessed God, more perfectly than any one of these creatures could do alone.

Perhaps when the Jewish nation shall be con

verted and become believers in Christ, there may be such a new effusion of the Spirit on men, or such a happy discovery some way made of the darker parts of the Mosaic economy, and the writings of the prophets, as may shew us more of the resemblance which God designed between the types of the law in the temple and priesthood, and their antitypes in the gospel, than has ever yet appeared; and among other things the form of a cherub, as an attendance of angelic beings on the majesty of God in the holy of holies, may appear more conspicuously in its original truth and glory.

XXI.

The Author's solemn Address to the Great and ever-blessed God, on a Review of what he had written in the Trinitarian Controversy, prefired by him to some Pieces on that Subject, which it was not judged necessary to publish.

RIGHTEOUS art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee; yet I may talk with thee concerning thy judgments. Permit me, O my God and Father, to plead with thee concerning the revelations of thy nature and thy grace, which are made in thy gospel; and let me do it with all that humble reverence, and that holy awe of thy Majesty, which becomes a creature in the presence of his God.

Hast thou not, O Lord God Almighty! hast thou not transacted thy divine and important affairs among men by thy Son, Jesus Christ, and by thy holy Spirit? And hast thou not ordained that men should transact their highest and most momentous concerns

with thee by thy Son and by thy Spirit? Hast thos not by the mouth of thy Son, Jesus, required all that profess his religion, to be washed with water, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost? Is it not my duty, then, to enquire Who or what are these sacred names, and what they signify? Must I not know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, thy Son, whoin thou hast sent, that I may fulfil all my respective duties toward thy self and thy Son, in hope of eternal life? Hath no: thy Son himself appealed to thee in his last prayer, that eternal life depends upon this knowledge And since thou hast made so much use of thy Holy Spirit in our religion, must I not have some knowledge of this thy Spirit also, that I may pay thee all these honours thou requirest from this di vine revelation?

Hast thou not ascribed divine names, and titles, and characters, to thy Son and thy Holy Spirit, in thy word, as well as assumed them to thyself? And hast thou not appointed to them such glorious offices as cannot be executed without something of divinity or true godhead in them? And yet art not thou, and thou alone, the true God? How shall a poor weak creature be able to adjust and reconcile these clashing ideas, and to understand this mystery? Or must I believe and act blindfold, without understanding.

Holy Father, thou knowest how firmly I believe, with all my soul, whatsoever thou hast plainly writ ten and revealed in thy word. I believe thee to be the only true God, the supreme of beings, self. sufficient for thine own existence, and for all thy infinite affairs and transactions among creatures. I believe thy Son, Jesus Christ, to be all-sufficient for the glorious work of mediation between God and man, to which thou hast appointed him. I be lieve he is a man in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. I believe he is one with God; he is God manifested in the flesh; and that the man

Jesus is so closely and inseparably united with the true and eternal Godhead as to become one person, even as the human soul and body makes one man. I believe that this illustrious person is hereby possessed of divine dignity, sufficient to make full atonement for the sins of men, by his sufferings and death, even though sin be accounted an infinite evil; and that he hath all-sufficient power to raise himself from the dead, to ascend to heaven, and fulfil the blessed works for which thou hast exalted him, and to govern and judge the world in thine appointed time.

I believe also thy blessed Spirit hath almighty power and influence to do all thy will; to instruct men effectually in divine truths; to change the hearts of fallen mankind from sin to holiness; to carry on thy work of illumination, sanctification, and consolation, on all the souls of all thy children, and to bring them safe to the heavenly world. I yield myself up joyfully and thankfully to this method of thy salvation, as it is revealed in thy gospel. But I acknowledge my darkness still. I want to have this wonderful doctrine, of the all-sufficiency of thy Son and thy Spirit for these divine works, made a little plainer. May not thy humble creatures be permitted to know what share they can have in thy deity? Is it vain and sinful curiosity, to desire to have this article set in such a light as may not diminish the eternal glory of the unity of the true God, nor of the supremacy of thee, the Father of all?

Hadst thou informed me, gracious Father, in any place of thy word, that this divine doctrine is not to be understood by men, and yet they were required. to believe it, I would have subdued all my curiosity to faith, and submitted my wandering and doubtful imaginations, as far as it was possible, to the holy and wise determinations of thy word. But I cannot find thou hast any where forbid me to understand it, or to make these enquiries. My conscience is the best natural light thou hast put within me; and

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