66 grace to correct and restrain, God by his sovereign power "brings in death to control. How vain are all attempts to obtain "immortality here! The deaths of millions are a continual "proof that the cherubim with the flaming swords are turning "every way to keep the passage of the tree of life."-It is plain, then, that the learned doctor does not think that the cherubim were guides to the mercy-seat,-symbols which all men then in the world could not fail to see, unless they shut their eyes against the light, and turned their backs on the Lord, merciful and gracious. But, we are free to ask-what if, at the entrance of Eden, the symbols of the entrance to a better paradise were placed-shining on every side, pointing the way, by sacrifice, to that life and immortality which have been clearly brought to light in the gospel?

66

Benson in his commentary, understands verse 22nd to be spoken ironically; he insists on the implied reference to the Trinity in the words "one of us." Then on verse 24th he remarks, "Whither did God send man when he turned him out of Eden? "He might justly have chased him out of the world. But he "was only sent to a place of toil, not to a place of torment. His tilling the ground was improvable to good purposes, to keep "him humble and to remind him of his latter end. Though our "first parents were excluded from the privileges of their state of "innocency, they were not abandoned to despair; God's thoughts "of love designed them for a second state of probation upon new "terms." But the cherubim, he thinks, were armed with irresistible power, represented by flaming swords, to keep the way that led to the tree of life.

Let us now examine the original words, just as we would the words of an old inscription concerning kings and their subjects; but reverently.

Take the last clause first, "To keep the way of the tree of life." The English word "keep" has several meanings—to hold, so as not to lose; to preserve in any state; to maintain or to retain. If an attack were made upon an out-post, the soldiers would need to defend it in order to hold the position. They would draw their swords and use them to keep the enemy back. To keep a way, in the sense of retaining it in possession, against foes, implies watching, and guarding with power to defend it. But to keep a way, may mean to maintain it open, in a passable condition. Where there were no enemies, there would not be any need of defence. If, in placing the cherubim, it was the Lord's intention to keep the way to the mercy-seat open, their swords would not be required to drive men away from a place from which they had been expelled; but, on the other supposition,

the brilliance of the cherubim might guide sinful men to the new symbol of life everlasting, placed on the border of Paradise-on the way that led to the old symbol of God's intention to reward obedience, namely, the tree of life.

Well, the Hebrew verb Shamar means to keep, with very much the same variety of acceptations as characterise our English word. It is the same verb, for instance, that is used in Gen. ii. 15, "And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it and to keep it." That can hardly mean to defend it, but to possess it and preserve it from being overgrown by too luxuriant vegetation. In short, the original phrase may be accurately enough interpreted as meaning "to maintain the way of the tree of life"-that is, as we apprehend, to preserve it open so far, for a time.

The word sword is elsewhere translated "knife," Joshua v. 2; and it might refer to any cutting instrument. We should not think of a highly finished sword like those of the British army now, but of a primitive weapon such as would be in use among the Egyptians and Israelites at the time Moses wrote.

The flaming sword," it is written, "turned every way." The verb is reflexive, and means here, turned itself. The revolving motion of the shoulder gives an idea of the original. And if the sword were a revolving pointed flame between the cherubim, it could not easily have been better described.

"And he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim." Our translators have omitted the article the. The expression should be the Cherubim. Moses appears to mark out to the Hebrews, celestial or symbolical forms, with which they were familiar. Who or what were they? The answers to this question are almost innumerable. Many derivations of this term have been given. Some think the word is connected with a word for power, others with a word meaning a chariot. Some suppose that it is the winds and clouds, fire and light, that are symbolised; for it is written, God "maketh the clouds his chariot; He walketh upon the wings of the wind; He maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire."-Psa. civ. 4, 5. Psa. xviii. 10.

The Hebrews would be familiar with the figures of the cherubim, from the representations of them in the tabernacle and afterwards in the temple. On the embroidery of the tabernacle these sacred hieroglyphics were often to be seen; and Solomon caused two of colossal dimensions to be made. (1 Kings vi. 2328.) That the figures were well known, is inferred from the fact that Moses did not describe them for the tabernacle. (Ex. xxvi. 1 and 31.)

We find Egyptian, Persian, and Babylonian species of these hieroglyphic figures. They were unearthly forms, like the seraphim

Isaiah beheld in vision, "when he saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings: with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory." (vi. 2-4.) The description of the living creatures which Ezekiel saw, (i. 4-14) gives us some idea of the four-faced form of the cherubim; two faces only being seen in the pictures of them; although they had each on one neck the faces of an ox, an eagle, a lion, and a man. The fire infolding itself corresponds to the flaming sword.

While, however, we are not told very explicitly what the cherubim were, and while we are content not to be wise above what is written on this point, we have ample testimony as to the position occupied by them in the tabernacle and temple. "And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end; even of the mercy-seat. And the cherubim shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercyseat with their wings, and their faces toward one another." (Ex. xxv. 19.) Again, in Heb. ix. 5, we are told of the ark of the covenant, that it was "overlaid all round with gold, and over it were the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy-seat of which we cannot now speak particularly." Between the cherubim was the shekinah or sacred flame-the symbol of the divine presence. Num. vii. 89.

Let us now return to the statement in Genesis, "and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the cherubim.” The verb translated "placed," does not mean stationed as soldiers, but placed as in a tent or tabernacle.

All these threads of thought twine naturally around the theory, that it is the divinely appointed place for sacrifice, that is specified in Gen. iii. 24, the place, namely, before, or at the edge, or at the east of, the park of delights-the garden of Eden. It is noteworthy, too, that in the next chapter, we have in the third verse information respecting public worship. There is mention made of an offering rejected and of one accepted. "The Lord had respect to the offering of Abel, but not to that of Cain." It has been asserted, indeed, "that before the sacred tabernacle was built, it was lawful to employ any place for sacrifice." But this is simple assertion without proof, and we are disposed to believe that a definite place for public worship was divinely fixed at the east of the garden of Eden. There the Lord sought, by the cherubim and flaming sword, to symbolize his awful presence, which could be approached by sinners only with "the shedding of blood,"-" without which, there is no remission of sins."

Immediately after the Fall, the Lord began to teach men the lessons of redemption; and the sacrificial symbols appear to have been the same before the flood as after the call of Abraham. These symbols were foreshadowings of the great Redeemer and of his precious blood. By them sinners may learn the value and efficacy of the gospel fact, that Christ died for our sins ac-cording to the scriptures. Through them, in thought, they may "behold the Lamb of God bearing away the sin of the world."

The symbols that speak here, in Genesis, of God's covenant of mercy, promised in the seed of the woman, we find again in Revelation, near Him in glory, who had a rainbow round about the throne, "And the four living creatures, (shall we say cherubim?) had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within, and they rest not day and night saying-Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, which was and is, and is to come," and the elders cast their crowns before the throne saying, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy glory they are and were created."

R. C.-G.

IN

THE GOLDEN RULE

RELATION SPECIALLY TO SERVANTS, MASTERS, PARENTS, AND CHURCH MEMBERS.

"Therefore all things, whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." Matthew vii. 12.

It appears as if it were impossible, within the compass of a revelation man could peruse, to have a particular precept for every duty. There are passages in the Bible, however, which imply all that other portions may not directly enjoin. "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God," is one of these; and the motto at the head of this paper is another. Self-love or selfishness will feel sadly interfered with, when brought under these precepts: but it must never be forgotten that the words were uttered by the Saviour himself, and that they contain the spirit and design of all "the law and the prophets."

and

The precept commonly called "the golden rule" sums up, brings into a focus, all that is enjoined in the sacred volume, in

relation to the conduct of man toward man. But before people can either love or obey it, they must be brought under the power of the gospel; for then only does God come to be loved supremely, and our neighbour's interest put on a par with our own. To do this is a difficult lesson to learn. The Spirit of God alone can teach it. But our world will never assume a lovely aspect to the eye of heaven, till the requirement come to be generally respected. It is a rule of universal application, and it demands the homage of all men.

Jesus Christ came into our world, not merely to teach us what we are to know and believe, but also what we are to do,-not merely toward God but also toward men; not only toward our fellow disciples-those of our own party or persuasion, but toward men in general, toward all with whom we have to do, either in business transactions, in friendly intercourse, or in christian fellowship.

This precept forbids all retaliation. We must not do to others the evil they may have done to us, or the evil we may have reason to believe they would have done to us, had it been in their power. Nor are we to do what we may imagine we could bear calmly, were it done to ourselves; but we are to do to others only what we desire they should do to us, were their position ours. We must do that to our neighbour which we ourselves acknowledge to be fit and equal. The appeal is made to our own judgement; and the discovery of duty in any instance, is referred to what would have been our own expectation, had the case before our minds been our own. We must try to put other people on a level with ourselves, remembering that we are as really dependent on them as they are upon us. We are as much bound to exercise justice and mercy, as they can possibly be; and they are equally entitled to the benefits of these with ourselves. In all our intercourse with men, commercially, socially, or publicly, we must try to place ourselves in the circumstances of those with whom we have to do, and deal with each accordingly. The question should be often put "Were I the purchaser, in place of the seller, how would I like to be treated?"—or, "Were I contending with such a one's infirmity, or, Were I suffering such a one's affliction, how should I like to be dealt with?" This way of putting the case appears to us to be the right way, because we know not how soon another man's condition may be our own.

The reason assigned why this rule should be respected, is, that it accords with "the law and the prophets." It is the scope of Old Testament teaching. All that is said either in the law, or by the prophets, regarding man's duty to man, may be reduced to this rule. The Saviour brings to one point, the sum of divine teaching in reference to moral duty; and he enforces the duty