90 



pearances of a man, a lion, an eagle, and an ox* 5 such was the 

 tradition of the Rabbins, and such they are admitted to have been by 

 Sir Isaac Newton-f- and by others : in fine, they are so described, 

 in that vision of Ezekiel, which he " knew to be the Cherubim." 



In speaking hereafter of the symbolical character of this mystical 

 figure, I shall note the erroneous opinion of Pavkhurst and some 

 eminent men, concerning its meaning as a type. I shall now con- 

 fine myself to demonstrate that it was, in its simple use, a conse- 

 crated standard of the Israelites, carried in the midst of their army, 

 as the center of their march, the rallying point of their movements, 

 and emblem of their union. 



The arrangement for the journey of the Hebrews is thus formed 

 by the Deity himself. " Every man:}: of the children of Israel 

 " shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's 

 " house ; far otF about the Tabernacle of the congregation shall 

 " they pitch :" the command proceeds to combine the tribes into 

 four grand divisions, three tribes to each of these ; and disposes the 

 four principal tribes, under which they are thus arranged, at the 

 four distinct sides of the tabernacle ; to which, placed in the cen- 

 ter, the entire disposition refers. Upon it rested tlie cloud of smoke 

 and pillar of fire which gave the|| signal for their journeys, and 



* The order tor their construction is in Exod. 25. 18, &c. and ch. 37. 7. see also Chron. 3. 13, 

 tc. I shall not here consider it necessary to reconcile such apparent variations in the several 

 texts which relate to the cherubim, or which I shall quote in this tract, as are unimportant to 

 the object of the inquiry 



f The authority of Sir I, Newton is to men of science next to demonstration— for it is well 

 known that " on the ground of doubt he never ventured a positive affirmation,'' Chalraer*s 

 Discourses, p. 85. See therefore his work on the Apocalypse Ed. Lond. 1753 in ito. p. 259, 

 and Mede ub. sup. gee also p. 96 of this-tract. 



t Num. 2. 2, and 1. 52. 



a Exod. 40. 34. &-C. 



