Ixvi INTRODUCTION. 



cherubim and flaming sword were placed at 

 the east of the garden of Eden, was to close 

 for ever the way to the old tree of life, and 

 also to open the way to one better suited to 

 man's altered circumstances and situation 

 will reconcile both interpretations. As soon 

 as man was expelled from Paradise, the 

 original covenant was ended, and he was cut 

 off from all the means of grace and spiritual 

 life that it held forth ; and therefore it might 

 be expected that his merciful and beneficent 

 Creator would, in pursuance of the great 

 scheme of salvation, through the promised 

 seed of the woman, which he had thrown out 

 to him as an anchor of hope, would supply 

 him with other means suited to his fallen 

 state, by which he might be renewed unto 

 holiness, and gradually nourished in grace, 

 so as at last to be prepared to undergo the 

 sentence passed upon him with a prospect 

 before him of entering into that rest that 

 remaineth for the people of God. 



Having, I trust, not upon slight grounds, 

 made it appear probable, that the cherubim, by 

 the Deity himself, were placed in the original 

 temple or tabernacle, and were intimately con- 

 nected with that form of worship which was 



