mi 1$ ^HIBRARYQc^ ^^MEUNIVER% ^lOSAftCnfj-^ 111 r?T. ^OFCAllFOff^ AWfJIVrR% "^XJ13DNVS01=^ ^^EUN|VER% .. . ^ :lOSA = S O li. 1^1 1^1 ^l^WEDNIVERSV/i ■^ '"^ -I? .•5ME-UNIVER% %a3AINI]BV^ ^^lOSANCnfj^. %a3AiNn-iv\v^ S ^«jojnv3-jo'^ ^omm^"^ ^•OFCAllfO^. i A^P-CAtlFO/?^ ^j,OF-CAllF0ff^ ^of-ca™?.^ ^lOSANGElfX^, t "^^AHvaan-^^ ^^Aavaan-T^ , PICKERING, YOEKSHU'.K. LONDON: simpkik & co., stationers' hall court; seeleys, fleet street; hatch ard, piccadilly; nisbet, berners street. york: marsh. whitby: newton. edinburgh: paton & ritchie; w. oliphant & co.; andrew elliot. mdccclx. StacK An«ex 5 070 PREFACE. As early as last May, and long before the first of these Tracts was commenced, I had at the suggestion of a friend, prepared in manuscript a brief notice on the subject, to be appended to the Tract " Thy Kingdom Come," then preparing for publication by Mr Marsh of York. The London artist to whom, with the manu- script, I sent tlie original design in illustration thereof for coitcc- tion, was taken seriously ill, and I could not proceed with the pamphlet for Mr Marsh, in the absence of my manuscript, without fear of confusion. I therefore commenced the illustration de novo from another point of view, viz., assimilating the position of Eze- kiel at Babylon to that of St Paul pleading the cause of God and his people before the heathen on Mars Hill at Athens. In this case I conceived a new form of illustration, designed from the chenibic sculptures on the Propylseum at Khorsabad, and thoiight to illustrate the jjrobable object of the Jifth leg on the sculptures as a lever connected with the wings, to give the idea of motion on a side vieio of the symbolism, contemplated as decorating the side of an idol-car in motion. To do this the more effectually I had working models made, and conceived a series of designs for lithographic illustration. 2092618 Some of these 1 have now used for Mr Mjirsli's pamphlet, with new manuscript continuance thei'cof. A desire to improve the oppor- tunity for aftcr-thoTights afforded me by the unfortunate illness of the London artist, (to whom I had applied, from his access to the British Museum), will accoiint for the otherwise seemingly needless tautology, and expense of having two Pamphlets printing at the same time on partially the same subject. The larger of the models I purpose for the British Museum, with power to reprint these Tracts, wholly or in part, for a hand- book to the Assyrian Sculptui'es, should the Trustees and Cura- tors think it viseful for such a pvirpose. My meaning is to give the right of publication, if thought useful for proving the confinnation of Jewish prophecy from the history of the past, as testified to by these Assyrian sculptures, gratuitously to the persons who, by publication thereof on their own account, may be in the most likely position to extend the field of its usefulness. I would, however, reserve for the litho- gi'aphers an interest in the illustrations, from the valuable aid I have received from them in giving expression to my thoughts on the subject. But from the value of the Assyrian SculjDtiu'es to the British Museiim, and from the relation of the subject to the mis- sion of Christianity for the regeneration of the world (from a cere- monial and vain to a spiritual and truthful worship of God), I should wish the Trustees and Curators of the British Museum, on the one hand, and the Committee of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge on the other, to have a right of reprinting it for themselves, or of making any compilation therefrom which may, in their judgment, seem more practically useful to themselves, yet so as not to prejudice its being made useful to the cause of Chris- tianity through the present medium of publication, reserving for the Edinburgh Lithogi'aphei's an interest in the original designs, as made their own by iinprovement in their hands. It is with considerable misgiving that I have presumed thus to invite the attention of the learned at the British Museum, and the Publishing Committee of the Christian Knowledge Society, to any thoughts of my own. But the subject is one in which they have a peculiar interest. This possibly may induce them to overlook the presumption of an obscure individual seeking to avail himself of that interest, for test- ing the trvithfulness and utility of the interpretation given to Jewish prophecy in these Tracts. Without the countenance of such autho- rities I can only anticipate failure, and on it I dare hardly presume. For all the popular theoi'ies on Jewish prophecy are based upon a foundation so different to that here assxtmed (on scriptural evidence) to be true, that their advocates, with probably but few exceptions, may regard this investigation as a novelty of doubtful service to the cause of our religion. Yet, be that as it may, if I shall have been blessed to renew successfully the inquiry opened by Professor Lee* on these important subjects in a form for others to follow out with happier effect and greater accuracy of detail, I desire no other interest therein, and shall be thankful to God for the mercy. To myself, of course, the foremost Tract, on the Nineveh Sculptures, does scripturally seem to establish a prophetic connec- tion between the heathen symbolism for the glory of Babylon in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, and the cherubic emblems of Ezekiel's typical vision respecting the throne of Messiah's earthly glory. But if so really, then these facts must have an important influence in determining the true historic reference of Jewish prophecy in its relation to the restoration of the kingdom to Israel. For these facts are not only directly opposed to the poindar tlieory of Jewish prophecy, which is based on eiToneous Jewisli * Dr >S. Lee, late Regius Professor of Hebrew in the University of Cambridge. VI tiaditioii.s, hut tlicy moreover confirm, in tlie .stroi)ge«t mauiier from scripture, fairly and largely compared with scripture, the soundness of the general principles laid down by the late Dr S. Lee for the interpretation of Jewish prophecy. He interpreted Kev. xix, 10, in the true spirit of its meaning, compared with Liike xvi, 31, when ho represented all the teaching of the Mosaic law, and of God's ancient prophets, as an insti'uc- tion of ty2)ical import, realised with spiritual and everlasting effect in Christ (Heb. x, 1-10, Matt, xxi, 37), and thenceforth made the teaching of an immutable law in Christ's everlasting gospel (Rev. xiv, G.) From these facts we learn that the calling of Israel out of Babylon, to which the promised restoration of the kingdom with everlasting effect refers (Zech- ii, 7, Rev. xviii, 4) had respect to an everlasting calling of all flesh out from a state of spiritual bondage to the power of man's unsanctified human will, as bearing upon all men individvially with destructive inflvience, both from within and from without, until sanctified of God by gifts of gi-ace, enabling all who do not presumptuously resist this calling to walk in "the obedience of faith." This calling of God in Chriat (i.e. by a way of holiness) was fii'st made known to Abraham (John viii, 5Q) and to his seed as called in Isaac (1 Cor. x, 4) and associated with two remarkable deliver- ances from tlie power of the world — 1st, The Exodus out of EgA^it in the days of Moses ; 2d, From Babylon in the days of Cyinis. But it was predicted that this second deliverance should not be realised in the fulness of the blessedness predicted, V7itll a change skonkl be made in God'tfjirst covenant tvitk Israel ; after which the glory of God's spiritual Israel should become everlastingly a light to lighten the Gentiles. Vll Though the adverse curreut of popular opinion runs at present strong against such an interpretation of Jemsh prophecy, still its claims upon our attention are so all-important, that they cannot be innocently overlooked (Rev. xxii, 18, 19.) Compare, v. 10, the words "Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book,ybr the time is at liand,'' as wiitten in the apostolic age, with those (Dan. xii, 4) of the angel to Daniel, as a message sent from God to cor- rect erroneous notions of the predicted deliverance, when the time for its commencement was nigh at hand, and the expectations of the people high — " Shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end : many shall go to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." A fair comparison of these passages must shew the positive danger of falling into false and injurious views of Christi- anity, when refusing to believe (on the joint testimony of God's word and ivorks, personified in Christ, E,ev. xi, 3-7) that all Jeioish prophecy was fulfilled by the events of the apostolic age. Hence I have thought it desirable to enter into a detailed scrip- tural proof of tliis truth, to shew its practical value for the peace of individuals, and for the welfare of Christian communities, as identified with the salvation of the world in Christ. See John iii, 17, illustrated by John v, 39, 40, Matt, xsiii, 37-39, Jerem. li, 9, 10. But, in doing this, remarks which were intended only for an introduction to the first of these Tracts have extended themselves into other two distinct Tracts. Of these. Tract 2d relates to the true historic reference of Jewish Prophecy, and Tract 3d to the rise of idolatry, in the relation of its fall to the establishment of Messiah's cA^erlasting kingdom. DESCEIPTIVE TABLE OF THE ILLUSTEATIONS. No. 1. Cherubic emblems of Assyrian Scvilptiire, designed from the existing remains found at Khorsabad. First Tract, p. 2. No. 2. Ezekiel's prophetic variation of the Assyrian Symbolism. First Tract, ^i. 2. No. 3. Ezekiel's prophetic Symbolism applied to the outer east gate of the Temple at Jerusalem, in illustration of Ezek. x, 1, 2. First Tract, pp. 9, 10. No. 4. Relation of the outer to the iimer east gate of the Temple at Jerusalem ; on the supposition that the eight steps of the inner gates were as the seven steps to the lower gates increased by the threshold of the Priests' Comli. — Ezek. xl, 22, 27. Compare No. 8 from Josephus, in illustra- tion of Second Tract, pp. 11, 40. No. 5. Elevation of the Priests' Court, omitting the gates at the east front. Com- pare Nos. 7 and 9 from Josephus, illustrating Second Tract, pp. 11, 40. No. 6. Boundary walls and pavements of the Temple, to illustrate the ^dsion of Ezek. \'iii, 6-17, as seen by him through an imagined hole in the wall, v. 7, 8. First Tract, pp. 4, 12. No. 7- Elevation of the Temple, as described by Josephus, Antiq. viii, iii, 1-9 ; Wars V, V, 1-7, omitting only the great outer court of the Gentiles. Compare No. 5, and Second Tract, p. 39. No. 8. The Comii of the Priests and Court of Lsrael, omitting the Coiu-t of the Women, and varying the turretted form of the side-chambers between the two east gates. Compare No. 4, and Second Tract, p. 40. No. 9 as No. 8. Omitting the gates and wall of the east front, to shew the separ- ate place towards the west, as standing on the upper pavement, and higher up on the hill side. See No. 5. No. 10. The Temple, in the proportion of its other measiu-ements to that of the great outer Court typically measured by Ezekiel, as 500 reeds square, liliisti-ating Seconds Tract, p. 38. No. 11. Tlie Car of Juggernaut. — From the Saturday Magazine for August 11, 1832. Illustrating Second Tract, p. 46. No. 12. Ancient Jerusalem, in its relation to the walls rebuilt by Nehemiah. — Reduced from the Christian Knowledge Society's map. Illustrating Second Tract, p. 32. No. 13. Tlie Laver and its bases, illustrating the Second Tract, p. 61. Exj)lanation of the Fifjures on the Map of A nclent Jerusalem. 1. TIio Sficcj) Oafr of Nehcni. iii, 1, on the south side of the towers of Meali ami Hanancel. 2. The Finh Gate of Zepli. l-]0 ; now the Yaffa Gate, or Gate of Bethlehem. 3. Tlie Old Gate of Neheni. iii, 6 ; xii, 39. This, being at least one gate against the old Damascus road leading tu the territories of Ephraim, may mean an older gate of Ephi-aim than that afterwards mentioned. 3' or 4. The Gale of Ephraim, Nehem. xii, 39. This was situated near " the throne of the governor on this side the river" {i.e. the Euphrates), on comparison of Nehem. iii, 7, that being the phrase there used to iden- tify the same locality. 4 or 4'. The Neiv Gate of the higher Court (possibly the above-mentioned gate of Ephraim, Nehem. xii, 39), called a gate of the Lord's house, Jerem. xxxi, 10, as leading directly to the north-west entrance of the Lord's house. Hence it was also called " the high gate of Benjamin, whieh was by the house of the Lord," Jerem. xx, 2 ; and seems to have been "the high gate i^ito the King's house,'' 2 Chron. xxiii, 20, as the Horse Gate to the house of the Lord and to the King's house from the Damascus road. — Compare 2 Kings xi, 16 with Jer. xxxi, 40 ; Nehem. iii, 28. If the road from Damascus, in Nehemiah's day, approached Jeru- salem in the forked form of two distinct streets (as on this copy from the Society's map), then this may have been a gate of the northern wall at the terminus of the Damascus road nearest to the temple, as the Gate of Ephraim in 2 Kings xiv, 13, might have stood at the terminus of the more western road, and only at a distance of about 400 cubits from the Corner Gate or Fish Gate at the citadel. 5 & 5'. The Broad Wall. — This probably extended along both the north and north-west sides of the temple enclosure. Tliis may refer to the "Millo" built by David and Solomon. It may thus mean the filling up of the valleys to obtain an enlarged area for the foundations of the temple enclosure towards the north, and for uidting the upper and lower cities. It might thus also involve a reference to the great breadth of the lower cloisters of the temple. 6. The Tower of the Furnaces. — This I imaghie to have stood on the north side of the broad w;xll, and on the site afterwards occupied by the tower of Antonia. 6'. The miscalled Pool of Bethesda. 6". The miscalled Gate of St Stephen. 7. The Valley Gate of Neh. iii, 13. — This was the point from which one of the two companies started at the dedication of the walls. — Neh. xii, 31 . 8. The Dung Gate of Neh. iii, 13, 14; xii, 31.— This was situated about 1000 cubits (S. and S.E.) distant from the VaUey Gate. 9. The Fountain Gate, between the Pool of Siloam and the King's Pool. — Tliis was over against the stairs going up to the City of David. — Neh. ii, 14 ; iii, 15 ; xii, 37. 10. The Water Gate, lying eastward of Mount Zion, and above the stairs up to the city from the fountains. 1 1 . Course of the Tyropceon, from the VaUey of Gihon on the west, as extend- ing along the south of Acra, to its junction with the Valleys of Hin- nom and Jehoshaphat by the Pool of Siloam. X. The " Beth-Millo" of 2 Kings xii, 20. — This probably represents the site of the fort of Moimt Zion, in David's day, as one with the armoury of Neh. iii, 19 (see Cant, iv, 4), and the Xystus, or Gymnasivun, and House of Assembly, near the Water Gate, in later times. M. The Gate MiphJcad of Nehem. iii, 31. — This I take to be the East Gate of Ezekiel's vision, as the outer east gate of the temple properly so called, in its relation to the East Gate or Golden Gate of mediaeval traditions founded on the prophecy of Ezekiel's vision. For Mij^hJcad means visited, and the idea seems to have reference to the people and temple of God at Jerusalem being ^^sited of Messiah in the day of his incar- nation.— Malachi iii, 1-4. <; r-ci EzelcieTs ])ro^iietic symlDoliSTii ap^pliei to tlie outer Ear, tlie Temple at Jerusalem m illustration of Ezek. X.1,2. \\ H.W^ Farlane, Litl,' Ed N° 4. WIJFFir)^nB.J,itli',K,li Selation of the oictex to the mnex Hast ^ate of the Temple at Jcrirsaiem. OTi the supposition that the 8 steps of the inner ,^ates were as the seven steps to the lower ^ates increased hy the threshold of the Pnests Court Ezehiel XL. 22, 21. Elevation of th.e Priests Co^art, ( I tke ^ates at tlie East fioTit. WH.irFaTlanp.LitY EdmT i BoTmiaiy walls seal jav^ineMs of tlie Temple to illustrate the vision of '^IS.ldiihme Litli' Vm. 6_n, as seen Ij him thxou^k an imagined liole m the wall. v. 7,8. # I ^ ^ ^- '^ I ■QJ ^ ^ ° § g i I II - "on ^ > CO p^ - p; 7^ S3 r« ". "tn oJ ^ r^ FIRST TRACT. THE WINGED SYMBOLS OF ASSYKIAN SCULPTUEE IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM, COMPARED WITH THE CHERUBIM OF EZEKIEL'S TYPICAL PROPHECIES. THE CHEKUBIC EMBLEMS OF MESSIAH'S GLORY, SUBJECTING ALL EARTHLY THINGS BENEATH HIS THRONE. Once (and I dare say it is not a solitary case) I was in the habit of regarding, traditionally and without any careful investigation of the question, the opening vision of Ezekiel's prophecy as a pure spiritual vision of God enthroned on high in supernatural glory, unapproachable by and unintelligible to man. But this should not be, for it perverts the true spiritual instruction of the prophecy into that of a vain and profitless superstition. The imagery used by all God's prophets must have been drawn from sources openly appreciable by the men of the generation to which they were sent, otherwise their words would have been un- intelligible ; yet we account them to have been sent with a mission of God for the instruction of their fellow-beings. It is not, therefore, reverential to interpret the figui-ative lan- guage in which their typical or symbolic instruction was expressed as if God's prophets had been divinely commissioned to use unin- telligible means for conveying an instruction of professedly vital importance to Israel, or at least to the spiritually minded of the then Jewish nation. Having now carefully compared this opening to Ezekiel's visions of God with his vision of the oblation and temple at the end of his book of prophecy, I have come to the conclusipn that the imagery is not supernatural, but one of a mixed symbolism. For it repre- sents, on the one hand, the Astro-theology of the ancient oriental nations respecting " heaven as God's throne." But, on the other, the symbolism is earthly and material, being borrowed from the idolatry of the Assyrians and Egyptians respecting the Divine government of the world being divided between gods many and lords many, as a corruption of the primeval religion, which the })iopln;t.s of the Jewish nation were continuously commissioned to denounce. My proof is twofold — 1st. From the internal evidence of the book ; 2d. From the confirmation given thereto by the recently discovered sculptures brought from Mosul, or ancient Nineveh, and coiTesponding to others found in the neighbourhood of Car- chemish, or Circesium, by the mouth of the river Chebar, or Cha- boras, where Ezekiel was amongst his captive brethren when he saw these visions.* We must remember that this was situated in the northern parts of the plains of Shinar, and that Tell in the word Tell-abib (or " Mound of the ears of coi-n'') means an artificial mound. It is supposed to be " Thallaba," and from iii, 15, seems to have been the place of Ezekiel's residence throvighout the series of his visions. We are thus scripturally introduced to the prophet when receiv- ing of God an instruction of Divine inspiration respecting the future to Israel and Babylon, as he stood, B.c. 595 (like Paul upon the hill of Mars at Athens, Acts xvii, 22-23), and beheld in amaze- ment the colossal symbols of Babylonian pride by which the people idolatrously worshipped an unknown God. For they seemingly attributed their then great national glory to the idea that Israel's God had come with his captive people to Babylon, and infused a more powerful spii-it into the nation than that of their owti idols. Though a later date (viz., B.C. 580) is in the margin of our Bibles assigned to Nebuchadnezzar's decree (Dan. iii, 29), he was fii'st inspired to worship the God of Israel, as more powerful than his own God, when Daniel told him his prophetic dream and the true interpretation thereof, B.C. 603. — Dan. ii, 46-49. In the opening of Ezekiel's book of prophecy God is represented as inspiring him in the land of his captivity with a prophetic in- struction, the imagery of which is (as before observed) partly of an Astro- theological origin, for " heaven t as God's throne," and partly taken from the idolatrous symbols of Babylonian pi-ide and glory with which he was there surrounded. But the idolatrous symbol of Babylonian greatness, augmented by that of Egypt and Israel made tributary thereto (Is. xix, 23-25 ; xxvii, 13 ; xxxv, 8, "with John XV, 6) is modijied lyropheticaUy when made four-headed to extend over the times limited in Daniel's prophecy on the power * See Layard's Nineveh, pp. 282-2S4, on the Winged Bull at Arban. + See notes on Aphophis, &c. , p. 59. of the Jewish Church vinder association with that of heathen dominiou from the days of Nebuchadnezzar as the gohleu head of the colossal image (Dan. ii, 38), and proljably the human head of this four-headed symbol. Thus the times prophetically ordained for the ingathering of the Gentiles into one fold with Israel are represented as beginning in the days of Nebuchadnezzar ; and under circumstances of the Babylonian captivity, as ordained " for good," — Jerem, xxiv, 5. But "the fulness of the Gentiles," or of the time apj)oiuted for making the Gentiles spiritually and eternally one with Israel, by the gift of the Holy Ghost, was to be the event which should realise before men the establishment of God's new covenant with Israel, by the cessation of the typical or Mosaic Dispensation. For then, as it were, all the works of God should be subjected of God to support the throne of Messiah's glory ; being thus sub- jected in power unto Him, for the good of man whilst living in the obedience of faith. — Rev. v, 13 ; Rev. xvi, 25-26. Hence the calling in of the Gentiles from the days of Nebuchadnezzar fore- shadowed the times appointed for a fuller manifestation of Messiah's earthly reign, to be realised only by the fall of the then Jewish church. This was the falling and rising again of many in Israel to which Simeon referred (Lvike ii, 34) in terms confirmed by vSt Paul, — Rom. xi, 7-26. Thus, like St Paul at Athens (when standing on Mars Hill, and there beholding the symbol of Athenian superstition, he felt the inspiration of his gospel mission, to proclaim therefrom the true and spiritual worship of God, which constitutes the abiding gloiy and universality of Christ's kingdom on earth), we must here con- sider Ezekiel as receiving his first inspiration of God whilst sur- rounded by the idolatrous symbols of that national greatness to which the power of Babylon had been raised under Nebuchadnezzar, by the will of God, for the beginning of a purpose of mercy to be determined over all flesh, — Jerem. xxvii, 8-12 ; xxix, 10-15. Also, whilst bodily at his own house at Tel-abib, by the river Chebar, he is there translated in spirit to Jerusalem ; to see and compare with the symbols ai'bund him when living in the land of idolaters those corresponding emblems which then adorned the inside and outside walls of God's temple at Jerusalem. For there, instead of the cherubic figures with which God had ordered the hangings of the tabernacle to be decorated, we read that the vision set before him was made (litei-ally and figuratively to represent the idolatrous tendencies of many in Israel) like that in the land of idolatrous Babylon, by the river Chebar. Thus we read_ (Ezek. viii, 10) — " So I went in and saw, and behold every form of creep- ing things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the walls round about." He then describes a vision of the seventy elders of Israel and the chief priests ; or the twenty-four heads of the twenty-four courses of the priests, with their high priest as supreme over them. He further represents them in the act of making the sacrificial ordinances of God, under the Mosaic law, no better than those of heathen idolatry before God, by the spirit in which they made their offerings. — Isaiah i, 10-21; Jerem. ii, 8-14. Again, this vision of God respecting Jerusalem, is in Ezek. xl, 1-4 ; xli, 3, 4, repeated (but under a variation of the symbolism, Ezek. xliii, 3) to characterise the times and circumstances under which, after the predicted restoration of the kingdom to Israel by Cyrus (xliv, 28), the glory of the Lord should come " into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is towards the east ; i.e., through the entrance reserved for the high priest only. This has reference to the times of that change in the priesthood by which Christ became our High Priest, by a freewill offering of Himself, as a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the whole world, and once for all. — Heb. ix, 26-28 ; x, 12 ; 22 ; with John xi, 47-54. In Ezek. xliii, 1-13, we have an express declaration that the measurements and ordinances therein given respecting the temple and sacrificial ordinances, &c. &c., in the days of the restored kingdom, were to be considered and interpreted as of typical import. This might have been a guide for the Jew to have seen that Christ spake of the temple of his body (John ii, 18-23 ; Mark xiv, 57-58) as the temple of God's presence in the heart of his people, when made truly his by adoption, through sanctification by the gift of the Holy Ghost, as the eternal spirit of God's new covenant with Israel. — Jerem. xxxi, 31-35 ; Heb. viii, 8-13. The material temple of the typically sacrificial worship instituted by Moses was thus (like the fleshly tabernacle of man's living spirit, in Rev. xi, 1-14) prophetically accounted as the outer court of God's typical tabernacle compared with its inner sanctuary. The form of the inner sanctuary, considered as a perfect cube in the material temple, symbolised the spiritual elevation of man in heart and hope towards heaven, or upwards, wheresoever the gospel of Christ should be received in spirit and in truth (John iv, 21-27) on earth, or towards the four winds of heaven. — Dan. vii, 2 ; viii, 8, 22; XV, 4; Rev. ix, 13, 14, with Zech. i, 18, 20; vi, 1-9, and Ezek. xxxvii, 9 ; xl, 41 ; xliii, 15 ; Matt. xxiv. 31 ; Mark xiii, 27. In my answer to the objection* raised against my book on Ezekiel's vision of the restored oblation of the Holy Land, with the dedica- tion of a new and eternal temple to God therein, before the Redeemer should go forth out of Zion (Isaiah ii, 3 ; Luke xxiv, 47 ; Acts i, 4 ; ii, 5 to end), I have entered largely on the subject of the cherubic figures referred to in the prophecies of Ezekiel. For those seen at Jerusalem in the latter days of the first temple had their acknowledged counterparts in the idolatrous emblems of Babylonian national glory, as seen by Ezekiel near the river Chebar. — Cap. viii, 10. The details of the locomotive machinery seem to require some ad- ditional remarks. I believe them to have been partially borrowed from the astronomical science of the ancients. For the idea of " a wheel within a wheel," seems to represent the orbits of the planets as epicycles, according to the Ptolemaic astronomy. The idea which attributes their moving power to the wind, in its mystic relation to the spirit of God (or ruach), as the Lord and giver of life and motion to all created things, is that of Enoch's philosophy. They were also borrowed in part from the inventions devised by the heathen, when mechanically characterising the attributes of their gods, in modelled form, and by pictorial or sculptured represen- tation of those ideas, which philosophers are wont to realise to their own minds by abstract reasonings, whilst the less educated popula- tion was instructed therein by symbols. These are described below. First. When the fouk living creatures stood they let down their wings. — Ezek. 1, 24, 25. Second. There was the appearance of a man's hands under their wings, on their four sides (viz., on the outside view of all four). — Ezek. i, 8 ; x, 8. This might be at the point where the movement was communi- cated from the cranks of the wheels to the wings, through the medium of a leverage connected with the^^^A leg. This artificial covering of the mechanical power used, may be referred to propheti- cally in a double sense. \st. Simply to express the fact in its relation to a mechanical contrivance for introducing the scroll or * See Tract — " Thy Kingdom come :" Published by Marsh, York, &c. 8 roll of the book of Ezekiel's prophetic mission. — Cap. ii, 9 ; x, 2-10. Id. Ironically (Isaiah xliv, 9-21), to mark the hand of man in the structxire of those heathen idols, which seem to have formed the subject of the Assp-ian sculptures. For to these it appears Israel had assimilated the cherubic figures of Mosaic ordinance, virtually at least, by their idolatrous inclinations, if not actually. — Ezek. viii, 10. The wings of the bulls and lions, as represented on the Nineveh marbles, follow the description of Ezek. i, 11, 22; each having FOUR wings (if the engravings may be trusted in evidence) like those seen by Ezekiel. Two of these seem to have been ornamental, and immoveably " stretched upwards." These probably are the wings referred to when it is said, " Under the firmament their wings were straight, the one towards the other ; every one had two which covered on this side, and evei^ one had two which covered on that side, their bodies." Thus, when in motion, all four wings would be stretched up- wards, as seen on the slabs ; but when at rest, only the two under and more backward wings would be let down. Thus their heaven- ward direction was represented as constant, whether in motion or at REST j for the letting down of their wings when at rest seems to have been confined to two. If this supposition respecting the arrangement of the wings be correct, it may readily be shewn that one object of the fifth leg (in being so placed as to represent the appearance of four always on the side exposed to public view) probably might be to eftect a mechanical connection between the wings and the motive power of the wheels. But this fifth leg represented also foiu- legs always in the walking attitude, when the wings were seen in motion. It is possibly on this accoimt that the wings are represented only in elevated form (and therefore seemingly as two, when at their highest elevation under the firmament) in the Assyi'ian sculptures whereon the fifth leg ajspeai's. For it ajipears only under circumstances seemingly designed to make its anomalous existence as a fifth pass unnoticed. Third. " When the living creatiu'es went, the wheels went by them ; and when the living creatures wei'e lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up." — Cap. i, 19. The lifting up of the living creatures means only, I presume, the lifting up of theii' wings from that depressed state in which two of them wei'e seen when the living creature stood. Similarly by the 9 lifting up of the wheels I understand only that lifting up of some inner wheels or cranks by which motion was impai-ted to the wings, possibly by the lifth leg, whensoever the wheels, which moved along the ground, began to revolve. In any other sense the idea of locomotion imparted by wheels being lifted up off the ground is inconceivable, and the words would seem to represent a mechanic impossibility. If, however, the wheels are to be interpreted of the planetary orbits, their being lifted up off the ground when the symbolisms of living power moved forward under influence of the winds (as here supposed), may imply that the periodic recurrence of their motion was limited to the time of their appearance above the horizon. Fourth. " When they went, they went upon their four sides,'' — Ezek. i, 17. The explanation of these words will form part of the general observations which follow in conclusion of the subject. In the days of the predicted restoration of the kingdom to Israel (Ezek. xliii, 3), even as when Ezekiel went to destroy the city (cap. xliii, 19), the cherubic glory designed to represent the i:)lace of God's spiritual presence amongst his people was the same as that seen by him when amongst the caj)tive Israelites, by the river Chebar (cap. i, iii), 22, at the beginning of the Babylonian captivity. But in both visions respecting Jerusalem the cherubic glory was seen hy the east gate at the north side of the house, or by the brazen altar for the bu.rnt-offerings of the people. From the causes of judgment enumerated in cap. viii, this, it seems, was typically to intimate that the destruction of Jerusalem was then ordained, because the spirit in which their sacrifices had been there offered up made them before God little else than the offerings of a ceremonial and idolatrous worship. Bu.t the mani- festation of the glory in that place, for judgment on the worship- pers, would also serve to intimate that the rebuilding of Jeiiisalem and restoration of the kingdom to Israel should never be esta- blished with eternal effect, until there should arise a High Priest with Urim and Thummim, or the oracular gifts of light and per- fection (Ezra ii, 63 ; Nehem. vii, 65), to teach the people that the sacrifice required of God was a broken and contrite heart for sin. — Isaiah vii, 15 ; Psalm li, 17. But the cherubic glory described by Ezekiel, as seen by the river Chebar, represents the symbols of the Assyrian sculpture in 10 all points, except that in Ezekiel's vision each of the living crea- tures had FOUR heads, corresponding to tlieir compound form on the Nineveh marbles, a.s in part resembling a man, a lion, a bull, and an eagle. This, T apprehend, was with the same object as the vision manifested to Daniel at a later date, and confii-ming the pre- vious one of Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Dan. ii), to shew that the great glory of the heathen dominion, then symbolised before them in association only with its " Babylonian head of gold" (Dan. ii, 38)* should, under a predicted dissolution of its elements, as " by fer- vent heat" (2 Peter iii, 10), be represented by four heads t or king- doms before the time appointed for its final judgment, as about to proceed in the days of the fourth kingdom from Nebuchadnezzar's inclusive. The combination of the liotis and the man^s head (as also referred to in Ezek. xli, 18-21) would thus represent the Babylonian ele- ment literally and 'mystically (Dan. vii, 8 ; viii, 23-27 ; xi, 36-45) as continuing throughout all. The hull would represent Egypt, and the eagle would symbolise the power of Persia under Cyinis, as the ravenous bird from the east sent against Chaldee Babylon. — Is. xlvi, 10, 11, with xliv, 28. The power of Alexander the Great, in its earliest prophetic re- ference, was his eastern dominion, dismembei'ing the kingdom of Persia. Hence the Grecian leopard of Dan. vii. was symbolised with four wings of a fowl on his back. The kingdom of Alexander's suc- cessors continued to exhibit the same elements imder further dis- solution ; viz., Syi'ia and Egypt as the Icings of the north and south in Dan. xi with that of Judah, whence the wilful king of the then latter-day apostacy, setting up his tabernacle in the pleasant * In Heb. iii, 1, and elsewhere in scripture, we are taught to regard Christ as the predicted High Priest, through whom an election of Israel was blessed with Urim and Thummin — for his ministry on earth represented an incarnation of the Holy Ghost in the fulness of the Godhead bodUy. — Coloss. ii, 9. + This was the ancient form of symboHsing the cycle of the solar year divided into four quarters for the four seasons ; even as the Brahma of the Hindus is symbolised with four heads. The astronomical symbols are — 1. The sun in Taurus : 2. In Leo : 3. Hercules returning from the Hesperides : 4. Aquila, or the Eaglk, ascending from the winter tropic. By this the oldest beginning of the year was made the symbol of a tj'pical prediction that God was about to mani- fest a new order of things imder judgment on the old, for a regeneration of the world which should have eternal effect. — Heb. viii, 13 ; xii, 28 ; 1 Pet. iv, 12-19 ; 2 Pet. iii, 10-18. 11 land. The fourth was the then rising power of the Chittim in the west (Is. xxiii, 12), identified successively with the kings of Greece and Rome. Such was obviously the character of Ezekiel's prophetic vision. There was, moreover, an equally obvious analogy of the circum- stances under which it was actually symbolised before him in the land of the heathen, and mentally when translated in spirit to Jerusalem, there also to contemplate its prophetic features. But at Jerusalem (cap. x, 3) the cherubim stood on the right side of the house when the man (liabited as a Jewish priest, Ezek. ix, 2; xliv, 18) went in and stood by the wheels, and took fixe from between the wheels, from " between and even under the cherubim,* standing by the brazen altar;" or at the east gate (xliii, 1,2; xlvi, 2, 3), and at the north side of the house (v, 19, with xliv, 4). This situation corresponds with that in which the cherubic emblems of Assyrian sculpture (or possibly Jewish, for they might have been partly spoils, and partly copies of spoils, taken from Samaria by Shishak, Ezek. viii, 10) were found at Khorsabadj viz., four on the north-eastern fagade of the palace, and four cor- responding forms at the east gate of the Propylseum. From these circumstances I infer that some sculptured or painted memorial of the grandeur of that gate was actually contemplated by Ezekiel, when himself located near the river Chebar, — Ezek. iii, 23, 24; iv, 1; v, 1; viii, 3. Then, as by immediate translation in spirit to the east gate of the inner or priest's court of the temple at Jerusalem, the sculptures of the heathen in the land of his captivity were made to constitute the imagery of a prophetic instruction respecting the ultimate issue of the rebellious national policy, and the corrupt observance of the typical law of sacrifices by that faction of the Jews which was then in power at Jerusalem. • As from God's presence, according to the metaphorical expression, God dwelleth between the cherubim. Hence the imagery of lightnings round about, and of eyes in all directions ; as implpng a being not subjected to obstruction of vision or check of power from any natural causes, — Psalm xcix, 1 ; civ, 3, 4 ; Exod. XXV, 22 ; also Ezek. xlvi, 2, 3, with xliii, 2, 3, and x, 4. The coals of fire are to be interpreted figuratively to represent Ezekiel as acting under a fiery mission of God (Psalm bcxx, 1 ; xcix, 1 ; civ, 4) respecting the predicted day of the Lord's coming (Ezek. xxx, 3) in final judgment on the city and sanctuary of the typical dispensation, hke that which was then about to effect its complete destruction by Nebuchadnezzar. For Ezekiel was commissioned of God to set before the nation both the causes and the consequences of this visitation. 12 This application of the symbolism fully accounts for Ezekiel's omission of reference to the two winged bulls, which always stood within the gateway of the heathen palace wheresoever the four were found in pairs on the faQades to the right and left of the gateway. For the cast gate of the temple at Jerusalem was for the ingress and egress of the high priest alone {i.e., for the purjjose of religious worship) ; and the place of the two bulls in the porch of the court was ornamentally occupied by two large pillars, — 1 Kings vii, 15-23; Ezek. xl, 49. But it may be said that Ezekiel speaks of living creatures, some- times at rest and at others in motion, I answer, the sculptured emblems represent the idea of living creatures, when described as in motion, for the relative idea of rest is necessarily implied where motion is pictui*ed or sculptured, seeing that no motion is perpetual, much less that of animal life. But the side view of these symbolic creatures was that alone on which the idea of motion was charac- terised. Hence perhaps the reference to their four sides, as to one side only of each, in Ezek. i, 17; x, 11. In the front view, as seen in the portals, their feet were straight (Ezek. i, 7), or in the attitude of rest, not of motion. Also, if these symbols of Babylonian grandeur were emblazoned before the people idolatrously, as emblems under which they were to worship the then (to them unknown. Acts x\di, 23) tutelary deity of their national glory, some Babylonian idol-car might have been thus decoi'ated externally, and paraded before the people. For thiis the heathen in the east do at this time with their most honoured national idols at every anniversaiy of some gi-eat public solemnity.* The sculptured motion may have reference to this. In regard to the character of that motion, it is is said, " when they went, they went on the four sides." This expression has perplexed me much; but I have at length come definitely to the conclusion that it means the side vieio was that under which they were represented when in motion; and the front view of the straight legs marked theii* position when at rest. Vorfour living creatui-es would have eight sides ; when therefore it is said they moved on their four sides, it must mean- they moved under a side view in which only four sides could be seen by a spectator facing them. The Hebrew is literally * This idea suggested the attempts I have made to represent the same in modelled form. 13 on t\iQ\x four fourths.* This I at fii-st interpreted to mean a four square aiTangement of the symbolism, on the supposition that reference was made to the four corners of an idol-car, having the idolatrous symbols of Babylonian power on its sides, and made capable of moving only backwards and forwards in the direction of either end. The moving power, as that of Juggernaut's vinwieldy car, was that of human beings thi-ough the instrumentality of ropes. The motion thus given to the wheels was by them imparted (through the agency of concealed mechanism) to the symbolic creatures. — Ezek. i, 19, 20; x, 16, 17. Hence perhaps we may trace the real object of the fifth leg, as intended only to be visible on the side view, and intended to characterise four legs in walking attitude when the wings were up or in motion. The wings of those seen with straight legs in the portal, or as at rest, would (from the nattu*al foreshortening thereof in that aspect) incline backwards, and appear depressed, in a form aptly answering to the description, " when they stood they let down their wings." From Ezek. x, 5, 6, 7, it is clear that the wheels are symbolised as placed inwards. Hence the aspect of them fi'om without would only be that of a wheel seen in the lower half, " as from ] the division" thereof. This appears to be one idea expressed by the Hebrew words translated in our version " as a wheel in the middle of a wheel" This translation aptly helps to de- scribe another feature in the arrangement of the wheels, viz., their connection with a crank movement on the axle. For the eccentric movement thus imparted is that of a wheel in the mid- dle of a wheel, or a wheel seen *' from the division of a wheel." But, as before observed, the idolatry of the ancients was twofold — \st. Of an astronomical character ; ^id. Of the earth earthy. This latter contemplated the other works of the material creation, together with the mutability of human affairs, as subjected to the control of gods many and lords many. Hence arose the idolatry of a mixed symbolism, which substi- tuted many vain superstitions for the idea of one superintending Providence in theii' worship of God as the Father of all the families of man. These impersonations of their " Diespater " were variously num- * See note to p. 15. u bered at different times. When ilieii- lunations and the cyclassion. Let us pray that the temperature of oxvc Christian life may be raised, that we may neither see nor " Suppose I had proved to you to de- monstration, that 1867 were to close this present era* Some will say, Oh ! then we had better not insure our lives — we had better not take leases — we had better do nothing, but fling every- thing off, and let society go to ruiu. I say, NO. "WTiat is the Lord's com- mand ? — " Occupy tin I come." What is the condition of the people when he comes ? — " Two shall be grinding in a mill ; the one shall be taken,"' i.e. one a Christian, " and the other left." What does that teach ^ ? That our duties are determined by God's plain precepts ; they are not to be modified by any of His prophecies, however clear. The prophecy I read for com- fort — the precept I read for direction. And, therefore, when people say, we act inconsistently — as it was said not very long ago by caricaturists and others in the papers — that, because I took the lease of a house, therefore I did not be- lieve these conclusions. I answer, that if I thourjht it tcozdcl be for my interest or advantage, or the advantage of my family, I would take a house for a hun- dred years' lease to-morrov:. I have nothing to do with prophecy in deter- mining my duties — they are to be de- termined by God's precepts, and by common sense ; and if I believed 1867 were to end the present economy of things, I should have my hand equally busy in my work. I would bid the sol- dier appear in the ranlvs, the merchant in his counting-house, the senator iu the parliament — every man at his post ; for the post of duty is always the place * Compare Lect. xiv, p. 165, and Lect xxvii, p. 317,— "the end of this present Christian dis- pensation,"— with Rev. xiv, G; and Matt, xslv, 14, with Rom. x, 18, Coloss. i, G-23,— proclaiming the gospel of the apostoUe age.to be Christ's everlasting gospel. 14 feel the petty Hcintillations of augry of safety before God, and in tlie sight of quarrels."* all mankind. But whilst our handa should be at duty, our hearts should be more than ever in heaven." » ♦ » • " And who can possibly regret the probable nearness of such a consumma- tion ? What wiU it be ? The end of sin — the emancipation of the oppressed —the extinction of war — the return of earth's ancient glory — the restoration of all the blessedness we have lost — a peace that passeth understanding — no more quarrels, no more misapprehen- sions, no more sins, no more sorrows. Instead of di'eading the advent of so glorious an epoch, with all our hearts we should pray, as from the heart I do, ' Come, Lord Jesus ; yea, come quick- ly.'" The beautiful conclusion of this* quotation will insure for it a ready response of approval from every Christian heart. But we nevei'theless cannot conceal from the conviction of our understanding that it concludes a strong appeal to the blind and deadly passions of conflicting zeal in the cause of Christianity, in- stead of teaching men to seek in common the healing thereof in Christ, through prayer for that unity of spirit which is the gift of the Holy Ghost. Great as are the political evils of the Papal system, by the cor- rupting influence of its traditions on the spii-it of our Christian religion, the Romish Church numbers amongst her sons many who worship God with a simplicity of spiritual and truthful devotion no less practically honouring to God tlian that of our purer Pro- testant form of faith. I question seriously whether we can consistently couple our fear of God with good will to man, when, in favour of Protestantism, we preach up a loorkUy crusade against the Papacy, teaching simple-minded men to believe that with the fall thereof, every form of sin will cease, every malady of human corruption be healed, and every tear of human sorrow be dried up after 1867, if only the destruction of the Papacy can be realised by that time. Such a spirit of prophecy (if heeded) would be more likely to cherish in Protestants themselves that serious and deadly distem- 15 per of the soul, which makes it ofttimes most blind to its own defects, when most keen-sighted to and intolerant of that which is wrong in others. If the temporal kingdom of the Papacy should this year be made to cease for ever, as the Jewish church of the Apostolic age was (under God's judgment thereon througli the agency of man) made to cease from building for itself a temporal kingdom of ex- clusive privileges, to the prejudice of a truthful and spiritual worshipping God in Christ by all flesh (John iv, 21-27), the cause of Christianity would still not exist before men, without let or hinderance of other corrupting influences. For so long as man's spirit of life is doomed to exist on earth within a frail and mortal tabernacle, he is in spirit doomed to sustain a contest with the sin- ful influences of his carnal will, Rom. vii, 24. Like man's mortal body, all political combinations of worldly power, however righteously grafted on the everlasting and truth- ful basis of Chiistianity, are liable to mutations of form, from the imperfect character of their own human element — 1 Cor. iii, 12-23. The everlasting promises of Jewish prophecy, in their relation to Messiah's kingdom (as the kingdom of God's new covenant with Israel in the day of his second deliverance from Babylon, as restored in temporal form by Cyrus, though still remaining to be confirmed of God before men by the gift of the Holy Ghost — Jerem. xxxi, 31-40, with Heb. viii, 7-13), pertained not to the city and sanctuary of man's rebuilding ; for theii* destruction again forms the whole burden of Jewish prophecy. The desolation pre- dicted in Dan. ix, 27 ; xii, 7, 11, 12, was the " utter destruction" of Zech. xiv, 11, compared with Matt, xxiv, 21. Ezra ii, 63, and Neh. ■\d, Q5, pointed to a time when the woi-k, commenced by Cyrus in temporal form, as predicted (Isaiah xliv, 28), • should be to the comfort of the spirits of all flesh, confirmed of God by the gift of the Holy Ghost, raising the comforted thereof above the dominion of sin in their hearts, when tempted thereto in the flesh ; and delivering them from the sori'ows of the heathen when left to sorrow in the world " withovit hope," under any humanly irremediable trouble of theu' mortal life. This gift of the comforter (to those who shall be found waiting for him in righteousness before God, and good will to man) is per- petually realising on earth — in the brightness of a pure spirit, and 16 in the power of divine justice aud mercy everlaatingly reconciled in Christ — the promiHe that " unto tliem that look for him, shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." — Heb. ix, 28. This is the spirit of the interpretation which Scripture fairly, compared with Scripture, unhesitatingly demands for the words of Jeremiah xxxi, 38 — " The city shall be built to the Lord " (compare V. 40 with Psalm cxxvii, 1), " It shall not be plucked up nor thrown down any more for ever." These words were never in- tended to apply to any material structure of brick or stone to be raised by man. But to return to the dangei'ous inconsistency of Dr Cumming's words, -when predicting the end of the world for 1864 (or for 1867), he neutralised the ambiguity of his expressions in other respects by the awfully decided tone of these words in 1853 — " The very gi-oxmd on which we stand "wdll soon be calcined by the last fire," &c. Any simple-minded man woiild here believe that he meant un- questionably the complete physical destruction of this earth by fire ; yet no simple-minded man could or would give him credit for the belief in liis own statement tlms interpreted, on hearing him affirm, at the same time, that he would, if he thought it for the interest of himself or family, take a house for a hundred years' lease on the morrow after asserting his belief in an almost instant dissolution of the earth, and, of course, of his new worldly investment thereon, by fire. The distinction between precepts and prophecies is an uninten- tional sophism. The prophecies of God are republications of his precepts in combination with promised mercy on obedience, and the curse of the threatened judgment on disobedience ; and in thia form, Christ's " everlasting gospel " is Jemsh prophecy generalised, and made of universal application, until the object of all God's prophecies shall have been fulfilled, and therefore prophecy made to cease by the law of Christ (Galat. vi, 2), as that of charity (1 Cor. (xiii, 8) which never faileth, being itself the consummation of God's purposed mercy towards unregenerate man through the agency of his regenerate brethren. For it is thus only that they them- selves have been redeemed in Christ from the condemnation of death in the flesh to life eternal, having spiritual communion with God on earth as in heaven. Dr Cumming's hypothetical investment of his money upon 17 worldly security, could ouly be consistent witli his belief, in tlie circumstances of tlie case, by making it one of a spiritual instead of temporal prospect for tlie return of gain. By saying, as the time is thus short, instead of making certain investments for my own personal and worldly advantage, I will devote the substance where- with God has blessed me to uphold his cavise, and for the good of my fellow beings in these last days of their earthly need, knowing that my labour will not be in vain, if I am thus found at my post, in the hour of my visitation. If by " the close of our present ceconomy'''' Lord Carlisle means only (in the language of a devout and Christian statesman) that the events of our own day are multiplying, with siich vinmistakeable clearness and irresistible power, the historical evidence of God's temporal providence as the God of Abraham, and Governor in all the earth, being so truly King of Kings, that it will shortly be- come impossible for kings to establish an enduring throne (in re- liance only on an arm of flesh to svipport politically a balance of power amongst the nations of European Christendom), they are the words of a righteous and true prophetic spirit. But there is a " school of the prophets"* which is ever predicting " the end of this dispensation." In i-egard to this phrase, if they do not mean "the end of the Christian dispensation" (as I do not think they can), it is essential that they should give the limitation of an intelligible significance to theii' words, that they become not to the less edu- cated part of their Chi-istian brethren as the blind leading the blind, until both fall into the ditch. The only plausible signification, to my mind, is, that the phrase represents the expectations of that " school of the prophets" which, denying that the kingdom has ever been restored to Israel, as pro- mised in the JewLsh scriptiu'es, and looking for that event in a form harmonising with its own traditional prejudices, regards it as an event associated with the overthrow of our Christian dispensa- tion, regarded merely as the dispensation of an exclusively Gentile Christianity. If such be their meaning, it needs only to be stated clearly to be rejected without hesitation, as an error undermining the very foundations of Christianity itself The Mosaic theocracy was in truth a shadowy or typical dispensation of Christianity (1 Cor. X, 4, 11), conditionally established to the Jews in connection * See under this heading an article reprinted from The Times of Nov. 1859. B 18 with a kingdom of exclusive temporal privileges, but with the alternative thi"eat of an utter dissolution under the fiery judgment of God's wrath thereon in the day (or age) when he should make use of an election of grace therein to establish a new and everlast- ing covenant with the seed of Abraham by which Jew and Gentile should be spiritually made one in Christ, that all the families of man might be pai-takers of the promises made to Abraham's seed, as called through Isaac in Christ. This gospel of the kingdom is by the Holy Ghost called an " ever- lasting gospel " (Rev xiv, 6) ; and St Paul certainly never preached the gospel of the kingdom as proclaiming a temporary and exclu- sively Gentile dispensation of Christianity, to be superseded by the gospel of another kingdom of exclusively Jewish privileges restored. On the conti'ary, after shewing in the most unequivocal form, and under many variations of proof, that Jew and Gentile were spi- ritvially made one in Christ, under the gospel kingdom of God's new and everlasting covenant with the seed of Abraham, he pro- vides for the security of that foundation against the recurring in- roads of an anti- Christian Judaism (1 John iv, 3), by this solemn adjuration. — " Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." In a limited and figurative acceptation, the Christianity of ordi- nary life, individually and nationally, has often had so little of the true spii'it of Christ's gospel therein, that it might ironically be called a Gentile Clnistianity, as corrupted by Gentile traditions ; even as the Mosaic law of sacrifice had been misundei'stood by the Jews in a form, making their sacrifices as those of the heathen in God's sight. In con-ection of this evil, the world is no doubt doomed to undergo j)erpetual desolations, assimilated in character, and manifesting, as it wei*e, an earthly eternity of the judgment which dates the beginning of the end of the world from the events of the Apostolic age. — Heb. ix, 26-28; 1 Peter iv, 7-19. There is perhaps another sense in which the errors of Christians run parallel with those of Jewish exclusiveness in causing God's new Covenant with all Israel to be regarded as a kind of exclu- sively Gentile dispensation of Christianity, seeing that there ax"e many amongst us who profess to believe that the Jews are without covenanted hope of participation in this salvation until they shall have assumed the name of Christians. But converts to a name. 19 and proselytes to righteousnesa, may often be tAvo widely diflferent tilings ; and it is reasonable tliat we should always place more re- liance on the spiritual mercy than on the nominal badge of which it must necessarily be the precui'sor. " For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Many were brought nigh unto God in the spirit of a righteous faith, by the gift of the Holy Ghost, before the disciples were Jrrst called Christians at Antioch, Acts xi, 26. Again, if Jew and Gen- tile cannot, in any qualified sense, be made spiritually one in Christ, without also being one in name, why, both in history and prophecy, are the Jews, in all the lands of their foreign settlements, as at Jerusalem, continuously referred to as one particular family of the seed of Abraham, distinct from all others in some respects, even when living amongst them in political harmony, though " the obedience of faith " in the Avisdom of God, when ordering their afflictions, as when surrounding them by mercies ? There was a peaceful harmony of spirit between Daniel and the righteous of the Gentile world in the days of the Babylonian cap- tivity, the devout Jews believing by faith that it was ordered " for their good (Jerem. xxiv, 5), and the righteous of the Gentile world appreciating (though imperfectly) their own blessedness therein, Dan. iii, 28-30 ; vi, 25-28. Isaiah also attributed the harmony of Jew and Gentile by a righteous faith in Messiah's day, to the then oiitpouring of God's spirit upon all flesh for their common good when subscribing themselves by different names. Thus, xliv, .3-6, " I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods vipon the diy ground : I will povir my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring : and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water coui'ses." " One shall say, I am the Lord's " (viz., of Messiah's people, and therefore a Christian) ; " and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob " (as if to mark his identity with the Jews of the twelve tribes, and with the expectation that the glory of their typical kingdom will be restored to them as Jews) ; " and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and svirname himself by the name of Israel," the prevailer, — to signify his preference to being identified in name with that regeneration of the kingdom of the twelve tribes which (pertaining equally to Jew and Gentile) constitutes the spiritual kingdom of Christ's everlasting gospel. 20 Though we " rejuice in the Lord" under the name of Christians, when I'ighteoualy conforming to God's new covenant of mercy in Christ — preferring salvation onli/ " by a way of holiness '" — not presumed to be natural, but the gift of the Holy Ghost, an the imparted gi-ace of Christ's spii'it ; the Jews, who manifest their faith in righteovisness and good will towards man, do in fact inter- pret the moral ordinances of the Mosaic law in the spirit of Chris- tianity, and not by the ritualistic quibbles of the anti-christian Jews, who made the word of God of none effect by theii- tradi- tions in the Apostolic age. We know, moreover, that Christ did not condemn the Jews of that generation for a righteous observance of the Mosaic law (John V, 45-47) but for covering a corruption of the moral law (Is. xxx, 1), by an iinrighteous observance of the ceremonial ordinances insti- tuted by Moses. Thence arose that stiff-necked resistance of the Holy Ghost which Christ denounced as tending to demand his crucifixion. This it was which added the martyrdom of Stephen to that of God's former prophets. — Luke xii, 10 ; Actsvii, 51, 52, with Matt, xxiii, 34-39; and Rev. xviii, 24. In the subjoined verses I have tried to express my thoughts on this subject briefly, for the pvirpose of a technical memory, if clear enough : — 1. Can Jew and Christian live by faith, In harmony of spirit one ? Hear what our holy sci-ipture saith — He's cursed of God who scorns God's Son.* * " In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil ; whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." Pharisaism is ever, even now, raising the qiiestion, ^^^lo is my brother, in re- lation to this command ? as when the Scribe leai-ned in the Jewish law of Eab- binical traditions said, in the apostolic age, " Who is my neighbour?" Compare 1 John ii, 22, 23 ; iii, 10-24 ; iv, 2, 3 ; John -idii, 44-47. Evidence of not being in Christ, howso- Evidence of being in Christ, housocrer ever named, as to the profession of named, as to the p7rfcssion of man's viands faith towards God. faith towards God. " Hereby know j'e the Spirit of God: " But ye are not in the flesh, but in Every spii'it that conf esseth " (viz., by the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of 21 2. Pause, lest you misjudge the cause Of fellow-siimers to your * harm ; that confession of the heart which be- God dwell in you." (Compare John i, 1 2, lieveth unto righteousness, and there- 13, 14,iii, 3, with Matt.xix, 28). "Now fore accepts the doctrine that God'a if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, Spirit has an incarnate manifestation he is none of his." Rom. viii, 9. Com- amongst men, though never ' in the pare Matt, vii, 21 ; Luke vi, 46. fulness of the Godhead bodily,' but in " But the fruit of the Spirit is love, Christ, Coloss. ii, 9, with 1 Cor. xii, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, 3-12), "that Jesus Chi-ist is come in the goodness, faith, meekness, temperance ; flesh is of God : And every spirit that against such there is no law," (Galat. vi, confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come 22, 23), viz., no imputation of the curse in the flesh is not of God : And tliis is entailed upon Israel by the law of Moses that spirit of Antichrist whereof ye have for sin against the first covenant, and heard that it should come : and even therefoi-e the " no more curse" of Eev. now already is in the world." 1 John xxii, 3, so that all Israel may be saved iv, 2. 3. (Rom. xi, 26), under God's new cove- nant, as predicted. Jereni. xxxi, 31-34. If this be subjecting myself to our Church's censvu-e, under No. XVIII of our 39 ai-ticles (though, " in foro conscientia}," I think that article condemns only the rationalistic doctrine of human optimism, supposing a natural capability in man to become his own saviour), I can only say, God help me. I am honestly in search of truth, and cannot afford to barter honest convictions for a temporal policy, without scrii^tui-al proof that what I regard as honest convictions are de- lusive conclusions from imperfect reasonings of my own on Scripture. St Paul teUs us (Rom. ii, 11-17), " There is no respect of persons with God (compare Acts X, 34, 35). For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law ; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be jus- tified. For when the Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves ; which shew the work of the law written in then- hearts (compare Jerem. xxxi, 31-34 ; Heb. viii, 7-13), their conscience also bearmg witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another). For the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." * " The seat of the scorn ful" (Ps. 1, 1, with Rom. ii, 1 ; xiv, 4), is more likely, in God's sight, to be that of the accuser (as Antichrist, " sitting in the temple of God, and shewing himself that he is God " 2 Thess. ii, 4, with Ezek xxviii, 2, 3 ; Dan. xi, 36-45), by presuming to hurl the thunders of God's judg- ment against his fellow man as a blasphemer of Christ for subscribing only to the name of Jacob or Israel when Uving in the grace and gift of Christ's spirit, by living under the ialiueuce of the Holy Ghost) than of the accmed as to which is the infidel 1 Surely God himself vindicates man accused of infidelity for not -symbolizing with his neighbnm- as to the form of his belief, when the accused 22 In your indictment may Ix; flaws Exposing to yourselves * alarm ! 3. Know ye the Son men cannot scorn. And deem themselves beatified 1 riirlst in his brethren t who adorn The living faith for which he died ? 4. Not names, but gifts of grace, make men In spirit one with Christ, their Lord ; Jews to Christians may be brethren, And Clirist be righteously adored. 5. In peace shall Israel J be saved Through holiness, which peace entails. Nailed to the cross, on which, self-sacrificed, Clirist died, 'gainst § such " no curse " prevails. manifests the influence of divine grace upon his heart in righteousness of life, and good will to his fellow -beings, throiigh the fear and love of God as felt by faith. * " Whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be for- given him ; but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost (as they do who deny that righteousness and peace are e^ddences of Christ's spirit or of the Holy Ghost, manifested in the heart of man unto salvation, unless he be Christian also in name), it shall not be forgiven (Acts vii, 51-54 ; compare John x, 37, 38.) Our Lord's words (Luke xxiii, 34), " Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," represent briefly, and with di\'ine power, the spirit of Christ in its essential antagonism to that of autichiist, whose power is doomed ever to fall prostrate, as the image of Dagon, before the incarnate spirit of Christ's second advent, in the power of the Holy Ghost, to sanctify the hearts of a people made w illin g to obey him in the day of his power, as that of his eternal resurrection -glory. + Tlie parable of the then coming and ever continuing judgment with which Matt. XXV concludes, extends the blessing of believers to men who did the will of God from motives of a righteous fear and love, learned mider a form of faith truly Chiistian (as that of Abraham's in spirit, John A-iii, 56), though not Chris- tian in name. Compare Matt, xii, 48-50. J The " ALL Israel" of Rom. xi, 26, means the righteous of the *' elect for their Father's sake," though " enemies" to the Christian concerning the Gospel, V. 28 ; and evangelized Jews. Compare Is. 1, 16-20 ; xxxiv, 8 ; Ivii, 15, with Matt, xi, 28 ; John xiv, 6. § Compare Galat. v, 22, 23, with Coloss. ii, 14, and the " no more curse" of 23 6. With judgment limited, that some might live, The law's dread curse upon the kingdom * fell ; Rev. xxii, 3 ; also the " no more utter destruction ; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited" (viz., the New Jei-usalem), Zech. xiv, 11, witli the words of Jerem. xxxi, 40. " It shall not" (viz., '• when buUt unto the Lord," v. 38, with Ps. cxxvii, 1, by the i^ift of the Holy Ghost upon Jew and Gentile in Christ, Jerem. xxxi, 31-37, with Heb. viii, 8-12; and Luke ii, 29-35), " be plucked up nor tlirown down any more for ever." It foUows that the Apostolic and earthly type of the New Jerusalem ever cometh down from above, and shall for ever outUve the Jerusalem of man's rebuilding, which was, with her chilch'en, in bondage to the spirit of the power of the world in the latter days of God's first covenant with Israel. For the spiritually redeemed of Christ from amongst the GentUea (as by a way of hoUness through faith in God), both before and since the date of his incarnation (John vui, 56 ; Heb. xi, 39, 40), with the evangelized Jews of the apostohc age (Matt, xix, 28), and the " All Israel" of succeeding genera- tions (Rom. xi, 26), do, for Christ's sake, outUve the dissolution of their spirit's mortal body in natural death. Thus all the righteous, from the beginning of the world, are scripturaUy re- garded as having Uved righteously through " the obedience of faith" (Rom. xvi, 26), or in that spmt of Christ which is the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the eter- nal glory of Christ's second advent, for the confii-mation of God's new covenant with Israel, and with aU flesh, unto an eternal communion of God's saints on earth and in heaven. — See 1 Thess. iv, 15-18, illustrating Zech. xiv, 5 ; Is. xxv, 7, xxvi, 19. Such is, beyond aU reasonable doubt, the true scriptm-al doctrine respecting " the restoration of the kingdom to Israel." Compare Luke xvii, 20, 21, with Matt, xvi, 28 ; John xxi, 21-24 ; Rev. ix, 15-19 ; xv, 8, to end of cap. xviii. * Compare Matt, xxiv, 22, with Dan. xii, 7, 11, 12 ; Zech. xii, 10 ; xiii to end of xiv. In Rom. xi, 25, 26, the words " Until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in ; and so all Israel shall be saved," &c., are to be explained of the times referred to in Galat. iv, 4. " When the fuLuess of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made imder the law," &c. The " times of the Gentiles," as referred to in Luke xxi, 24, complete the true historic re- ference of the prediction, as fulfilled in the desolation of the typical sanctuary by the fiery judgment predicted in Dan. ix, 27, before the caUing m of the Gentiles could be f idly accompUshed, by reason of Jewish iirejuchces and \iolent opposition. Thus, the " end" of 1 Cor. xv, 24, as that of the judgment (Dan. xii, 7, 11, 12 ; Matt, xxiv, 22), limited over the typical sanctuary, dated the time appointed for making general, or extending unto the Gentiles also (Ezek. xxxvii), that resm-- rection from death unto life which commences spiritually in the flesh ; that the salvation of God may be experienced on earth, or in the body (1 Thess. v, 23, with Heb. iv, 12 ; and 1 Cor. xv, 35-38), as predicted over those of the better re- .■^m-rection, Heb. xi, 35. For there is no salvation in man's mortal body, when 24 God to the living * wills to give Faith's hope ; the limit who can tell 1 The rehuildiiig of the Walls of Jerv^alem hy NeJcemiah in its rela- tion to the Prophecies respecting the Restoration of tlie Kinydum to Israel. The progi-ess of the rebuilding, as described iu Nehem. iii, does not represent the labours of all Israel applied continuously in the same dii'ection round the city, until again arriving at the point from, which they started. Yet, on comparing v. 1 and v. 31, this might seem to be the case. The whole work was divided into three great portions. The frst company, with the High Priest at theii* head, began at the Sheep Gate, at the southern side of the Citadel, and thence pro- ceeded, by the towers of Meah and Hananeel, and by the Fish Gate, to the Gate of Ephraim or Benjamin. About here they came upon the broad wall, and continued their operations to the Tower of the Furnaces. This, in Nehem. xii, 38, 39, was, on the dedication of the walls, inversely made the starting point of the company which, with Nehemiah after them, took the northern cir- cuit of Mount Zion, and terminating their course at the Sheep Gate, on the western side, stood still in the Prison Gate. Thus it seems that the Prison Gate and the Sheep Gate were gates pertain- ing to the same enclosure, as will perhaps be made clearer by and bye. The second company of builders began at the Valley Gate (Nehem. iii, 13), and, like the fii'st company, at the dedication proceeded sonthtvard to the Dung Gate (cap. xii, 31, 37). But at the Fountain Gate, which was over against them, they went up by not experienced by the evidence of a Di\'ine Comforter therein on earth. Again, the termination of the judgment ordained over the typical sanctuary represents the consummation of the outpouring of the seven \-iak after the opening of the (new) Temple of God in (the new) Heavens (of tj^pical and Jemsh prophecy), by the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. For, though the new heavens were thus opened, as predicted, no man, Jew or Gentile, could enter peacefxilly therein untU the tj-pical sanctuary and stronghold of Jewish opposition was destroyed. * Compare Zech. xiii, 9, with Is. xxxviii, 19 ; Ezek. x^-iii, 31, 32, and Lament, iii, 39. 25 the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall above the house of David, even unto the Water Gate (Gate of the Waters) east- ward, i.e., eastward of Mount Zion. This gate was therefore on the high ground above the pool of Siloam, and probably protected the bridge by which Mount Zion and Mount Moriah were united, near the south-west corner of the temple area. The third company was that of those who, with the Nethenims, encircled Ophel, by carrying the great western boundary of Zion onwards from the Fountain Gate, so as to enclose the pool of Siloam within the walls thus extended round the hill called Ophel to the south-east corner of the temple area (Nehem. iii, 26, 27). Fourthly, The priests, with the goldsmiths and merchants, com- pleted the oviter enclosure of the temple area ''■from above the Horse Gate" (v. 28). This was therefore within the enclosure called the Court of the Prison (viz., of the fort on Mount Zion.) Their work consequently extended along the northern and eastern boundaries of the temple area. The gate Miphkad would be the great eastern gate, or the Golden Gate of the middle ages. Thus, on the western area of the temple enclosure in Nehe- miah's day there seem only to have been two gates. Josephus speaks of four after Bezetha was enclosed. The Water Gate, by the bridge at the south-west corner leading from Mount Moriah to Mount Zion, and the Horse Gate (so called as accessible to hoi'se- men from the plains (2 Kings xi, 16), at the north-west coi'ner, leading from Mount Moriah to that part of Acra which came within the fortified enclosure of the city and temple. David's wall, before the building of the temple, must have passed round the eastern brow of Zion above the Tyropseon, from the Joppa Gate to the south at Siloam. The " Le-Hazar* ha-mittarah " of Nehem. iii, 25, will mean "facing the court of the fort," and denotes the relation of the fort on Mount Zion (as both the prison of the king's house and the guard-house of the royal palace) to the palace, whether spoken of David's palace or of Solomon's, or of " the house of the governor on this side the river," viz., of the viceroy for the kings of Baby- lon and Persia (Nehem. ii, 8.) * The Hebrew word for com-t is the same as that n\ the compound words " Hazar-Hatticon," Ezek. xlvii, 16 ; Baal-Hazon, 2 Sam. xiii, 23 ; and En-Hazor, Josh, xix, 37. 26 This last palace was situated by " the high gate of Benjainiji, which was by the house of the Lord" (Jerem. xx, 2), and it wjis also near " the broad wall " (Nehem. iii, 7, 8.) Hence I infer that the whole circuit of the wall originally built by David round Mount Zion (2 Sam. v, 7, 9), with the Millo of Solomon's filling up in the valley of Tyropaeon (or cheesemakers) to connect the fortifications of the city with the north-west comer of the temple area, represents the court of the foi't or the prison in Nehem. iii, 25, Also that this, when enlarged by the outer court of the house of the Lord, and by the addition of Ophel (a hill) to bring Solomon's palace within the fortified enclosure, con,stituted the old Jerusalem of Jewish prophecy, whose " battlements" were to be taken away a second time, and then by an everlasting de- struction " as not the Lord's" (Jerem. v, 10, with xxxiii, 4, 5, and Isaiah xiv.) For these fortifications became the stronghold of a worldly policy, denounced by God's prophets as teaching Israel to rely on an arm of flesh rather than on a foundation of truth and righteousness through faith in God, that, thus sought, he would realise to the nation his promise of abiding peace. Bearing these scriptui-al facts in mind, let us now proceed to trace the site of the Sheep Gate as that from which the i-ebuilding of Nehem. iii, 1, commenced. For this we have certain scriptural data by which it can be determined with considerable accuracy, when once the ti'ue site of the Fish Gate is found. But of the identity of the Fish Gate with the Yaffa Gate I now entertain no doubt, though sorry to find myself here jjarting company for a while from my trustworthy companion Dr Robmson, though only to meet him again by the lower pool of Gilion, at the Valley Gate, from which Nehemiah commenced his fii'st visit to the ruined walls (Nehem. ii, 13-lo.) The Fish Gate of Zeph. i, 10 (as there spoken of in relation to a second gate), was probably the fij'st gate or corner gate of Zech. xiv, 10. If so, " from the gate of E[)hriam to the corner gate, 400 cubits" (2 Kings xiv, 13), will [>robably indicate the same locality as " from Benjamin's Gate unto the place of the fii'st gate, unto the coi-ner gate," Zech. xiv, 10. The relation of the Fish Gate to the lower pool of Gilion, and to the western wall of Zion from that }ioint southwards, as stated in 2 Chron. xxxiii, 14, establishes the identity of the Fish Gate with the Yaffa Gate, beyond a doubt to my 27 miiul. But between the Fish Gate and the Sheep Gate came the two towers of Hananeel and Ha-Meah. These proLably'were towers of the citadel afterwards called Hippicus ; Hananeel being the northern, and Ha-Meah the southern tower, nearest to which was the Sheep Gate. The northern and eastern walls of the city are twice described by Nehemiah, under an inverted order of reference to the places passed in that circuit, tlius : — TJie order in Nehem. iii, 1-12. The wder in Nehem. xii, 38, 39. 1. The Sheep Gate. 1. The Tower of the Fiu-naces. 2. The Tower of the Hundred, or of 2. The Broad ^^'aU. ^«-Meah. 3. The Tower of Hananeel, as thus 3. Tlie Gate of Ephi-ahu. named for a memorial of God's graciousness. 4. The Fish Gate. This was the fii-st or 4. The Old Gate. corner gate facing the road to Joppa. 5. The Old Gate. This was probably 5. The Fish * Gate. * In Zeph. i, 10, the Fish Gate is referred to as about to be involved in a calamity which shall extend to some second gate, after which there should come " a crashing of the hills." Judah's overthrow was to he hy a tohirlwind from the north, Ezek. 1 and 4 ; Jerem. vi, 1 ; xxlii, 19, 20 ; XXX, 23, 24. Also the road from the present Damascus Gate has two terminations at a short distance from the Fish Gate, measuring, as it were in that direction, 400 cubits. We may there- fore conclude that near here was the site of the gate of Ephraira, 2 Kings xiv, 12. The " crashing of the hills," Zeph. i, 10, will elucidate Zech. xiv, 10, " all the land shall be turnedjas^a plain from Geba to Rimmon," as/;-OHj hill to hill, or from llount Zion to tlie Mount of Offence, made the high place of Canaanitish idolatry renewed by Solomon. — Zech. xiv, 21 ; and John iv, 21, 27. Geba comes from the Hebrew Gav, a ftacA ; and like the Latin dorsum was applied to the ridge of hills, as to the highest border of the Brazen Altar, otherwise also called the," //o/--er' or Mount of God.— See the marginal reading of Ezek. xliii, 1-5. But Rimmon is the Hebrew for a pomegranate, which was an idolatrous symbol with the worshippers of Baal on high places' — Compare the house of Rimmon, 2 Kings v, 18. In Exod. xxviii, 33, the pomegranate seems also to have been appointed for a decoration of the High Priest's ephod, as if to memorialise thereby the fruitfulness of the promised land. From these Scriptural facts a clue seems opening out for an inteUigible interpretation of tho water flowing southward from under the Altar on the eastern side of the Temple area, in Eze- kiel's prophetic vision, chap, xlvil, 1-6. For in Num. xxxv, 4, the suburbs of the cities given to the Levites should extend outward from the wall of the city a thousand cubits round about ; and the city was to stand in the midst of a square area measuring 2000 cubits on every side. With this let us next compare the speci- fication of an interval of 1000 cubits from the Valley Gate to the Dung Gate, Nehem. iii, 13, and the 1000 cubits of Ezek. xlvii, 3-6. Let us next compare the measuring reed of Ezek. xl, 3; xlvii, 3, with the plummet of the house of Ahab, 2 Kings xxi, 13 ; also Zech. ii, 1, 2; iv, 10, with Is. xxviii, 17; Jcreni. xxxi, 39. Let us also bear in mind that the water from Solomon's pools (for " Engedi," Ezek. xlvii, 10, was near Etam or Urtas beyond Bethlehem, compare Dr Thompson's '' The Land and the Book," vol. ii, p. 421, and Robinson, vol. 1, p. .513) ceased from their northward flow, and took first a south-western direction, on entering the city by the lower pool of Gihon at the valley, and then<'e 28 6. The Tower of Haiianeel. 7. The Tower of Ha-Meah or the Hun- dred. the hiyh gate of Benjamin, (Jerein. XX, 2) ; and the hirjk gate of 2 Chron. xxiii, 20, built by Uzziah, (2 Chron. xxvii, 3). 6. The Gate of Ephraim, (2 Kings xiv, 12), was probably the new gate of Jerem. xxxvi, lO. These gates were clearly situated near " the Throne of the Governor on this side the river," (Nehem. iii, 7.) For in Nehem. xii, 39, " the Gate of Ephraim" is substituted for "the Throne of the Governor," to iden- tify the locality. 7. The Broad Wall, viz. the Millo of Solomon s filling up, in the vaUey of the Tyropseon, to enclose the whole Temple area within the for- tifications of the City. 8. The Tower of the Furnaces — Com- 8. The Sheep Gate — -in a position to pare Neh. iii, 2 ; xii, 38. face the Prison Gate, being situ- ated nearly at right angles thereto, an outer gate of the same fort enclosure. If the formerlocalities are fairly defined on scriptural evidence, then the Towers of Hananeel and Ha-Meah, being near the YafFa Gate, this Tower of the Furnaces must have stood on the north side of the Temple area, where the Tower of Antonia stood iu the days of Josephus. For that part probably was not brought within the sacred enclosure of the Temple until the liill Bezetha was encompassed by the walls of Agrippa, A.D. 42 ; or at any rate not until the building of the second boimdary wall on the north side. Then two new gates of access from the Kew City seem to have been added on the western side. The first and old northern wall, as that of Nehemiah's reference de\iated from its south-eastern bend above the Tyropjeon in the days of Da%-id, to a straighter course from the Bethlehem or Joppa Gate to the Horse Gate at the North -AVest corner of the Temple area. Between these extreme points the broad wall passed along the western side of the Temple area to somewhere near the Water Gate at the south-west corner. Possibly also it fonned the foundation of the Tower of Antonia, on the north side. In Nehem. iii. 25, 26, we are told of tivo towers " l}'ing out," une by the place turning along the north-eastern brow of Mount Zion, entered the Temple area on the north side, and flowed out from under the south side of the Altar. — Compare Ezek. xM, 9. There is no record of any place called " Kglaim." I believe the name therefore to have been typical like that of " Engedi," which means the Fountain of tlie Kid, and Dr Thompson tells us the rocks in the neighbourhood are called " the rocks of the wild goats," vol. ii, p. 420. In Hebrew Eglali means a young bullock, and the Dual number Eglaim tuo young bollocks. May not the reference be therefore to the two calves of the idolatrous worship instituted by Jeroboam?—! Kings xii, 26-33. 29 over against the Water Gate towards the east, and there Ijdng out from the King's high house that was by the court of the prison ; viz. that on Ophel, near the site of Solomon's palace. The other, which the Tekoites repaked — (Compare the trumpet of Tekoa, Jerem. vi, 1 ; Amos i, 1 ; with the Beth-lmccerem, or "house of the vineyards," in its relation to Solomon's gardens. Is. v, 1, 2, with Rev. xiv, 20), iscaUed "the great tower that lieth out " as away from Ophel ; for they repau-ed even unto " the wall of Ophel " as from the northern to the southern Tower. This site for the" Tower of the Fiu-naces may perhaps be confu-med from 2 Chron. xxxiii, 3-8. For if Manasseh raised altars for idolatrous sacrifices in two Courts of the Lord's house, he would not scruple to worship Baal from a tower raised higher on the north side of the sacred enclosure, and lying out therefrom. For these reasons I cannot identify its site with any supposed furnaces by the Dimg Gate, for there biu-ning the offal of the sacrifices and the fUth of the city. See Calmet under the word Gehema, and p. 133 of my tract, "Thy kingdom come." The general correctness of these deductions from Scripture is confirmed by Dr Robinson's antiquarian researches on the spot. For he has proved satisfactorily that what is marked for the pool of Bethesda by the Sheep Gate in the modern topographies of Jerusalem bears evident signs of having been only a fosse protect- ing against enemies the north end of the tower of Antonia. The arches he speaks of answer to the description given by Josephxia of the manner in which an enlarged area was artificially con- structed for the foundations of the lower cloisters of the Temple on Mount Moriah. The pool of Beth-Hesda (as written in the Hebrew version of John V, 2, and meaning " the house of kindness"), was by the Sheep Gate of the Apostolic age, not that of monkish traditions, dating only from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. — Robinson, vol. 1, p. 476. The word gate seems to indicate the relation of the Sheep Market to the city, as noticed in the margin of our Bibles. Upon the clearest Scriptural evidence we see here that the Sheep Gate on the south of the tower of the hundred (Ha- Meah), could not have been far from the valley gate of the wall wherewith Manasseh encircled the lower fountain of Gihon, 2 Chron. xxxiii, 14, for that was without doubt the " dragon well," or " the well of the dragon," Nehem. ii, 13, compare 2 Chron. xxxii, 30. Gesenius tells us that the word Gihon (though used as a proper name in Hebrew), means only " a stream, rivei', so called as breaking forth from fountains, compare Job. xl, 23. Its cor- responding term (he adds), is used by the Arabs before the names 30 of several larger Asiatic streams, as the Ganges, the Araxes,