Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 5 · Section 2
Of Cherubim.
In .1. king. 6 Of the name and forme of Cherubim. Ezech. 1, 5.30 As concerning the name, Aben-Ezra writeth, that ſome make the ſame a generall woord to all grauen and carued things, and to images: yet ſo neuertheleſſe, as thoſe, which be written of in the lawe, are ſaid to hauehave had the ſhape of man. But in Ezechiel, the formes of them be deſcribed; namelie of a lion, of an oxe, & of an eagle; & not of a mans ſhape onlie. Yea further, Ezech. 18, 14, and .16.in the ſame prophet, a king is called Cherub; bicauſe he aboundeth with great dignitie, glorie, and riches. Sometime that word is written at full; to wit, with the letter Vau: but ſometime in the place thereof is put, Exo. 25, 18. 1. King. 6, 23Kibbutz. Howbeit, Salomon ſéemeth to hauehave followed Moſes: for he alſo in his tabernacle had two molten Cherubims. Yea and the verie inward coorten, which was in ſtéed of the wall of the tabernacle, had Cherubims of néedle worke. Wherfore it is no maruell, if both Salomon made two grauen Cherubims, and alſo vponupon the walles made manie ſet out finelie in ſéeled worke. I am not ignorant, that there were manie of the ancient Hebrue interpretours, which thought, that the word Cherubim was compounded in ſuch ſort, as the firſt letter Caph, is a note of ſimilitude. Then the verbe Rab being added, which ſignifieth, To nouriſh, or To growe, whereof is made the noune Rabum and Rabi, which ſignifieth, Children and Yong men, bicauſe they growe and increaſe in ſtature. But this hath no likelihood of truth, that the etymologie of an Hebrue name ſhould be fetcht from the Chaldaean toong. As touching the matter of them, it is euident enough, that thoſe which were in the tabernacle of Moſes, were of maſſie gold: for they ſtretched foorth their wings from on high, on both ſides of the merciemercy ſeate, with their faces one toward an other. And the merciemercy ſeat was a table of the ſame length and breadth, that the arke of couenant was; What was the propitiatorie or merciemercy ſeat. 1. King. 6, 13which conſiſted of maſſe and pure gold, and out of that table (as is ſaid) two Cherubims did riſe vp. The ſtuffe whereof Salomons Cherubims were made, was wood of the oliue, which vndoubtedlie is verie hard. Wherefore in caruing or grauing the ſame, artificers doo take great paines: but it indureth verie long.
31 In this place R. Dauid Kimhi demandeth, how it was lawfull for Salomon to cut downe oliue trées; bicauſe they bring foorth fruit? Deut. 20, 19 By what right Salomon cut downe oliue trees.And in Deuteronomie it is decréed, that thoſe kind of trées ſhould not be hewen downe, no not vponupon the land of the enimies. By ſome it is anſwered, that he cut none downe, but ſuch as were withered with age, and were become ſo barren, as they would beare fruit no longer. But there be ſome, which thinke, that he vſed not the beſt oliue, but the wild oliue trée, whereof there is no fruit had. And there be ſome, which write, that theſe trées were not felled within the countrie of Iudaea, but were ſent thither by Hiram. Howbeit, it might more fitlie be ſaid, that theſe things were doone otherwiſe than order was; and that by the inſtinct of God, ſome péece of the lawe was diſpenſed with; eſpeciallie that which rather belonged vntounto warre than vntounto peace. Alſo there were ſome, which denied that this was properlie the wood of the oliue trée: for (as they ſaie) there be alſo other kinds of trées, which bring foorth a certeine oile; as the Cedar, the pine aple, and firre trée: the which, in ſomuch as they beare fatnes or gum, may be called trées of oile. They alledge a place out of the eight chap. of Nehemias, where it is written, that the feaſt of tabernacles was celebrated, wherein it was ſaid to the people; verſe. 15.Bring ye the leaues of the oliue tree, and the leaues of the tree of oile. By which words theſe things are verie manifeſtlie diſtinguiſhed one from an other. Further alſo, Leuit. 23, 40the Schoolemaiſter of the lawe commanded not onlie to weare leaues of the oliue trée, but alſo of the Cedar trée: and the Gréeke tranſlation hath, the Cypreſſe trée. And in the 41. chapter of Eſaie, (although the place be ſomewhat darke, verſe. 19.) the wood of Cypreſſe ſéemeth to be expreſſed vnderunder the name héereof. The height of the Cherubims was ten cubits; yet ſo, as they reſembled yoong age in their face: which thing was ſometime doone by cunning artificers, in the great images called Coloſſi. Howbeit, Ioſephus deſcribed theſe images to be onelie of fiue cubits; and he teſtifieth, that the ſtuffe of them was pure and maſſie gold. But credit muſt be giuen vntounto the holie ſcriptures.
The ſite and habit of the Cherubims.32 As touching the ſite & habit of the Cherubims, this may be ſaid; namelie, that R. Solomo wrot, that with the ſoles of their féet, they ſtucke vntounto the floore, & had their countenance turned toward the eaſt; as though they beheld them which went in & out. The one of them, with his wing touched the wall on the ſouthſide; the other the wall on the north ſide, touching one an other with the midſt of their wings. They were therefore diſtant one from an other ten cubits. The booke of Paralip. 1. Par. 3, 10.affirmeth, that theſe images had the countenance of yong men. On the contrarie part Ioſephus writeth, that none is able to ſaie what countenance they were of; but that their faces were bent toward the eaſt, & to the holy place. verſe. 13.The booke of Paralipomenon doth teſtifie, when they were with ſtretched out wings, the whole wideneſſe of them conſiſted of ten cubits; and ſo they occupied the whole breadth of the ſanctuarie, euen twentie cubits. Wherefore in them might be ſéene the iuſt meaſure of a mans bodie, according to the quantitie which they ſaie it conteins, ſéeing his higth is ſo much as is equall with him, his hands being ſtretched out. But thou wilt ſaie; If both the wings conſiſted of ſo manie cubits, what place ſhall we allow for the troonke of his bodie? Dauid Kimhi writeth, that their bodies were vnderunder the wings; bicauſe the tops of the wings were ioined to the chine of the back. So that their bodies appéered in the fore part without the wings, and where they appéered moſt, the arke of the couenant was ſet either vnderunder or betwéene theſe two Cherubims, the which was ſhadowed with their wings ſtretched out.
The length of the arke, as it is deſcribed in the 25. chapter of Exodus, verſe. 10.was of two cubits, and a halfe: The meaſure of the arke.ſo much alſo was it in breadth, and the verie higth thereof was of one cubit and a halfe. There were bars of gold ioined therewith, which were put through rings of gold, and neither from thence were they remooued at anie time: the length of thoſe bars was foure cubits. Aboue the arke in the propitiatorie, there were two other Cherubims made by Moſes. And by this meanes it came to paſſe, that in the holieſt place of Salomons temple, there were foure Cherubims; to wit, two of Salomons, and two leſſer, made in the time of Moſes. But the greater, which Salomon placed, did looke toward the ſanctuarie, and toward the eaſt part. But the Cherubims of Moſes, ſtood of each ſide of the propitiatorie, and looked one vponupon the other, as if they had vpholden the propitiatorie with their hands. In the tabernacle of Moſes, the opening of the two wings was of ten cubits, and with their wings they touched the wall; but after another maner than thoſe of Salomons did. For Moſes Cherubims touched the eaſt and the weſt part; & Salomons, the north and the ſouth part. But Moſes Cherubims being placed in the temple of Salomon, touched not the walles with their wings; bicauſe the place was larger than it was in the tabernacle. Howbeit, Eſaie. 6, 2.in Eſaie we read of an order of Cherubims, ſomewhat differing: for to euerie one of them was ſix wings; for with the vppermoſt, they couered their countenance, and with the lowermoſt their féet, and ſlieng with the middlemoſt, they cried; Holie, Holie, Holie.
33 We muſt not thinke that Salomon tranſgreſſed the lawe, by placing Cherubims in the innermoſt places of the temple, for he followed the example of Moſes, who was commanded by God ſo to doo. Moreouer, when he ſhewed vntounto Dauid all the forme and deſcription of the holie building; there is no doubt, but he ſhewed him alſo the images of the Cherubims. Wherefore idolaters muſt not be led with the example hereof, to hauehave images in their churches. Laſt of all there remaineth, What the Cherubims did ſignifie and repreſent. verſe. 14. Dan. 7, 10.that I declare ſo much as ſhall be thought ſufficient, for the ſignification of theſe images. Certeinlie, they did repreſent the adminiſtring ſpirits, whereof there is mention made in the firſt chapter of the epiſtle to the Hebrues: of which Daniel reckoneth ſo great a number, as he writeth, that there be ten hundred thouſand, (meaning an innumerable multitude:) for he put a certeine number for an infinite number. The miniſteries of them be of diuerſe ſorts. Sometimes of ſeueritie: for when God had driuen Adam out of paradiſe, Gen. 3, 24.he placed Cherubims before paradiſe, with a firie two edged ſword, to driue awaie wretched men from thence. The Aegyptians were ſtrooken by the miniſterie of angels. So was the hoſt of Senacherib. Pſal. 78, 49. 2. Kin. 19, 35 2 Sam. 24, 16 and 17. Num. 22, 24 Gen. 19.Dauid alſo ſawe an angel approch néere Ieruſalem with a drawne ſword. Alſo an angel withſtood Balaam in his iournie. Neither is there anie doubt, but the fiue cities were deſtroied with fire by the miniſterie of angels. But otherwhiles angels doo ſerue God in the defending of men. For an angell ſet himſelfe betwéene the camps of the Aegyptians and Iſraelites, Exo. 14, 19.in the ſame verie night, when the Iſraelites ſhould paſſe through the red ſea. Gen. 19, 16.Lot alſo was preſerued, Acts. 12, … Matth. 4, 1.and Peter brought out of priſon by the diligence of angels. And angels were preſent with Chriſt, when he was tempted by the diuell in the wilderneſſe. Moreouer, Dan. 12, 1.they defend kingdoms and prouinces (as it is written in Daniel.) And it is declared, that by the hands of them, the ſpirit of Lazarus was brought to the boſome of Abraham. And in the pſalme it is ſoong; Luk. 16, 18.Pſal. 19, 11.He hath giuen his angels charge of thee, and they ſhall keepe thee in all thy waies. Alſo they were ſéene ſtand for the defenſe of Elizaeus againſt his enimies, 2. King 6, 17as the holie hiſtorie reporteth and teſtifieth. Furthermore, God vſeth them for inſtructing of men, Dan. 10, 5. Zach. 1, 14. Matth. 1, 20.as we read in Daniel and Zacharie. Marie was inſtructed by Gabriel, that ſhe ſhould bring foorth the fruit of ſaluation. So was Ioſeph, Matth. 2, 13concerning the taking of his wife vntounto him, from whom he was determined to depart: and ſo was he likewiſe as touching his flight into Aegypt, Luk. 1, 26.and returning againe. What ſhall I ſaie more? They be meſſengers of God for to reueale his will.Heb. 1, 14.
34 Yea, and the miniſters of the church be called angels, Apoc. 2, 1.and are repreſented by them: for they aduance the holie word of God amongſt men. Ezec. 10, 1.Wherfore Ezechiel ſawe an engin, wherein Cherubims were carried: whereby (as the wiſe and learned doo interpret) are ment the prophets, apoſtles, and miniſters of the church, of whom God, that is, Ieſus Chriſt our Sauior, is caried by his word into all parts of the world: and whereſoeuer they come, they celebrate the praiſes of God amongſt men, euen as did the Seraphims of Eſaie. Eſaie. 6, 3.Manie things, beſides theſe may be brought, whereby the allegorie betwéene miniſters and angels might be amplified; but with theſe few we will content our ſelues. I returne therefore vntounto the angels themſelues, by whole miniſterie alſo I affirme, that God gouerneth naturall things. For there is no doubt, but that the celeſtiall ſpheres, by their labour are turned about, and the maruellous things of nature are brought foorth. For which cauſe it is verie elegantlie written, Pſal. 18. 12.that God himſelfe is carried vponupon the Cherubims. And the ſcriptures teſtifie theſe diuine ſpirits to be of ſuch woorthineſſe and excellencie, Ezec. 1, 18.that it ſetteth them out vntounto vsus; not onelie with wings, but alſo full of eies; that is to ſaie, that they execute the office committed to them by God, both wiſelie and ſpéedilie: which two things are moſt woorthilie commended in miniſters and ambaſſadors. For then they rightlie execute their office, if they ioine celeritie with wiſedome. And thus much ſhall ſuffice of Cherubims.
In Gen. 13, verſe. 19.35 But now let vsus ſée ſomewhat concerning this word Teraphim. Some will hauehave it, that they were inſtruments for marking out of times; What is ment by Teraphim.or elſe of regions, ſtations, and degrées of ſtars, whereby afterward, by the ſcience of Aſtrologie, men might prognoſticate of the euents to come. But this is not much allowed: for they were rather images, as in the hiſtorie of Dauid is manifeſtlie ſéene: when as Michol the daughter of Saule, 1. Sa. 19, 13.placed a Teraphim in the bed, and feined Dauid to be there laid, whom notwithſtanding ſhe had priuilie ſent awaie. But it had béene no likelie waie for the deuiſing of a lie, vnles Teraphims had béene of humane ſhape. Wherefore it is ſaid by others, that they be images, ſo made by the obſeruation of the ſtars, as they be able to make anſwer, and giuegive out oracles, when they are conſulted withall. Of which opinion, among others, is Aben-Ezra. But againſt this opinion, it ſéemeth that that may be obiected, which is pronounced in the pſalme concerning idols; A mouth they hauehave, Pſal. 115, 7.and ſpeake not. But if ſo be they anſwer; How ſhall this take place? In the verie ſame pſalme the queſtion is anſwered; They ſpeake not in their throte: bicauſe in verie déed men do ſpeake by a naturall power [of life] through an arterie procéeding from the lights. The diuell ſpeaketh in idols.But in theſe kind of images, not the life, but the diuell ſpeaketh. Wherefore the Iewes, otherwiſe ouerwhelmed or drowned in theſe kind of ſuperſtitions, doo ſhew, that the witches did ſacrifice ſome child, whom they knew to be a firſt borne, whoſe head being cut off, they imbalme with ſalt and ſpices, that it may remaine vncorrupt, vnderunder whoſe toong they put a plate of gold, whereon they ſet the name of an vncleane ſpirit, which they inuocate; & ſetting vp lights, they worſhip this miſchéeuous head, and aſke counſell of it, and from thence hauehave anſwers, the diuell moouing the toong thereof.
In Zacharie it is ſaid, Zacha. 10, 2 Teraphim in the ſcriptures taken in ill part. Oſe. 5, 14.that the Teraphims did ſpeake lies. And maruell not that it is written in Oſea, that the people ſéeme to be left without Ephod and Teraphim; as thought it perteined vntounto God, that Teraphim ſhould be worſhipped, euen as the Ephod was. For this is not true: for Teraphim, in the holie ſcriptures, is alwaies taken in the woorſe part. But there the meaning is, that the people of God ſhould be ſcattered and afflicted, ſo as neither they might reteine the true worſhipping of God, neither ſhould they be at leiſure to worſhip idols. Ephod in that place may be referred to good religion, and Teraphim vntounto wicked: neither of which two, thoſe that be in captiuitie and affliction will reteine. But I maruell, how ſome dare be ſo bold to ſaie, that Laban did not worſhip ſuch kind of Teraphim or images; Gen. 31, 30.when as he plainlie ſaith, that they were his gods. I am of the mind, that he worſhipped togither both God and idols. For it is verie likelie, that he had recourſe to the idolatrie of the inhabitants of Meſopotamia; and he reteined ſomewhat of thoſe things, which perhaps his father Nachor taught, as touching the true God. Although that Nachor alſo was an idolater, as it is thought of the Iewes not vnlike to be true: Num. 23, 4.as was Balaam the ſoothſaier, which ſaith, that he was called by Balac out of the verie ſame countrie. But this onelie will I ſaie, as touching idolatrie, and the indeuour about images and idols, whereby things to come might be knowne; that theſe things began of a curioſitie. Curioſitie of knowing things to come, was the cauſe of idolatrie.For when men were ſo immoderatlie carefull to know things to come, they left nothing vnattempted for the compaſſing of the ſame. And then the diuell perceiueth himſelfe moſt eaſilie to be admitted, when we hauehave ſuch feruent deſire of anie thing. Wherefore he both vſeth his cunning, and alſo beſtoweth his labour willinglie, that we may be deluded and drawne from our true and perfect ſaluation. But vntounto Chriſt are we beholding, that theſe things are not now ſo commonlie receiued in the world, as they were before his comming. Although priuatelie they be not altogither taken awaie; yet is there no citie well ordered with lawes, but dooth either puniſh ſeuerelie, or elſe note with infamie, ſuch miſchéeuous arts and ſtudies of inchantment. Let Plutarch and others ſaie what they liſt, as touching the cauſe why oracles ceaſed to be giuen; ſéeing we knowe, that this muſt be aſcribed to our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.