fore observed, these glorious luminaries as one. We shall only subjoin two further observations; first, that the Tetragrammaton, or the ineffable name of God, which was written on the foundation-stone of the temple,* was by many of the rabbins considered as parallel in its signification to the Urim and Thummim; an opinion which we apprehend to be perfectly correct; for as Urim and Thummim signify light and perfection, and, according to the Septuagint translation, manifestation and truth, words which most clearly depict the filial Deity, in whose frail representative's breastplate of judgment, these words long lay concealed with mysterious couplings; no words could more exactly correspond in their signification with the Tetragrammaton, or ineffable name of God, than those of Urim and Thummim with

* Prideaux.

+ "Some will have the Urim and Thummim to be the Tetragrammaton, or the ineffable name of God, which being written, or engraven, say they, in a mysterious manner, and done in two parts and in two different ways, were the things signified by the Urim and Thummim, which Moses is said to have put into the breastplate; and that these did give the oracular power to it; and many of the rabbins go this way.-(R. Solomon, R. Moses Ben Nachman, R. Becai, R. Levi Ben Gersom, aliique.) For they have all a great opinion of the miraculous power of this name. And therefore, not being able to gainsay the evidence which there is for the miracles of Jesus Christ, their usual answer is, (Toledoth Jesu ex editione Wagenselii, pp. 6, 7; Raymundi Pugio Fidei, part ii. c. 8; Buxtorfii Lexicon Rab. p. 2541,) that he stole this name out of the Temple, from the stone of foundation on which it was there written, (that is, the stone on which the ark formerly stood,) and keeping it hid always about him, by virtue of that did all his wondrous works."Prideaux Connection, vol. i. p. 214.

the Father of all lights, the fountain of perfection, the glorious God of truth: and secondly, that the tiara, or mitre, on which was placed the holy name of God, is called by Josephus the triple crown of gold. This magnific emblematic diadem was also worn by our great heavenly Priest's symbolic representative; and, as this threefold crown was worn upon one head, it might, we conceive, be designed as descriptive of the Trinity in unity.

There is one insurmountable impediment to our ever, in this world, fully comprehending this sublime, and to us mysterious subject. We here see only through a glass darkly: in our present state, we cannot by searching find out the nature of the Almighty God, and the manner of his existence unto perfection, entirely unacquainted as we here are with the nature of spiritual existence. "We can here know nothing of the intimate nature of spirits, the manner of their acting, or what it is that constitutes their essence; all that we can say is, what our Saviour says to his disciples, that a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have; spirits may possess many powers and properties of which we cannot now form any conception: there are a number of things in nature, which we cannot distinctly perceive by any of our senses, but for the existence of which we have the most positive evidence. We cannot see the air with which we are constantly surrounded, and in which we live, move, and have our beings; and even when it rises to the most dreadful tempest, rooting up trees, overturning houses and the

most solid buildings-by which element we are every day acted upon in a lesser or greater degree, yet we can neither see nor touch this most powerful fluid: men can even collect the air, they can displace it, they can reduce its quantity, they can weigh it, but still they are insensible to its presence, but from its effects."*

But as we are assured by the book of God, that the "invisible things of God, from the creation of the world, may be clearly seen and understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead," (Rom. i. 20,) we shall again in all humility, endeavour from the book of nature, to illustrate by those things which we do see and do understand, that those things may be, which in this world we do not see, and cannot understand. We may easily conceive a fountain, and a sun, to concentrate in themselves three distinct principles of life and action. From a fountain possessing the most rare and inestimable properties, may proceed another fountain, equally endued with the same inestimable properties as is the parent source; (" for as the Father has life in himself, so also hath He given unto his Son to have life in himself.") From the overflowing fulness of both these fountains, streams may proceed, gifted with the same perfections as the joint sources from whence they do proceed; and which may immediately unite together in one. We may further conceive a perpetual influx

and reflux to exist between these several fountains; and that though each distinctly possesses

* Watson.

the same vital principles and powers, yet being thus conjoined, and all involved in one element, that these three are virtually one. We may also conceive, that should the secondary fountain flow forth unto a distance from its primeval source, and become enshrined in a crystalline or any other material substance, that still the communication betwixt it and its great origin, may be continually preserved by an outstretched stream from out the parent source; and the same influx and reflux be maintained as when they were in close approximation. Furthermore, the third fountain may likewise flow forth to a far distant country, and the communication with its origin also remain unbroken, though it divide and subdivide so as to reach the wants, and administer unto the necessities of its various inhabitants.

That glorious ocean of fire, the sun, may in like manner communicate and concentrate in itself three distinct vital principles; and though these may diverge to the most immense distances from their resplendent origin, yet from common ocular demonstration, we perceive that sunbeams maintain their union with their parent source.

But there is a portion of Scripture, presenting to the eye of the mind a picture far, far transcending in magnificence, beauty, and aptness of representation any delineation which the human mind could possibly suggest, (should we conjecture right as to its just interpretation,) which we conceive to be most apposite to the object now in view, namely, the illustration of things heavenly and divine, bringing them down to our ideas by

For Nachitat. 3. Sec. 3. Len Ben ( e are alan of the air. ini destry, not being able to g whet des sur de miracles of Jesus Chris. Tselect Jest ex edice Wagen Fyrmand Pige Fuel, part & c. 8; Buxtorfi. xt', dat ze she is zame out of the Ten. stre à cuidizer or which it was there written, ( StuG Z WhệÌ we ack formerly stood, and keering was about him, by virtue of that did all his wo Hoenni Curarum, vol à p. 214