Vnder the -Old Tellament. 'ïovah ; an invention to evade the Appearances of the Sou ofGodman- the OM Tefla- ment, contrary to the fenfeof all Antiquity ; nor is any reafon or instance produced 10 make itgood. TheJews indeed fay, that they were three Angels, becaufe of the threefoldworkthey were employed'in ,- for they fay, no more than one Angel is at anytime fent about the famework: So one of thefe was tó renew the Promife unto Abraham; another to deliver Lot; and the third todeftroy Sodom. But befides that this is a rule of their Own making, and evidently falfe, as may be fen, Gen. 32. v. r, 2. 2 Kings 6.v. 17. foin the ftory its felf, it is manifeft that theywere all employed in the fame work; one aSLord and Prince, the other two as his miniftring fervants. And this is further cleared in that exprefsion of Wit, Chap. i 9. v. 24. The £ard rainedupon Sodom and Gomorrahbrimjtone and fire from the Lord ire Heaven. Targeem. »7 0ipt from before the Lord , ox the face of the Lord. Aben Ezra anfwers, VINO =writ.t -1r1S 0E6, that this is the Elegancy of ehe Tongue, and the fenfe of it is, from himfelf; and this glofs Tome of our late Critickr embrace. And there are inflances colledbed bySolomon Jacobi to confirm this tnfe. Namely, the words'ofLa- mech, Gen. 4. v. 23. Hear my voiceye Wives of Lameclr; not myWives: AndofDavid, z Kings t. V. 33. Take with you the fervants ofyour Lord; not my fervants ; And of Ahafuerue untoMordecai, Either 4. v. S. Write you for the Jews in the Kings name ; not inmy name. But the difference of thefe, from the words under conlderation is wide and evident. In all theft places, thePerfino are introduced fpeaking of themfelves; and defcribe themfelves, either by their Names or Office; fuitably unto the occafion and fubjeât fpoken of. But in this place , it is MO that fpeaketh of the Lord, and hadnooccafion to repeat rniM 110, were it notto intimate the digit* Forfeits unto whom that name denoting the nature and felf-exillence of God was proper; one whereof then appeared on the Earth, the other mauifetling his glorious pretence in Heaven. WhereforeRafhi obferving fomewhat more in this exprefsion; contents not himfelf with his fuppofed ParallelPlaces; but adds, that the rti r1t1, is to be under- flood ; and gives this as a Rule, urti rpm tom in no =TO. 47; everyplace where it is faid, MIMI, and the Lord, He and his Houfe of judgement aré intended; as if God had a Sanhedrin in Heaven ; a fancy which they have invented to avoid the expref- fions which teflifie unto a Plurality ofPerfons in the Deity. There is therefore in this place an Appearanceof Godin anhumane fhape; and that 'ofone diffincl Perjón in the Godhead; who now reprefented himfelf unto Abraham , in the form and ahape wherein he would dwell amongft men, when of his feed he would be made flab. This was one figuall means whereby Abraham faw his day and rejoyced, which him- felf layesupon his Pre-exigenceunto his Incarnation, andnot upon the Promife ofhis coming. John8. v. 56, 58. A SolemnPre/aedium it was untohis taking of flesh, aRe- velation'of his Divine Nature and Perfon, anda pledge of his coming in humane na- ture to converfe with men. Gen. 32. v. 24. And Jacob was left alone; and therewreled a manwith him until the attending of the morning; v. z6. And be laid, let me go, for the day afcendeth ; and hefaid, brill not let thee go except thou bleflme. V. 27. And he faid unto him, what is thy name, and be faidJacob. v.28. And hefaid, thy name (hall be called no more Jacob, but Ifrael ;formaPrince half thou Power withGod andmen, andhaft prevailed. v. 29. And Jacob asked him and faid, Telme I pray thee thy name; and he faid, wherefiire dolt thou ask afterIny name? andhe bleed him there. v. 30. And Jacob called the name of theplace Peniel, for I havefeen God face toface, andmy life is prefirved. This Story is twice re- fledted upon in the Scripture afterwards. Once by Jacob himfelf, Gen. 48. v. 15, ah. And hebleffedJofeph andfaid, God before whom my Fathers Abraham and Ifaac didwalk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, the Angel which redeemed me from all evil bias the Lads. Andonce by the ProphetIkea, Chap. 12. V. 3, 4. By bit ffrength he hadpower with God; yea, he had power over the Angel and prevailed; he wept and made 'Application unto him, he found him in Bethel, and there beBake with us, v. 5. Even the Lord God of Huffs the Lord is his memorial. In the firlt place he is called a man ; there appeareda man, v. 24. In the fecond Jacob calls him anAngel, the Angel that redeemed me ; v: t 6. And inthe third he is exprefly faid tobe God, the LordofHofls, v'355. Jacob was now parsing withhis whole Family into the Land of Canaan to take (enure of it, by venue of the Promife, on the behalf of his Pofterity. At thevery entrance of it, he ismet by his greateft Adverfary, with whom he had afevere con- sett, abòut the Promife and theInheritance its felt. This was his Brother Efate, who coming 4. S.
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