120 4ppeardnces of the Son of god will find an Angel before thee , and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite which is.the Promife; and theAngel,ofChap. 23. y. 23, But faith he, v. 3. I will not go up in the middeil of thee; which hehad promifed todo in and by the Angel ofv.2o,21. in whomhis name was. This the people efteemed 'evil tidings, and mourned beca ife of it, y. 4. Now God had not promifed to go in the micldeff of themany otherwilè than by the Angel mentioned ; which both Mofes and the People were abundantly fa- tisfiédwithal]. But whereashe here renews his Promifeof the Minittry andAflittance of the Angel ofv. 23.,yet he denies them his own prefence, in the Angel of v, 2o. For which Mofes reneweth his requeft, v. 13. whereunto God replies, My pretence fhàU go with thee, v. 14. concerning which Pretence or Face of God, or which Angel of his Prefence, we mull a little more particularlyenquire. Sc. 17, Firlt, It is faid to the People concerning him 1V97 7n_w`f ; beware of him, or ra- ther take heed to thy felf before him ; before his Face, in his Prefence, v. z 1. 1rta m Niphal, is fibi can it ; cave till. And this is the caution that is ufually given the People, requiring that Reverence, and awe, which is due unto the Holinefs of the Prefence of God. 2. 1 tj VrW1 ; and obey his voice. This is the great Precept which is lelemuly given and fo often reiterated in the Law with reference unto God himfelt: 3. 11 10.11-5r1 provoke him not ; or rebell not againft him. This is the ufual word' whereby Godexpreffeth the Tranfgrellion of his Covenant ; a rebellion that can be committed againft God alone. 4. Of thefe Precept's a twofold Reafon is given, whereof the br(t is taken from the Soveraign Authority of this Angel ; fir he willnot pardon your tranfgreffions ; that is asJofhtia afterwards tells the fame people , he is an :holyGod, he is ajcalous God, he will not forgive your trangreons, nor yourfni; Jof ea Chap. 24. V. i 9. Namely fins of rebellion that break and difannul his Covenant. And who can forgive fins but God. To fuppofe here a created Angel, is to open a door untoldolatry ; for he in whofe power it is abfolutely to pardon and punifh fin, may Certainly be worfhipped with Religious Adoration. The fecond Reafon is taken from hisName ; for my Name is in him. Amore excellent Name, than any of the An- gels doenjóy. Heb.1.v,4. He is God, Jebovah,.that ishisName, and his natureau- fwereth thereunto. Hence y. za. it is added, if indeed thou obey. his voice, and do all that I Peak His voice is the voice of:God ; in his fpeaking doth God fpeak v and upon the Peoples obedience thereunto, depends the accomplifhment of the Promife. Moreover, Chap. 33. v. i4, 15. God fayes concerning this Angel, 1163 my Prefenee, my Face (hall gowith thee ; which Prefence Moles callshisGlory, v. 18. his effential Glory, which was manifefted unto him,,Chap, 34. e. 6. though but obfcurely in comparifon of what it was unto them, who in his humanenature, wherein dwelt thefuln,ßof the Godhead - bodily, Col. 2. v. 9. beheld hisGlory, the Gloryas Of the only begotten of theFather, John a. v. 14. For this Faceof God is he, whom who fo feeth, hefeeth the Father, John 14. v. a9. becaufe he is the Brightnefs of his Glory, and the exprefs image of his Perfon, bf,b. 1.v.3. who accompanied the people in the Wilderrrefs, 1 Cor. 10. 1. 4.. and whofe Merciful' Good Pleafure towards them Mòfes prayed for Deut: 33. 16. that is the Father ofLights from whom defcendetb every good andperfiet Gift, James 1. y. 17. Thelè things evidently exprefs God and noneother ; and yethe is faid tobe an Angel fent of God inhis Name and unto hisWork ; Sò that he can kg, no other but a certain Perfon of the Deity, who accepted of this Delegation, and was therein'revealed unto the Church, as he who was to take upon him the feed of Abraham, and to be their eternal Redeemer. ß. 18. Jolh. 5, v. 13,, r4, 15. And it came to paß whip Jofhua was by Jericho, that he lift up his eyes and looked, and behold there flood a man over againff him, with his Jinord drawn in his hand, and Jolhuah went unto him,and field unto him, art thou for us, or for our adverfaries? and hefaidNay; but as Prince of the Hoff of the Lord am blow come. Arid Jofhuah fell on his face to the earth and didwarfl ip, and faid unto him, whatfaith my Lordunto bis frvant. And the Prince of the Lords Hoff faid unto Jofhuah loaf thy fhooe fromof thy foot, for the placewhereon thouflandeff is holy. The appearance here is of a Man, v. 13. Amanof War, as God is called, Exod. I q. v. 3. armed withhis [word drawn in his hand, as a tokenof the bufinefs he came about. At firft fight Jofhuah apprehends him to be a Man only, whichocccalioned his enquiry , art thou for us or, fir our adverfaries ; which difcovers his courage and undaunted magnanimity, for doubtlefs the appearance was auguff and glorious. But he anfwers unto his whole queftion, H7, I am not ; that is a man. either of your party, or ofthe enemies , but quite anotherPerfon ri1 P- ti1Y-iiw, thePrince of the Hoff of theLord. And this was another 1L
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