Watts - BX5200 .W3 1813 v.6

518 THE GLORY OP CHRIST AS GOD-nfAL according to the christian doctrine. And indeed Trypbo'sopi-; pion seems to have been generally received and approvedamongst the more ancient Jews ;"for Stephen teaches us, it was an " an- gel who appeared to Moses in the bush ;" Acts vii. 30. and yet that God himself spake these words to Moses verses 31, 32, 33. I one the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, &c. compare Exodus iii. 2. with verses 4, 5, 0. Athanasius, oratione quarta contra Ariános. " lie that ap- peared was an angel, but God spoke in hint': Clemens Alex- andrines. " The Son of God who led Moses was an angel, bringing with him the evangelical and principal power of the Word:" A little after he adds, " The Logos or Word was an angel ;" and he calls the Son of God themystical angel. Austin contra Maxim ; libro iii. says, " I ask who appeared to Moses in the fire ? The scripture itself declares it was an angel appear- ed ; but that God was in that angel, who can doubt ?" Gregory., in his preface to Job the secónd, says, " The angel who ap- peared to Moses is sometimes called an angel, and sometimes God ; when he that speaks outwardly is governed byhim that is within, he is called au angel, to signify his obedience, and the Lord to denote the inspiration." And Grotius himself on Gal. iii. 19. confessesthat he who gave the law in Sinai was a singu- lar or special angel, attended by other angels ; yet not a mere angel, but one with whom the Logos was present. Now it is well known, that by the Logos, Grotius Means the divine Word erWisdom. SacT. II.The .1: iculties relating to this Account of the Appearances of God under the Old Testament relieved and adjusted. ObjectionI. Since the true God appeared and resided in the fierybush, in the flame on mount Sinai, in the pillar of cloud and fire that conducted the Israelites, and in the bright light that shone sometimes, at the door of the tabernacle, and then dwelt on the mercy-seat between the cherubims ; the Socinians _ say, Why may not any of these things be called the true God or Je- hovah, as well as the angel to whom God dwelt ? And especially since God spake out of the midst of this cloud or fire, as well as ho spake by the angel, so that all these were representatives; symbols, or tokens of the presence of the true God. And this 'objection of the Socinians may be further enforced, when we con- sider, that when this bright cloud moved, God is said to move.; where this bright cloud dwelt or rested, God is said todwell or rest. God himself i§ said to go before the Israelites in tlx: wil- derness when the cloud went before them. God dwelt in the bush when the fire was there: God is said to dwell between the cherubims; Ps. lxxx. 1. because the bright light was there. God is goneup with a shout; the Lord, that is, Jehovah, with

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