Chap. I       eſſential to the Chriſtian Religion.      301

Conſequently, the very ſame who gave the
law to Iſrael, with ſuch ſolemnity, majeſty,
and glory.

He, then, who manifeſts himſelf to Mo-
ſes, is according to our hypotheſis; The
Angel of the Lord ; the Meſſenger of the co-
venant; the Eternal Wiſdom ; the Son of
God; JEHOVAH ; God hleſſed ſor ever : but
ſo ſoon as you quit this hypotheſis, you run
into the moſt glaring and impious abſur-
dities.— That he who reveals himſelf to Mo-
ſeſs, is the Angel of the Lord, we ought not
to queſtion, we cannot doubt; becauſe it is
expreſsly declared in the ſacred text. Nor
can any figure be here ſuppoſed. For, ad-
mitting that an angel of God might, by a
figure, be called God; yet we are certain
that God the Father cannot, by any figure,
be called the angel of the Lord.

Here, conſequently, according to our op-
poſers, we find a creature inveſting himſelf
with the names and the attributes, the works
and the glory, of the infinite Creator; ſo ap-
propriating them to himſelf, that it is im-
poſſible to diſtinguiſh him from the true
God. For he who appeared to Moſes, re-
peatedly calls himſelf GOD, and JEHOVAH.
He, once and again, denominates himſelf,
the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, and
the God of Jacob: and, in ſo doing, aſſumes
the ſeveral names which the Hebrews com-
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