ons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were

they took them wives of all which they chose."

"

ring of this union are giants, mighty men, wn." * These notions correspond with the age ey belong. We find similar traditions among and Romans. Their gods had sons by the f men, and these sons were giants and heroes. ile God carries on his government by means of tercourse with his creatures; subsequently, the ■d is introduced as the minister of his providence, ssenger to man.

el of God comforts Hagar, and speaks to her

God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God
Hagar out of heaven," &c.-Gen. xxi. 17.

ho is a timid man, is continually seeing angels; antly accompany him on his way. The angels et him as he parts from Laban.

b went on his way, and the angels of God met him. en Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host.' xii. 1, 2.

likewise appear in dreams. "The angel of God 「acob in a dream" respecting Laban's flocks; yet ly he is represented as saying of himself

everlasting covenant petween rou f all flesh that is upon the earth. This is the token of the covenant, etween me and all flesh that is upon

.

ry spring and autumn periodical sion during many weeks, the rainThe welcome presage of the return me alarming inundation which deainbow probably showed itself in d with inexpressible delight, since -e the almost abandoned hope, that ous and send the bright sunshine ay succeeding years, perhaps ages, ould not fail to recall this fearful e would be regarded as a sign that -ly over, and the recurrence of a ehended. This circumstance may the history of God's covenant with

rlasting covenant with Abraham, o him and to his seed after him. This is the visible sign that he, on God. The covenant is renewed

d; walk before me, and be thou perI covenant between me and thee, and ngly. And Abram fell on his face: saying, As for me, Behold, my coveI shalt be a father of many nations.

his so gious in ca of th

altar

thoug

slaug in tes

cause

tiate his p

ilds an altar, on which he proposed to sacrifice cob erects altars to his God.* The whole relip of the ancient world consisted in sacrifices and -on the God at the time of offering. The father ehold was the sacrificer or priest: he built an or stones on the spot where he happened to be, -ove, if near, was preferred. On this altar he and sacrificed the choicest of his cattle, partly y of his homage and gratitude, but chiefly beped by means of gifts and adulation to propid, to ingratiate himself with him, and to secure

found in Exodus, Leviticus, and consideration of the book of Deuction.

ECTION I.

-eviticus-Numbers. Entations of God.

s God is described as the nationald only twice it is said that this or of heaven and earth;* and even 1 as such, only with a view of ene Sabbath. He is the God whom acob worshipped; the God who e forefathers of the Israelites; the he God of their descendants; the

d, I am the God of thy father, the of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."

achangeable God. When Pharaoh ■?" Moses answers "The God of

no is Jehovah, that I should obey his I know not Jehovah, neither will I said, The God of the Hebrews hath

. xx. 11, xxxi. 17.

The

It is n but

lan

oth

Jeho

he has

like

Wh Jethro

the

Ex

How the Isr

any ot of the peculia the mo order i first wo a natio tiplied

Tha

dent,

stone

ice of other gods besides Jehovah is not denied. "There is but one God, Jehovah is his name,"

ehovah thy God, which have brought thee out of the 'pt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no before me."-Exod. xx. 1, 2.

greater and more powerful than all other gods: ual.

s like unto thee, Jehovah, among the gods? Who is hee?"-Exod. xv. 11.

ses relates the wonderful works of Jehovah to

es' father-in-law, Jethro says

know that Jehovah is greater than all gods: for in wherein they dealt proudly, he was above them all."ii. 11.

possible that, from such representations of God, 3, Pharaoh, or the Egyptians, could have formed otion of him than that he was the national-God rews? At that time every nation had its own 1; and each nation believed its own god to be werful among the gods. It is in the natural ch ideas are developed, that the god who was oped as a family-God should now be regarded as God, when the descendants of the family had mulDecome a great nation.

God was supposed to have a human form is evie writes the ten commandments on two tables of ais own finger.