The established form, then, in which, from the beginning, spiritual beings have visibly appeared, was conformable to that assigned to the human race; insomuch that such beings were never otherwise discernible to the human eye. That form was assumed, with man's nature, by the Messiah when he became incarnate; and there is therefore nothing incongruous or inherently improbable in the supposition of his having appeared visibly in the likeness of that form at earlier periods, as the Scriptures clearly teach. It is not more unlikely that in those earlier appearances, on occasions when no Divine effulgence was exhibited, his visible appearance should be like that of angelic messengers, than that theirs should be like that of man, or that his should be so when literally incarnate. And if the Deity has ever appeared visibly to man, it was indubitably to the patriarchs and prophets as the Messiah, under the designations and on the occasions heretofore referred to, and publicly in Judea at the period of his literal incarnation. Consistently with these views, the Scriptures, in speaking of him in the various aspects and relations in which he appeared, employ terms which are appropriate to one with attributes and modes of visible action like those of man; of his head, face, eyes, hands, feet; of his sitting down, rising up, standing, walking, working, resting, hearing, speaking, and the like. As leader and defender of his people, "Jehovah is _a man_ [is like a man] of war, Jehovah is his name." Exod. xv. 3. "And Jehovah _went_ [walked] his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham." Gen. xviii. 33. "Jehovah _looked_ unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud." Exod. xiv. Moses and the elders ascended mount Sinai, "and they saw the Elohe of Israel; and there was under _his feet_ as it were a paved work of sapphire; ... and upon the nobles (Moses and the elders) he laid not his _hand:_ ... they saw _the_ Elohim, and did eat and drink." Exod. xxiv. "And Jehovah _descended_ in the cloud and _stood_ with Moses, and proclaimed the name of Jehovah. And Jehovah _passed_ by _before him_, and proclaimed, Jehovah, El, merciful and gracious. And Moses said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Adonai, let Adonai, I pray thee, _go_ amongst us, and pardon our iniquity and our sin." Exod. xxxiv. "Melach Jehovah _stood_ in the way for an adversary against Balaam.... Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw Melach Jehovah _standing_ in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand." Numb. xxiii. "And Joshua looked, and behold, there _stood_ a _man_ over against him with his sword drawn in his _hand_.... And he said, As captain of the host of Jehovah am I now come.... And the captain of the host of Jehovah _said_ unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot, for the place whereon thou standest is holy." Josh. v. "Melach Jehovah _came_ up from Gilgal [the place where the ark, the ark