38Maimonidesandothersdoindeedmaintainthattheseandeveryotherinstanceofangelicapparitionse。g。toManoahandtoAbrahamofferingupIsaacoccurredduringsleep，forthatnoonewithhiseyesopenevercouldseeanangel，butthisismerenonsense。39ThesoleobjectofsuchcommentatorsseemstobetoextortfromScriptureconfirmationsofAristotelianquibblesandtheirowninventions，aproceedingwhichIregardastheacmeofabsurdity。
40Infigures，notrealbutexistingonlyintheprophet\'simagination，GodrevealedtoJosephhisfuturelordship，andinwordsandfiguresHerevealedtoJoshuathatHewouldfightfortheHebrews，causingtoappearanangel，asitweretheCaptainoftheLord\'shost，bearingasword，andbythismeanscommunicatingverbally。41TheforsakingofIsraelbyProvidencewasportrayedtoIsaiahbyavisionoftheLord，thethriceHoly，sittingonaveryloftythrone，andtheHebrews，stainedwiththemireoftheirsins，sunkasitwereinuncleanness，andthusasfaraspossibledistantfromGod。42Thewretchednessofthepeopleatthetimewasthusrevealed，whilefuturecalamitieswereforetoldinwords。IcouldcitefromHolyWritmanysimilarexamples，butIthinktheyaresufficientlywellknownalready。
43However，wegetastillmoreclearconfirmationofourpositioninNumxii:6，7，asfollows:\"Iftherebeanyprophetamongyou，ItheLordwillmakemyselfknownuntohiminavision\"i。e。byappearancesandsigns，forGodsaysoftheprophecyofMosesthatitwasavisionwithoutsigns，\"andwillspeakuntohiminadream\"i。e。notwithactualwordsandanactualvoice。44\"MyservantMosesisnotso；withhimwillIspeakmouthtomouth，evenapparently，andnotindarkspeeches，andthesimilitudeoftheLordheshallbehold，\"i。e。lookingonmeasafriendandnotafraid，hespeakswithmecf。Exxxxiii:17。
45Thismakesitindisputablethattheotherprophetsdidnotheararealvoice，andwegatherasmuchfromDeut。xxiv:10:\"AndtherearosenotaprophetsinceinIsraellikeuntoMoseswhomtheLordknewfacetoface，\"
whichmustmeanthattheLordspokewithnoneother；fornotevenMosessawtheLord\'sface。46ThesearetheonlymediaofcommunicationbetweenGodandmanwhichIfindmentionedinScripture，andthereforetheonlyoneswhichmaybesupposedorinvented。47WemaybeablequitetocomprehendthatGodcancommunicateimmediatelywithman，forwithouttheinterventionofbodilymeansHecommunicatestoourmindsHisessence；still，amanwhocanbypureintuitioncomprehendideaswhichareneithercontainedinnordeduciblefromthefoundationsofournaturalknowledge，mustnecessarilypossessamindfarsuperiortothoseofhisfellowmen，nordoIbelievethatanyhavebeensoendowedsaveChrist。48ToHimtheordinancesofGodleadingmentosalvationwererevealeddirectlywithoutwordsorvisions，sothatGodmanifestedHimselftotheApostlesthroughthemindofChristasHeformerlydidtoMosesthroughthesupernaturalvoice。49InthissensethevoiceofChrist，likethevoicewhichMosesheard，maybecalledthevoiceofGod，anditmaybesaidthatthewisdomofGod，i。e。wisdommorethanhumantookuponitselfinChristhumannature，andthatChristwasthewayofsalvation。50ImustatthisjuncturedeclarethatthosedoctrineswhichcertainchurchesputforwardconcerningChrist，Ineitheraffirmnordeny，forIfreelyconfessthatIdonotunderstandthem。51WhatIhavejuststatedIgatherfromScripture，whereIneverreadthatGodappearedtoChrist，orspoketoChrist，butthatGodwasrevealedtotheApostlesthroughChrist；thatChristwastheWayofLife，andthattheoldlawwasgiventhroughanangel，andnotimmediatelybyGod；whenceitfollowsthatifMosesspokewithGodfacetofaceasamanspeakswithhisfriendi。e。