But it is not right for the man who anchors on the hope of the alliance of God to crouch and tremble, to whom God says, "I am the God who was seen by thee in the place of God." (Gen. 31:13)
A very glorious boast for the soul, that God should think fit to appear to and to converse with it. And do not pass by what is here said, but examine it accurately, and see whether there are really two Gods. For it is said: "I am the God who was seen by thee;" not in my place, but in the place of God, as if he meant of some other God. What then ought we to say?
There is one true God only: but they who are called Gods, by an abuse of language, are numerous; on which account the holy scripture on the present occasion indicates that it is the true God that is meant by the use of the article, the expression being, "I am the God (ὁ Θεός);" but when the word is used incorrectly, it is put without the article, the expression being, "He who was seen by thee in the place," not of the God (τοῦ Θεοῦ), but simply "of God" (Θεοῦ);
and what he here calls God is his most ancient word, not having any superstitious regard to the position of the names, but only proposing one end to himself, namely, to give a true account of the matter; for in other passages the sacred historian, when he considered whether there really was any name belonging to the living God, showed that he knew that there was none properly belonging to him (Ex. 6:3); but that whatever appellation any one may give him, will be an abuse of terms; for the living God is not of a nature to be described, but only to be.
And a proof of this may be found in the oracular answer given by God to the person who asked what name he had, "I am that I Am," (Ex. 3:14) that the questioner might know the existence of those things which it was not possible for man to conceive not being connected with God.
Accordingly, to the incorporeal souls which are occupied in his service, it is natural for him to appear as he is, conversing with them as a friend with his friends; but to those souls which are still in the body he must appear in the resemblance of the angels, though without changing his nature (for he is unchangeable), but merely implanting in those who behold him an idea of his having another form, so that they fancy that it is his image, not an imitation of him, but the very archetypal appearance itself.
(transl. C. D. Yonge)