VI. correspondence between man and woman, he receiv- CHAP. ed the attribute of man. 15. And as no higher order of woman existed than natural, he could be known only as a natural man ; but as a spiritual man and one standing alone in the beginning of a new and spiritual creation, he could not be revealed or known, in reality, without a spiritual woman, any more than the first natural man could in reality have been declared as such, when God created male and female, two in one, and called their name Adam, in the day when he created them. 16. As the natural woman could not exist but from her correspondent union and relation to the first man; so neither could a spiritual woman exist but in a correspondent union and relation to a spiritual man ; and each must receive the distinguishing attribute of man or woman from its relation to the other. 17. Then as the natural woman was separated from the man, and placed in her distinct order before the glory and perfection of the man or the woman could be displayed; so it was necessary in the work of redemption, that woman should be taken out of man, and placed in her corresponding order, before the perfection and glory of the new creation could appear. 18. The man Christ Jesus, through the medium of a woman, took upon him, not the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, the nature of human de pravity, with which he entered the world, and in all things was made like unto his brethren; yet he was, in every sense, taken out of, separated from, and placed above every correspondent attachment to all that was carnal in woman, which came by the fall, 19. And by the energy of that eternal Word, which he received from his Father, he overcame the spirit and power of human depravity, and was sanctified and set apart in the work of redemption, as the first born in the new creation. And by that Word which liveth and abideth forever, he was constituted the second Adam, an high priest forever over the household of God, after the order of Melchisedec, without beginning of days, or end of life. 20. And all who came into him, that is, not into the natural body of Christ Jesus, but into his divine CHAP. VI. nature, were in him, and by him, through the energy of that same eternal Word, taken out of their correspondent relation to the depravity of the fall, and constituted the spiritual body of the second Adam, comprehending male and female, as the body of Christ. And this was the work of Christ in his first Eph. ii. appearing, to make in himself, of twain, (i. e. of man and woman) one new man; so making peace. 15. 2 Thess. 21. Then the Church, which was the body of Christ in his first appearing, did constitute one new man, consisting of man and woman; but that body alone could not increase and multiply, after the order of the new covenant, (any more than the body of the first male and female, while in the state in which God first created them when he called their name Adam,) until the spiritual woman was taken out of the spiritual man, and placed in her own proper order and correspondent relation to her spiritual head. 22. This was the grand reason why the apostle, speaking of Christ's second appearing, and of the Church's increase in that day, says, That day shall nos come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, even the mystery of iniquity. Hence it follows beyond all contradiction, that the work of redemption was not yet complete. 23. Therefore the work of God, in the first Mother of the new creation, was to reveal the mystery of iniquity where it first entered, and to separate the woman from her correspondent relation in the flesh, after the order of the old covenant, and to place her in her proper order as a spiritual woman, according to the new covenant, in a correspondent relation to the first spiritual man. 24. As it was by the revelation of Christ, and the energy of that same eternal Word which liveth and abideth forever, that the woman was taken out of, and separated from her correspondent relation to the fallen state of man, and made spiritual woman; so in her, and by her, the glory and perfection of the spiritual man Christ Jesus was revealed. 25. It was only by the spiritual man Christ Jesus, and her corresponding relation to him, that she could receive the attribute of spiritual woman. And it is VL only from the certain existence of sons and daughters, CHAP. or spiritual children, that those who begat and brought them forth, can receive the attributes of father and mother, or spiritual parents. So that if the son has a corresponding relation in the new creation, so likewise has the daughter. 26. It is not to be understood in the spiritual work of God, that one natural body, either of man or woman, is either taken out of, or joined to another: but as man and woman are terms used to express the joint body and relation in the natural creation of man ; so they are used in regard to the spiritual work of God. 27. To this spiritual relation the apostle refers, and brings the natural as a figure of the spiritual, when he says, For this cause shall a man leave his father Eph. and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they 31,32 two shall be one flesh. And therefore, as the very essence of male implies also the female, the same applies to the woman, to leave mother and father, and be joined to her corresponding relation in the same spiritual work. 28. This, saith the apostle, is a great mystery: but I speak in Christ and in the Church. To the same thing he refers, when he says, He that is joined to 1 Cor. vi the Lord is one Spirit. And from such a union and 17. correspondence, arises the substance of all those spiritual attributes in the new creation, or work of redemption, such as the bridegroom-the bride the Lamb's wife-brethren and sisters, and the sons and daughters of God. 29. Hence the apostle, speaking of the final separation between Christ and Belial, light and darkness, the believer and the infidel, saith, Wherefore, come 2 Cor. vi. = out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the 17,19. Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 30. Then if the Church, which is called out, and separated from the unclean, is composed of sons and daughters, they must needs have both a father and mother, and these must be the first foundation pillars, and joint parentage of the Church. CHAP. VIL. 31. Therefore, as there was a natural Adam and Eve, who were the first foundation pillars of the world, and the first joint parentage of the human race; so there is also a spiritual Adam and Eve, who are the first foundation pillars of the Church, and the first joint parentage of all the children of redemption. And as the world, truly and properly, proceeds from Father and Mother, in the line of genera tion; so the Church, truly and properly, proceeds from Father and Mother in the line of regeneration. CHAPTER VII. Types and Prophecies fulfilled in the Two Foundation THE Pillars. HE work of Redemption, being spiritual, could not be ushered in with such ocular evidence to the natural man, as accompanies the changes in the things of nature; neither was man formed to be influenced solely by such kind of evidence. 2. But as man is a natural creature, endowed with a spirit and rational faculties, therefore the spiritual work of God must be exhibited in a spiritual light; and although the natural eyes may often be the medium through which the truth of natural things is conveyed to the mind, yet it must be the mind, and not the natural eyes, that receives the conviction of its truth and reality. 3. And as the new creation was to have respect to the soul or spirit of man, it is only by the spirit that the work itself can be discovered in its true nature; and therefore the evidence by which it is discovered, is addressed to the mind, and not to the bodily senses. 4. A Saviour was born for souls that were lost in their sins, and only such as were absolutely saved, could know or rightly name him and unto such as were waiting for redemption in the latter day, Christ was to appear the second time without sin, and none VII. but such could possibly know him, or give him his CHAP. true and just titles. 5. And nothing could possibly recommend him to the mind of man, with greater evidence, than his first giving them types, figures, prophecies, and visions, of his future appearance, and then coming in such a manner as expressly to fulfil them, and to render any other fulfilment of them absolutely impossible this we certify has been the case. 6. And when those types and prophecies are stated, with their true accomplishment, the matter may be at once decided, that such as do not acknowledge Christ in his second appearing, must either deny the truth of the scriptures, or they are not looking for redemption, but are in pursuit of some other object that has blinded their understanding. 7. We have already shown the similitude between the first and second Adam, in a number of particulars, which prove that the second Adam could not be the antitype of the first, short of being both male and female in a spiritual sense. 8. And as the apostle expressly affirms that the first Adam is the figure of him who was to come, it Rom. v. cannot be denied, that he who was to come, should be 14. male and female, unless it be denied that he who was the figure, was male and female in the day that he was created. 9. The same remark will apply to every other person, who was chosen as a type of Christ. So that the woman must appear in Christ, in her proper order and lot; unless the utmost violence is used in distort. ing the natural similitude, and forcing her out of her proper place there, and consequently from her just and equal correspondent union and relation in the work of redemption. 10. Volumes might be written on this subject, were it necessary to trace out the correspondence between the shadow and the substance in every particular. However, this present work will not admit of enlarging; and such as are in any measure acquainted with the scriptures, and really desire the truth, will be able to make the application, from the slightest compar |