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CHAP. the plan the building of a meaner city, preparatory I. to that which he intended for glory and duration, and in which he intended to live and abide; would not every person of common sense grant, that the last could only be first in point of dignity and glory, and not in the order of time?

Luke i.

31 & 35.

45. The purpose of God is eternal, and equally includes the existence of all his works, to be created, and to exist in their own order of times; therefore no one thing can be considered as prior to another, in that eternal purpose, otherwise than as it respects the times of their actual existence, and the dignity of their order.

46. As one thing must exist before another, in regard to time; so in this respect, the first man Adam was first, as to actual existence; and the first born Son of God, was preferred before him in the purpose of God, respecting man's redemption; but was not first as to actual existence, any more than the whole human race existed on the earth before God said, "Let us make man in our image."

47. When David spake by the Spirit, saying, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee; many ages had to pass away before this prophecy could be fulfilled. But when the fuiness of time was come, for the Son to be begotten, conceived, and brought forth into the world, then the manner of his conception and birth, his name and office, were particularly declared by the angel Gabriel, unto Mary, a virgin espoused to Joseph.

48. "Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest.-The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee."

49. Here then, were the first operations of that Word, by which the first begotten Son of God entered the world. And as he was the second Adam, therefore he was not before the first Adam. And as he was the beginning of the creation of God, which is the New creation; therefore he was not in existence before the beginning of the Old creation.

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CHAPTER II.

The Subject continued.

II.

HERE is a natural body, and there is a spir- CHAP. itual body :" and as there is a natural birth to the natural body, so there is a spiritual birth to the spiritual body, which is produced by the work of regeneration, and is called the new birth, or being born again. Hence it is written, The first man Adam was 1 Cor. xv made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quick- 45,46,47. ening spirit. Howbeit, that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

2. The living soul of the first man was a spiritual body, and occupied the natural body of the first Adam, and constituted the first natural man. The quickening spirit of the second man was the Lord from heaven, and occupied the spiritual body of the second Adam, and constituted the first spiritual man, the true Christ the Son of God.

3. That natural body or tabernacle, in which the Lord Jesus dwelt, was visible to the human eye, like the natural bodies of other men; but his spiritual body, in which was Christ the Lord, was invisible, and was seen and known only by revelation to those who received his Word; and no man could call him Lord but by the Holy Ghost.

4. How greatly, then, are they mistaken, who suppose that the virgin Mary was the true and real Mother of the Son of God. With as much propriety it might be said, that the dust of the ground was the true and real Mother of the first living soul.

5. It is true, a body was formed of the dust of the ground, into which the Lord God breathed the breath of life; but the ground could be no more than the Mother of that body in which the living soul was formed for the natural dust of the ground had nothing to do in conceiving the living soul.

6. And although there was a natural body taken out of the virgin Mary, in which the true spiritual body of the Lord Jesus was formed, it could consti

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II.

CHAP. tute no higher relation between Mary and the second Adam, the quickening spirit, than was between the dust of the ground and the first living soul.

7. Such as have considered Mary as the real Mother of Christ, by falling into that mistake, have equally mistaken every thing else concerning Christ. They have admitted that Mary was a fallen creature, possessed of the same corrupt nature with other women. And thus they have supposed that Christ was the offspring of a holy God and a sinful woman, possessed of the nature of both, God and man, in two distinct natures, having both the nature of his Father and Mother, "united in one person, and that without any change, mixture or confusion."

8. From this notion has arisen the inconsistent and absurd doctrine, that good and evil are united in the children of God; that "the corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated." And consequently the first followers of Christ were at least half-blooded sinners, and degenerated, from age to age, on the Mother's side, until they could scarcely tell whether they had any thing of God in them or not-Daily transgressors, never able to keep the commandments of God during the term of life; when the pointed truth is, that, Whoso?John iii. ever sinneth hath neither seen Christ, nor known him.

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9. It is evident, that in Christ Jesus was no sin, that he did no evil, neither was guile found in his mouth; therefore it follows, that he derived no part of his substance from a sinful woman, any more than the substance of the human soul is derived from the dust of the ground. That which he took upon him through the medium of a woman, he never owned as any part of his divine substance, but crucified it unto the death.

10. And as he was manifested to be the full and perfect Son of God, by the Spirit and fruits of holiHess; therefore the above opinion is founded upon a misunderstanding of his true lineage, which was not partly divine and partly human, but fully and perfectly divine in both parts of his parentage. But as the Son came to reveal the Father only, therefore the mistake could never be rectified till the Mother was revealed by the Daughter.

11. Whatever may have been said by the disciples CHAP. of Christ, or others, concerning his genealogy, his II. own testimony deserves the highest credit; for he never pretended to contradict any thing he said, or to intimate that he was in the least mistaken; and he expressly says to such as judged after the flesh, Ye

know not whence I am.

12. The Evangelists and others wrote according to the best of their knowledge; and hence there is such a diversity in their writings at different periods. For seeing that Christ was to come of the seed and lineage of David, and knowing for certain that he had come; therefore they gave his genealogy in that line, through Joseph and Mary, as his supposed parents; when at the same time, they all agree that Joseph was not his real Father.

13. In accommodation to the blind prejudices of the Jewish nation, the apostles showed that Christ came of Joseph and Mary, according to the flesh : but at the same time, they prove that he did not come after the flesh at all. Though we have known Christ 2 Cor. v. after the flesh, (saith Paul,) yet now henceforth know we him no more.

16.

14. The common people made no distinction; they say, Is not this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? But Jesus who knew all things from the beginning, says, Ye judge after the flesh- John vi. Ye are from beneath I am from above.—I proceeded 42. and and came forth from God. The Evangelists, who 23, 42. wrote to the common people, speak of Joseph and Mary as his supposed parents-"Being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph."

viii. 15,

15. "Now his parents went to Jerusalem every Luke i year to the passover." But when they found him in 48, 49. the temple, with the doctors, hearing and asking them questions, "His mother said unto him, Sonthy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." But Jesus gave them to understand that Joseph was no more than his supposed father. "Wist ye not, (said Doddr. he) that I must be at my Father's?"*

16. He also gave Mary to understand, that she was no more than his supposed Mother. When she stood without desiring to speak with him, he said

in loc.

II.

CHAP. "Who is my Mother? And who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother, and my brethren! For Matt, x. whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."

46-50.

John ii. 4

John xiv.

26.

Luke i. 35.

17. Again, at the marriage in Cana, he called her not Mother, but said, Woman, what have I to do with thee? From all which it may be plain and evident, to those who would judge righteous judgment, that Mary was no more the real Mother of the Son of God, than Joseph was his Father.

18. As it was by the Holy Ghost, that all things were brought to the remembrance of the apostles that Jesus had taught them; so by the Holy Ghost they gave a true account of his Mother, as well as of his Father, according to what was spoken by the angel, both to Joseph and Mary.

19. First, it was said to Mary, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee."-Again, the angel said unto Matt.i.20 Joseph, "That which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost."

20. Here then are two, distinctly spoken of by the angel, exclusive of Mary; not two persons, but two incomprehensibles, which in their very essence imply the whole order of the Divine Majesty, namely, The Highest, and The Holy Ghost.

21. The Word which the angel delivered unto Mary, was the mutual power and influence of the incomprehensible and everlasting two, which Mary received by faith, saying, Be it unto me according to thy word. This was the Word of God from everlasting, by which all things were created that ever were created.

22. As every thing begets and conceives its like, in the true order of things, and as that which was conceived in Mary was not of Mary, but was of the Holy Ghost; so it is truly and properly stated, according to the original text, "Therefore also that Holy, having come forth out of thee, shall be called The Son of God."

23. And as the conception of the Son of God was

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