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Eve

223

57 Rote

ated them. So when Jesus Christ made Adam, he made him in his own image, male and female, undistinguished, but one body, till distinguished into distinct persons, but yet one body and one

flesh.

So when Eve was taken out of Adam, he did not take her out of relation to his body, but only made distinct persons, distinguished by sexes;

and

another prop equally powerful; popular prejudices

mouth! will mouth its propriety.

But let it be remem

bered, that its antiquity is no proof of its scriptural authority, neither is its popularity any proof of its consistency with the immoveable ivity. fixity of the Divine plan of operations. Most. assuredly God had a design in this, and a design perfectly in unison with the exaltation of Christ, to his mediatorial office: for, be it known, that in the mind, in the word, and in the works of no schism God, there can be no schism. It is written, and prefiis that by the finger of God, that Jesus was exalted

to be a Prince, in the management of the complicated concerns of every system, particularly of those that bear any affinity with men; who alone, amidst all the systems that have been formed, are called his portion; as if all other things and beings were no more than the necessary appendages of his church: united with his princely dignity, is his saving power, and a Saviour, &c.

&c.

and their communion is a communion of persons and sexes, but yet but one body, and but one

flesh, by conjugal covenant. So Jesus Christ, Conjugal

when the members of his body were distinguished, being set up in Adam, it did not separate them from his body, nor from his flesh, but in order to have communion with them by another

Coven't

way.

Secondly.

&c. In consequence of this lifting up, " his goings forth were of old, from everlasting." These words apply to him, and him only; and, to set the matter beyond the power of doubtful disputation, the very place of his birth is specified: and thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thon art least amongst the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth, who shall be a ruler in Israel. Micah, v. 2. If God therefore gave Adam a law, with a design that Adam should obey that law, and in consequence of its obedience, secure the happiness of that state in which ve.earthy? の

he was created. God must enjoy a pleasure in the prosperity of Adam, and rejoice in his happiness. Adam did not obey, though God designed he should, according to the above reply. Adam did not obey, though God delighted in his obedience. Adam did not obey though God expected it; for whatever God designs, he expects the accomplishment; and if God delighted in the pros

D2

perous

Secondly. In that the man is not of the woman, but the woman is of the man. I Cor. xi. 7,8,9. And if the woman be the glory of the man, then if Jesus Christ had not had the matter of woman considered, and set up in him ever since he was Jesus Christ, he had been short of Adam's glory, for Adam was created with his glory or image in him, which was his wife. I Cor. xi. 7.

Thirdly.

perous happiness of Adam, arising from his obedience, and expected that obedience to the given law, he must have been disappointed in the one, and deprived of the other. Attendant upon disappointment is misery, and misery commensurate with the nature of the disappointment; the disappointment arising from the above considerations must be an infinite one, (I really shudder in following this fellonious sentiment to that gibbet it richly deserves) being the disappointment 125. of a God, consequently attendant with infinite misery; and if thus infinitely miserable, he is rendered incapable of constituting others happy; for how can he communicate that to others, of which he himself is deprived: and, if disappointed once, he may continue to meet with disappointments, through an endless succession of eternal ages. The thought is blasphemous; blasphemous as it is, it is the necessary consequence

of

Thirdly. Had not Jesus Christ been the whole body, as Adam was, the Church could not have been so nigh to Christ as Eve was to Adam.

Fourthly. Had not the Church been as near to Christ when she was created, as Eve was to Adam, when she was taken out of him, she was short of the glory of Eve, for Eve had a head already in covenant for her, that had he stood, she could

of the above blasphemous reply. Let the reply, with its infernal cargo of horrid consequences, be hissed with abhorrence round the world. "We " have a surer word of prophecy whereunto we " do dwell to take heed, as unto a light shining " in a dark place." This divine testimony yields an impenetrable covert, to screen us from every blast of error. Here we find, that amidst all the fluctuating state of human affairs, the affairs of God, are undisturbed. I am the Lord, I change not, is his memorial still. Prov. xix. 21. Suppose we contrast the reply with the knowa attributes of God? Did God, before the fall, view the apparently calamitous event? Yes, this can, not be denied, " for he seeth the end from the beginning." Did he possess power to prevent it? Yes, for he is the Lord of Sabaoth, being the original source, from whence all power proceeded. He must, of necessity of nature, possess that attribute in an infinitely higher sense than loven:

could never have perished, whatsoever she had done. As touching this point, let us observe, that Eve was not taken out of Adam when God

w'th Adam made the covenant with him; Gen. ii. 17. But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. The very next words, ver. 18, And the Lord God said, it is not good

all the power, in all creatures collectively considered. The Sun may serve as an imperfect emblem of what we mean; all therays that enlighten, that chear with their heat, and fructify by their influence the world, emane from the Sun; yet, all the properties of all these rays, thus emitted in every possible direction, would bear in this collected state, but a very imperfect comparison with the Sun itself Though in one instance there is a fitness in the emblem to convey the truth we mean to inculcate, there is a glorious difference; for, from the emission of its rays, we perceive, (or probably, more properly, we think we perceive) a gradual diminution: yet, in the other, though his power gave energy to all, his power cannot be diminished; he still abides the God of omnipotence. Then its existence cannot be proved from the want of power in God to prevent it, the want of prescience to foresee it, the want of wisdom to ascertain the best mode of its pre

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