[Sinne onely excepted] But this is spoken of Christ principally after his Re∣surrection;
For Christ while he lived on earth had an animal body, he needed
food and rest, but after his Resurrection, then he had a spiritual body; so that
it is in reference to this, that Christ is called a Spirit, but with this Epithete,
A quickning Spirit, that is, which giveth life to others; He hath not only life
in himself, but he giveth it also to others, and therefore no wonder if he raise
those that belong to him.
But seeing Christ is thus a quickening Spirit, it may be said, Why then have
the people of God their natural bodies still? If they be in the second Adam, Why
are they not as he is?
To this the Apostle answereth, verse 46. That which is natural is first,
and afterwards that which is spiritual. It is the will and appointment of
God, that the imperfect things should be first, and afterwards that which is
more perfect.
In the next place, The Comparison is made between the two Adams in
respect of their Originals, The first was of the earth, earthly, his body was
made of the dust of the earth: (The Aegyptians had some confused know∣ledge
of this, and therefore defined man to be, Animal terrenum è limo na∣tum;
Hence in their Feasts, they offered unto their gods an herb that grew
in their lakes, to signifie what man was.)
But the second man is the Lord from Heaven. This place hath an appear∣ance
of some difficulty, for from this Text did some Anabaptists (who re∣vived
an old Heresie, (viz.)
That Christ had not his body of the Virgin
Mary) indeavour to prove, That Christ had his body from Heaven, else
(say they) what opposition could there be made to Adam's body?
Christs
body was in the Virgin
Mary, but not of her, as they affirm, But this is grosly
to mistake; For the Apostle doth not intend to make a comparison in the
Mate∣rials,
of which both bodies were compounded, but the
Originals from whence
they are; The one is from
Earth, the other from
Heaven, being the Lord of
Heaven and Earth. Some indeed have said,
That Christ is therefore said to be
from Heaven, because though it was materially of the Virgin Mary, yet be∣cause
the Conception was in an extraordinary manner by the holy Ghost, there∣fore
it might be said to be from Heaven.
This may have some truth, yet
A∣dam
was in an extraordinary manner, and that in respect of his body formed by
God, called therefore
the Sonne of God, yet he cannot be said to be from Heaven,
So that the most solid Interpretation is to understand it of the
Person of Christ,
and so he is
wholly of Heaven, being
the true and eternal God; in which respect,
John 3. 13. he is said to be
The Sonne of man, which is in Heaven. John 6 38,
41. he is said,
To come from Heaven; So that although his body was of the
Virgin
Mary, yet as
God, in which respect he hath his personality, so he is from
Heaven
The third and last Collation is in respect of their qualities and properties. The
first man is of the earth earthy, in a three fold respect:
1. Because his affections are only to earthly things.
2. Because the place where he is to be is the earth.
3. Because of his mortality, he is to return to dust again.
But the 'second Adam is heavenly in a three-fold contrary respect:
1. He is heavenly in regard of his life and conversation.
2. In regard of the place where now he is sitting in Heaven at the right hand of
God, and thus all Christs members shall be heavenly, for they likewise shall be in
Heaven for ever with the Lord.
3. Heavenly, Because of his immortality, for he shall never die more.