That first blessing which He pronounced earlier than the fall, when He said, “Increase, and multiply, and replenish the earth,”fifty six He did not inhibit after man had sinned, however the fecundity originally bestowed remained within the condemned inventory; and the vice of sin, which has concerned us within the necessity of dying, has yet not deprived us of that great energy of seed, or somewhat of that still more marvellous power by which seed is produced, and which seems to be as it had been inwrought and inwoven in the human physique. For before they sinned, the man and the lady have been naked, and weren’t ashamed. And he reveals of what body we are to grasp this to be the measure, when he says, “That we may grow up into Him in all issues, which is the top, even Christ: from whom the entire body filly joined collectively and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, in accordance with the effectual working within the measure of each half.” As, due to this fact, there’s a measure of each part, so there is a measure of the fullness of the entire body which is made up of all its elements, and it’s of this measure it is claimed, “To the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ.” This fullness he spoke of additionally within the place where he says of Christ, “And gave Him to be the head over all things to the Church,forty two which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.’43 But even if this must be referred to the type through which every one shall rise, what ought to hinder us from applying to the girl what’s expressly mentioned of the man, understanding both sexes to be included below the general time period “man?

To understand what the apostle means when he says that we shall all come to a perfect man, we must consider the connection of the entire passage, which runs thus: “He that descended is the same additionally that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all issues. And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and a few, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the physique of Christ: until we all come to the unity of the religion and information of the Son of God, to an ideal man, to the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ: that we henceforth be no extra youngsters, tossed and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of males, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but, talking the reality in love, might grow up in Him in all issues, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined collectively and compacted by that which each joint supplieth, in accordance with the effectual working within the measure of every half, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love.”38 Behold what the perfect man is-the top and the physique, which is made up of all of the members, which in their very own time shall be perfected.

But new additions are every day being made to this physique while, the Church is being built up, to which it is alleged, “Ye are the physique of Christ and His members;”39 and again, “For His physique’s sake,” he says, “which is the Church;”Forty and once more, “We being many are one head, one body.”41 It’s of the edification of this body that it’s right here, too, stated, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ;” after which that passage of which we are actually talking is added, “Till all of us come to the unity of the religion and data of the Son of God, to an ideal man, to the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ,” and so on. The woman, due to this fact, is a creature of God even because the man; but by her creation from man unity is commended; and the style of her creation prefigured, as has been said, Christ and the Church. For despite the fact that there have been no such thing as copulation, and God wished to fill the earth with human inhabitants, He may create all these as He created one without the help of human era.

But in this river, as I may call it, or torrent of the human race, both components are carried alongside collectively,-each the evil which is derived from him who begets, and the great which is bestowed by Him who creates us. For in condemning it He did not withdraw all that He had given it, else it had been annihilated; neither did He, in penally subjecting it to the satan, remove it past His personal energy; for not even the devil himself is outdoors of God’s government, for the reason that satan’s nature subsists only by the supreme Creator who offers being to all that in any kind exists. There shall subsequently be those who are on this world accustomed to marry and be given in marriage, solely they shall there make no such marriages. And within the resurrection of the physique, we need, for a similar purpose, fear no bodily loss; for though all must be of equal measurement, and reach gigantic proportions, lest the males who were largest here should lose something of their bulk and it ought to perish, in contradiction to the words of Christ, who stated that not a hair of their head ought to perish, yet why ought to there lack the means by which that great Worker should make such additions, seeing that he is the Creator, who Himself created all things out of nothing?