be made "kings and priests unto God." Strange, we say, that CHAP. III. any man or woman living, should be unwilling to see all this. See Rev. 54. How could predictions have been more plain? How v. 10. could prophecies have been more consistent and sure, to show, that, as the first manifestation of Christ commenced in the person of a male, his second manifestation, or coming should commence in the person of a female? For thus alone could the promises of God, in regard to man's final redemption, ever have been fulfilled: And thus alone, could the order, beauty and glory of the new creation, ever have been accomplished and brought to perfection.

CHAPTER III.

REVELATIONS CONCERNING THE APPEARING OF CHRIST,
IN THE LINE OF THE FEMALE.

MANY are the prophecies recorded in the Scriptures in relation
to that day called the "latter day of glory," in which Christ
should appear in the "clouds of heaven," (the element of his
saints) "with power and great glory;" and this manifestation
of Christ should commence in the line of the female. For, as
his first coming was manifested in the male line, his work could
only advance in that order during that Dispensation.

2. And from this cause it was, that the woman was not permitted to have her proper share in ministration and government in the primitive Church. But in the second appearing of Christ, and in the fulfillment of the prophecies in relation to the proper lot and standing of the woman in the new creation, that barrier is removed. She, by her obedience, being "redeemed from under the curse," and released from under the "bondage of the flesh," which her disobedience and transgression had caused. 3. In addition to the prophecies relating to this interesting subject we have had in review, there are a few more (among the many) which are worthy of some particular notice. That remarkable prophetic passage, "The Lord hath created a new thing in Jer. xxxi. the earth, a woman shall compass a man," has been rudely mis- 32 construed, and misapplied. The learned Protestant commentators, say, that "The Virgin Mary compassed a man, when she conceived, retained in her womb, and brought forth the Son of God in our nature."

CHAP. III.

1.

4. What astonishing blindness and inconsistency! What man was ever brought forth into the world, since the creation and fall of Adam, who has not been compassed by a woman? and brought forth in "our nature," (the nature of the fallen race,) in the same manner? And what of all this, is it the creating a new thing in the earth?

5. Every human being, male and female, have been "conceived, retained in the womb, and brought forth" into the world by the woman; the mother of all living;" and the Virgin Mary with the rest. What truth or consistency, then, is there in applying this prophecy: A woman shall compass a man, to the Virgin Mary? Not the least. Besides, neither the Virgin Mary, (nor any other woman) ever conceived and brought forth a man, but a child! even the "child Jesus." And if Mary at any period, and in any sense of the word, could be said to have compassed the "child Jesus," it cannot in reason and truth be said, that she ever compassed the "man Christ Jesus."

6. The learned Catholic commentators, in their Douay translation of the Bible, have not ventured any opinion or comment on the above noted passage of prophecy; but they have placed the words, "A woman shall compass a man," in large capitals, from which it is inferred, that they likewise, as well as the Protestants, suppose it to allude to the Virgin Mary, and that in her it was fulfilled.

7. But it has just been shown, that this idea is without any ground of reason; very distant from the truth; a weak and inconsistent supposition. If however, we will bear in mind the Feo Isa. li. pit of great darkness from which we ourselves have been dug; If we consider the many ages in which antichrist has had his dreary reign over the souls of men, by falsely assuming the name and profession of the true Christ, we shall not so much wonder at the extreme blindness of commentators and priests, while under antichrist's dominion. And in this too, are the prophecies fulfilled, as well as in regard to the particular subject we are upon: For "darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people." And so it was in Christ's first appearing, and so it & xxiv. in should be in his second coming.

Isa. ix. 2. See Mat. chap. xxiii.

connection with the Prophets.

8. It is evident, from prophecy, that the character and " woman," here prophesied of, is a peculiar and leading object in the new creation, or work of redemption: And it is the truth, that she is the same object, the same character, with the woman represented as the " "Daughter" the " Queen" the "Bride, the Lamb's wife." And that she is in consequence, the first Mother of the redeemed in the "new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."

9. What is meant by the prophecy, "A woman shall compass a man," is surely not difficult to understand; it is simply neither

more nor less than this: to discern, to comprehend, and to know by the gift of God what is in man; to discern and know the thoughts and motives of the heart, and the true state and condition of his soul.

10. "Jesus knew all men; and needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man." And that this gift the spirit of comprehension and discernment, and of the knowledge of mankind, was as proper and necessary to be possessed by the Daughter as by the Son; by the female as by the male, no reasonable person will attempt to deny.

11. Much is said in the Prophets concerning the "Branches," which unquestionably alludes to Jesus Christ and Mother Ann, and to their great and glorious work of redemption in the earth, to be accomplished in the line of both the male and the female. For, as the female is a constituent part of the male; and man could never have been complete in his manhood without her. So his state and condition could never have been "happy" or "glorious," without the correspondence of the female, in a state of nature, and much less in a state of grace. This is a selfevident matter.

CHAP. III.

See John. . 24, 25.

Mat. ix. 3,

4.

11.

12. Now, as the man is the image and glory of God, and the woman is the glory of the man, and as the man is not without 1 Cor. xi. 7, the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord; therefore, "the man [Christ Jesus,] whose name is the Branch," is not without the constituent and perfecting part of his manhood, namely the woman, standing in a correspondent spiritual relation to the man, in dignity and office.

13. We see the two olive trees, and two olive branches, which are the two anointed ones; and the Lord promised, saying, "The counsel of peace, [which is the river and water of life], shall be between them both." Thus it is that the "two Anointed ones," are in spirit but one; even as the Eternal Father and Mother are one; and which is also signified by the one "tree of life, on either side of the river of the waters of life."

14. And likewise, the "crowns," (not in the singular, but in the plural number, crowns), of silver and gold, set upon the head of Joshua," who is here a prophetic type or figure of the Saviour, in the fullness and perfection of his manhood, male and female, and which crowning of Joshua with crowns, implies and signifies the crowning of the "two Anointed ones,' as King and Queen of Zion, who by the one Anointing Spirit, Christ, Joshua the Saviour, whose name is "the Branch," shall "build the temple of the Lord," in the latter days, when "ye shall call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree."

15: Let it be particularly observed here, that the first "Anointed one" is in the male order, and is called the "chief corner stone," in this spiritual temple. And that the second

Read diligently and Zech. iii. 8,

compare.

10; iv. 3, 7,

11, 12, 14; v. 11, 12, Rev. xi. 4,

13, 15.

& xxii. 1,2.

CHAP. III. "Anointed one" in this building is in the female order, and is Isa. xxvii. called the "head, or cap stone," which "shall be brought forth with shouting, grace, grace, unto her." *

16.

Zech. iv. 7.

Isa. iv. 2.

See Zech. vi. 13.

Hag. ii 7.

16. These prophecies concerning "the branches" are both important and very interesting, as they most particularly allude to the work of God, and the Dispensation of his grace, in the day in which we now live; therefore, it is here worthy of our particular notice and regard, that the final work of God could never be accomplished in its beauty and glory," until that day when the second branch of the Lord, representing the female, should be established on earth, and the two should be united in

one.

17. That being thus united, the woman is the co-worker in building up the temple of the Lord, and in the upbuilding and advancement of his kingdom, and that therefore, being a true and faithful co-worker, she "eats her own bread and wears her own apparel," agreeably to the predictions of the Prophet. And it is also worthy of further notice here, that the union between the two Branches is neither more nor less than the marriage of the Lamb and his Bride. To this union of the male and female in the "Branch of righteousness, and counsel of peace between them both," the desire of all nations centered, and to this all the Prophets pointed.

18. Among the many worthy and interesting prophecies concerning the "Branches," there is one or two more, immediately Jer. xxiii.5, connected with our subject, we will notice. "Behold the days

6.

Jer. xxxiii. 14-16.

come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is his name whereby he shall be called: The Lord our righteousness."

19. And again, "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel, and to the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, I will cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David, and He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this is the name wherewith She shall be called: The Lord our righteousness."

20. This is a very plain and pointed prophecy, and less obscure than many others; and will therefore require but a few short remarks or explanations. It is in two distinct parts; or in other words, it was given in two distinct periods of time, in the days of the Prophet Jeremiah.

21. The second or last part of the prophecy was given some nine or ten years after the first, and appears to have been given This is according to the original.

as a seal of confirmation to the first; and for the further wise CHAP. III. purpose of showing that the promised "Branch of righteousness" was not one alone, but two in one. For the Hebrew word, (in which tongue the prophecy was given), is "Jehovah-Tsidkenu," and which being expressive of both the masculine and feminine genders, is therefore, in our English language, correctly translated HE and SHE shall be called the Lord our Righteousness."

22. It must appear evident to every discerning mind, that the allusions in this prophecy, are pressing to the latter day for their accomplishment; and that the promises contained in this prophecy are not to be fulfilled to the house of Israel and Judah, literally, nor yet to the literal Jerusalem, all these being used figuratively; but that it was to the spiritual house of Israel and Judah, and to the heavenly Jerusalem from above, that the promises were made. Or in other words, the promises were made to those only, who through faith and obedience should become the true Israel of God, and consequently the true heirs of his promises.

23. Whatever may be the extent of that great and mighty work, which shall "execute justice and righteousness in the earth, either to the house of Israel, to the Jews, or to the Gentiles, or until "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea;" certain it is that this work is the work of the "new creation of God," of a "new heaven and a new earth."

24. And certain it is that this new creation has had a beginning, and it is equally sure that the beginning of this new creation was in those two "righteous Branches," who being united in one, were made, ordained, and constituted a new and spiritual Parentage. Hence the first Father and Mother in the new creation are the two first foundation pillars in God's spiritual building, and the "two Anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."

25. Through these righteous Branches," then whose inherent, creative and productive properties and powers, are both male and female in the Divine nature, and in the Divine law and order, shåll righteousness "grow and prosper," till "all the ends of the Isa. xl. 5; earth shall see the salvation of God."

26. From all the foregoing predictions concerning the second coming of Christ, and the setting up of his kingdom on earth, how can it be otherwise than evident, that this kingdom could never appear until the time, appointed of the Father, when the marriage of the Lamb with his Bride" should take place? How can it be otherwise than that this kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, a kingdom of righteousness? and this marriage of the Lamb and his Bride, is a spiritual union between the "two Anointed ones," whom God had chosen and anointed King and Queen of Zion?

lii. 10.