draws a similar comparison between Christ's love and tender- ness to his Church, and that which a man should exercise towards his wife. The object he should have in view also, in all the controul which he exercises over her, should be precisely such as Christ has manifested towards his Church ; namely, the advancement of her real welfare. To a similar extent, also, should he carry this into effect ; willingly denying himself, and submitting gladly to the greatest privations, if only he may attain his end, and promote her best interests. Hear the Apostle's own words ; and mark especially how minutely the Apostle enters into the objects which Christ has accomplished in behalf of his Church, in order the more clearly to shew what the husband should aim at in reference to his wife : " Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it ; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing ; but that it should be holy and without blemish^" Then, going on with a special reference to Eve, who was a part of A 'dams own body, he adds, " So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife, loveth himself: for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church : for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife : and they two shall be one flesh h." All this shews us with what intensity of affection a man should regard his wife ; and with what tender care he should labour for her temporal, spiritual, and eternal good.]
Now, here we should have stopped, as having brought into view all that the Apostle designed. But, what the Apostle has spoken in our text necessarily leads us to the contemplation of another subject, even,
II. The subject covertly intended —
We are perfectly surprised when we hear the Apostle unexpectedly declaring, " I speak all this concerning Christ and his Church." Truly, " this is a mystery." Let us consider,
1. The mystery itself —
[Under the image of a marriage union, the Apostle has been speaking of Christ and his Church, between whom there
s ver. 25—27. h ver. 28—31.