The Church; the Bride.

An Extract.
I WOULD here remark, that it is never stated in Scripture that Jesus shall reign over the Church. The Church is the bride―the Lamb’s wife―His destined partner and companion in glory; and when He comes He will present her to Himself without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; then shall she share with Him His glory, and His crown. The Church is the body of Christ―bone of His bone, and flesh of His flesh; it was of Christ and the Church the apostle spake, when he said, “they twain shall be one flesh,” which he calls “a great mystery.” (Ephesians 5:3232This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:32).) This mystery was set forth at “sundry times” in types and shadows from the beginning. As an instance of this we may bring forward Adam, who, we are told, was a “figure of Him that was to come.” (Romans 5:1414Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. (Romans 5:14).) If we behold him as a lord of the creation, set over the works of God’s hands, with all things put in subjection under his feet, do we not also see Eve at his right hand, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, his partner and companion in all this glory? (Genesis 1:27, 2827So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:27‑28).) Now, here we have typically brought before us Christ, the last Adam―Lord of “the world to come”― “crowned with glory and honor,” with all things put in subjection under His feet,1 and His bride, the Church, His joint and fellow-heir set upon the throne with Him (Revelation 3:2121To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21)), perfectly conformed to His image. (Philippians 3:2121Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21).) And I would press the subject the more, as it is too much lost sight of by many of the Lord’s people in the present day, who bring forward such passages as, “He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever,” and tell us the house of Jacob means the Church. If this be true, the Church are the subjects of the kingdom, not “joint-heirs” with the King. Observe, it is not said, the house of Jacob shall reign with Him, as it is of the Church (2 Tim. 2:1212If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: (2 Timothy 2:12); Revelation 9:66And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. (Revelation 9:6)), but He shall reign over the house of Jacob, that is, over the Jewish nation, then restored and converted.