The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-09-24
Irenmus, Eve and the Virgin Mary.

In regard 10 the interpretation OF the
Old Testament, it must be admitted that,
in accordance with the custom of his
times, Iren@us gave the reins to his
Imagination, indulging in tho most un-
constrained observation Of analogles to
Christian doctrines. And for this he ad
duces the authority Of the ancient pres
byter he SO often quotes. From him he
learned not to reproach the patriarchs
and prophets with those sins for which
the Scriptures reproves them, for they
we're RENTED by the advent of Christ,
while in regard to those which the Scrip
lures only mention, but do not blame,
type, for none of these are idly told, or
without some spiritual Significance. The
wonder is that when his adversaries
sought to establish then views by arbi-
trary allegorical interpretations. he did
not see that in indulging himself in such |
interpretations, which were also arbritra-
ry, he was not helping rather than op-
posing them. To one Of his analogies |
we shall advert particularly, as has been
recently supposed to present some
thing forshadowing the doctrine of
the Immaculate Conception. We mean
the analogy between the circum-
stances Ut Ewes temptation and
cum annunciation of the Virgin Mary.
Ircneus was not singular in his day in OBJ
serving this analogy, which is in some re-
spects SO oblivious, that it has at all times
been noticed even by those who have
failed to perceive any special doctrinal
significance in it. We shall translate the
words Of Ireneus as nearly as we can from
the edition of the Jesuit Feuardent:
when the Lord was coming to his own,
His own creature bearing Him which was
borne by Himself, and was making re-
capitulation of that dlsobedience, which
was in respect to tree by that obedience
which was ON the tree, that seduction being
undone by which the Virgin Eve, already
destined to husband, was ill-scduccd,
the Virgin Mary, already betrothed to
husband, was we'll evangelical through
the truth by an angel. For as the one
was seduced by the discourse of an angel,
that she might get rid of God, going
contrary to his word, so the other,
by the discourse of an angel was
evangelical, that she might bear God, be-
ing obedient to his word. And as the one
was seduccd that she might get rid Of God,
so tn other was persuaded to hey God
of the Virgin Eve the Virgin Mary might
become the advocate, (no doubt, parakle-
tos, counselor, is meant; y and as the human
race was bound to death by means OF
virgin, so by means Of virgin it mi ght be
locsed, virginia. disobedience being bal
ancing an even scale by virginia. obedience.
For the sin heretofore of the first created
was receiving emendation by the chastise-
ment of the first begottcn, the wisdom of
the serpent being vanquished in SIM
plicity IF the dove, while the bonds were
united by which we were bound to DEATH"
TIE same analogy is drawn out less con-
cisely IN iii.33. There are, however, a
few differences. The assumption that
Eve was a virgin at the time of the tall is
there justified by another pure assump-
ton, that the newly-forlned couple were
as yet immature. The Virgin Mary, by
her obedience, became cause of salvation,
as Eve, by disobedience, became cause
of death. The obedience, however, is
represented as con equence Of predesti-
nation, which has clang of Calvanism
about it which seems strange in so great
an advocate of free will as our author
was: God predistinated the animal man
first, to wit, that he might be saved by
the spiritual man. As the Saviour pre-
existed, it behooved that what might be
saved should be created, that the word
Saviour should not be void of
meaning. Consequently the Virgin
Mary is found obedient, saying, "Be it
unto me according to my word" This
seems to negative the idea of any merit
on her part. IF she is said to have loosed
through faith what Eve had bound
through unbelief, the way in which the
untying of the knot is explained implies
that Mary was herself entangled in the
knot in manner quite inconsistent with
the notion in reference to which the an
alogy is relied on. The recircling back
Of Mary upon Eve is fancifuily illustrated
by the loosing of what is tied into knot.
T'is can only be effected by the turning
back Of one of the fastenings into anoth:
er, whereby there is loosening of t e
knotted cords. Mary must therefore
have been herself entanglcd in the knot
united 10y her being turnei back upon
Eve.