The first man. The name implies the earth, from whence he was formed, which signifies red. It is worthy remark, that Christ is also called Adam. (1 Corinthians 15:45) And if we compare what the apostle saith of Christ, (Colossians 1:15) with what is said of Adam, at the creation of the world, (Genesis 1:26) it serves to explain, in what sense we are to limit the expression concerning him, who was formed from the earth as the first man. In that Scripture of the apostle, when speaking of Christ, he is called, "the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature." Hence we infer, that though the first Adam was indeed the first man, as manifested openly; yet the second Adam, so called, even the Lord from heaven, had a pre-existence in secret, and stood up the Great Head of his body the church, in the counsels of the divine mind, the Wisdom man, from all eternity. Indeed from this Wisdom man, this pattern, the first earthly man was formed. For so the charter of grace, at the creation, expressed it: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." (Genesis 1:26) And if Christ was, and is, as the apostle was commissioned to tell the church, "the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature," nothing can be plainer than that the first Adam, so called, because indeed he was the first man openly, was created in the image or likeness of Him, who alone can be said to be the image of the invisible God, and in his human nature, "the first born of every creature." (See Psalms 89:19; Proverbs 8:22-31; Micah 5:2)