A Treatise of Paradise, Chapter 33 – Chapter 39
CHAP. XXXIII.
Of the creation of the woman, and to what end ſhe was created.
AS it is moſt certaine that the principal end of the creation of Adam was to ſerue, louelove, honour and obey his Lord and maker; ſo the ſame likewiſe was the womans principal end. Againe, as Adams ſecondary end was to bee the father of mankinde, ſo was it alſo Eues to be the mother of all, and to bee a comfort and helpe vntounto her husband, Gen. 2. verſ. 18. It is not good that man ſhould be alone; I will make him an helper meet for him: good neither in regard of God, of man, nor of the world; of God for his ſeruice, of man for his helpe, of the world for procreation: for though this was not abſolutely neceſſary, neither in regard of God, man, or the world; yet ſuppoſing the decree of God, that hee would be preſerued by the beautifull diſpoſition and order of this world, it was not only moſt conuenient, but in ſome ſort neceſſary, that he ſhould make man a helper, and a helper meet for him: for though hee could otherwiſe hauehave diſpoſed of things by immediate creation, yet was it more agreeable to the nature of things, and for the ſweeter diſpoſition of the courſe of nature, that mankinde ſhould rather be multiplied by naturall courſe of generation, then by ſupernaturall power and immediate creation.
Hence peraduenture it may be inferred, that ſeeing God ſaith, it is not good that the man ſhould be himſelfe alone, that conſequently it muſt be euill if hee bee alone; and therefore as by this ſentence lawfull matrimonie is confirmed, ſo virginitie by the contrary conſequence is condemned: for whatſoeuer is oppoſite to that which is good, muſt neceſſarily bee condemned as bad, as which is nothing elſe but the priuation of good.
To this I anſwer, (as our Sauiour did to the Sadduces, in their obiection touching mariage) Matth. the 22.29. verſe, Yee are deceiued, not knowing the Scriptures: for as Chriſt is not againſt Moſes, neither the new Teſtament contrary to the old, neither the greater perfection to the leſſe; ſo neither is virginitie contrary to matrimonie; both are laudable, both in their degree excellent, but virginitie more laudable, more excellent, moſt admirable, as by which wee rather imitate the angelicall ſtate and perfection, then follow our owne depraued nature and corruption. This is the definition of Paul, not any humane inuention; for thus doth Paul determine this controuerſie, the 1. to the Corinthians, ch. 7. verſ. 25. Now concerning virgins I hauehave no command of the Lord; but I giuegive mine aduice, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull. Loe here, virginitie is not commanded, but commended; not exacted by force, but commended through grace; neither counſelled to all, becauſe it cannot be performed of all; counſelled therefore onelyonly to ſome, and thoſe but few, ſeeing few can attaine to this perfection.
1. Cor. c 7. verſ. 27.My counſell therefore is that of Saint Paul, Art thou bound vntounto a wife? ſeeke not to be looſed, leſt looſing the knot, which God hath knit, thou looſe thy ſelfe. Art thou looſed from a wife? ſeeke not a wife: here Paul counſelleth, hee commandeth not, neither is his counſell extended to all, ſeeing all cannot be capable of this counſell; not onelyonly by nature, becauſe this is not any gift of nature, but alſo euen by a leſſer meaſure of grace: for though the Sunne of iuſtice doth ſhine ouer the iuſt and vniuſt, and ſend downe the dew of his grace vntounto all, yet not with equalitie vntounto all, but according vntounto his good pleaſure and will.
Wherefore as S. Paul proſecuteth, If thou takeſt a wife, thou ſinneſt not; and if a Virgin marie, ſhe ſinneth not: verſe 37. He that ſtandeth firme in his heart, that he hath not neede, but hath power ouer his owne will, and hath ſo decreed in his heart, that he will keepe his virgin, he doth well: ſo then hee that giueth her to mariage doth well, but he that giueth her not to mariage doth better: the wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liueth; but if her husband be dead, ſhe is at libertie to marie with whom ſhe will, only in the Lord: but ſhe is more bleſſed if ſhe abide, in my iudgement; and I thinke that I hauehave alſo the ſpirit of God.
Neither is this the minde onelyonly of S. Paul, but euen of his maſter our Lord and Sauiour: Matth. 10. Some there bee, which hauehave made themſelues Eunuches for the kingdome of heauen: not that this is contrary to the firſt inſtitution of matrimonie, but only a greater perfection, ſuppoſing a ſufficient or ſuperabundant multiplication of mankinde; ſo that (as Cyprian ſaith) the firſt decree of God was concerning generation, the ſecond perſwaded continencie; when the world was as yet void and rude, wee multiplied by generation; now that the world is filled, and fully repleniſhed, thoſe that can containe, ſpadonum more viuentes, caſtrantur ad regnum, by puritie of life doe dedicate themſelues to the kingdome of heauen.
Now as touching the time and place of Eues creation, and firſt as concerning the time, it is euident out of the ſacred text, that Adam was firſt created. Paul in the firſt of Timothie, chap. 2. ſaith, that Adam was firſt created, and then Eue. Furthermore, it is euidently deduced out of Moſes, when he ſaith,Gen. 2. that after Adam was created, all the liuing creatures were brought before him, among all which no helpe meet for him being found, the Lord God cauſed an heauie ſleepe to fall vponupon the man, and he ſlept, and he tooke one of his ribs, and cloſed vp the fleſh in ſtead thereof, and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man, made he a woman.
Hence it is euident, that there was ſome time betweene the creation of the man, and the womans production: but it is not ſo eaſie to determine, how much that was, though certaine it bee, that this time did not exceed the compaſſe of the firſt ſix dayes: for in the ſeuenth day God ended his worke which hee made, and the ſeuenth day he reſted from all his worke which he had made. Wherefore the creation of Eue could not bee the ſeuenth, as Catharinus and others preſume to auerre.
As concerning the place, where Eue was created, though Ioſephus, and Tertullian doe thinke, that ſhee was created out of Paradiſe: neuertheleſſe the contrary ſeemeth more agreeable to the written word: for there it is euident, that after Adam was brought into Paradiſe, all liuing creatures were ſet before him: where God ſeeing the neceſſitie of the womans creation, to wit, that Adam might hauehave an helpe meete for him, he framed her out of the ſide of Adam, for ſo ſaith the text, and the Lord God ſaid, it is not good for man to be alone, I will make him an helpe meete for him. And the Lord God cauſed a deepe ſleepe to fall vponupon Adam, and he ſleept; and he tooke one of his ribbs, Gen. 2.18.21. & 22.and cloſed vp the fleſh in ſtead thereof. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from him, made he a woman. Wherefore it is not in any wiſe probable (as ſome hauehave coniectured) that after Adam had beene in Paradiſe, hee was caried out againe, and Eue then created.
CHAP. XXXIV.
What ſleepe that was, which God cauſed to fall vponupon Adam for the creation of Eue, and whether it was a true ſleepe or no.
THis difficultie doth principally ariſe out of the diuers tranſlations of the fore-alleadged text. Gen: 2.21, where it is ſaid, that the Lord cauſed an heauy ſleepe to fall vponupon man, and he ſlept, where in place of the Hebrue word Tardemah, Aquila tranſlateth foreign, and Simachus foreign, a profound ſleepe.
But moſt of the Fathers following the tranſlation of the ſeauenty two Interpreters, tranſlate an extaſis, or an exceſſe of minde.
My opinion is, that ſeeing the tranſlation permitteth both, that it is to giuegive vsus to vnderſtand, how it was both a ſleepe, and an extaſis, or an extaticall ſleepe, or a ſleepie extaſis: a ſleepe, becauſe the text in rigor doth ſignifie a ſleepe: an extaſis, or rapt, becauſe hee had then his minde ſupernaturally illuminated, and filled with a propheticall ſpirit, inſomuch that preſently awaking, he ſaid forth with, this now is bone of my bones, Gen. 2.23.and fleſh of my fleſh: ſhee ſhall be called woman, becauſe ſhee was taken out of man.
CHAP. XXXV.
Why Eue was created out of the ribbe of Adam ſleeping, and how that could be without any griefe vntounto Adam, and finally why the woman was not created immediatly of the earth as well as man.
THe maſter of the ſentences, and diuers other ſchoole Diuines ſay, that Eue was framed out of the ſide of Adam ſleeping, for to ſignifie the myſticall production of the Church, out of the ſacred ſide of the ſecond Adam dying; but with this difference of productions, that the firſt ſleepe was ioyfull to the firſt Adam, becauſe hee had not tranſgreſſed as yet; the ſecond, moſt ignominions and painefull vntounto the ſecond, becauſe he had taken vponupon him the ſinnes of the firſt. The firſt was depriued of paine, by particular diſpenſation of the author of nature; the ſecond was full of ignominie, and paine, by a ſupernaturall, and gracious diſpenſation of God, as author both of nature, and grace: to the end that nature being now depraued by ſinne, might be raiſed againe, and reſtored to her former eſtate by an omnipotent grace.
But now could this be, the Adam ſhould hauehave a ribbe taken from him without any griefe?
For the vnderſtanding of this wee muſt neceſſarily praeſuppoſe that no griefe was agreeable to Adams eſtate before his fall. Now then I anſwer, that as God could, and de facto, did ſuſpend, or withdraw his concourſe, and action from the Babilonian fire, for the preſeruation of the three children, Sidrach, Miſach, and Abednego: ſo likewiſe here, for to ſhew the like power, did God withdraw his concurſe from all naturall paſſion, which naturally ſhould hauehave followed the extracting of the ribbe.
Now to the laſt, why the woman was not created immediatly of the earth, as well as the man, but of the mans ſide and ribbe? I anſwer, it was, to the end, that Adam acknowledging her to bee a part of his ſubſtance, and ſhee alſo knowing that ſhee proceeded thence, it might be an occaſion of a more perfect louelove: for that otherwiſe, he conſidering how ſhee was the cauſe of his miſery, it might be an occaſion of a perpetuall, and implacable hatred betweene them: or principally this was to ſignifie the myſticall vnion betweene the ſecond Adam Chriſt, and his Church; according to that of Paul,Epheſ. 3.32. this is a great myſterie, but I ſpeake concerning Chriſt, and concerning the Church, becauſe the diuine vnion betweene Chriſt, and his ſpouſe, was ſignified by the vnion of Adam, and Eue: ſo that as Eue was framed out of the firſt Adams ribbe, ſo was the Church out of the ſide of the ſecond.
CHAP. XXXVI.
Why, and how Eue was made of the ribbe of Adam.
IT was not without the particular prouidence of the wiſdome of God, that the woman was not made neither of the moſt principall, nor of the moſt baſe parts of man: not of the principall, leſt ſhee ſhould be too impudent; neither of the baſer, leſt ſhee ſhould be too much debaſed; ſhee was therefore created of the ribbe, and of that ribbe, which was next to the heart; the one to ſignifie the mediocritie of her condition; the other to inſinuate the eſteeme, and reſpect, which both ſhee ſhould hauehave towards Adam, and Adam towards her; as alſo to ſignifie the heart, louelove, and fidelitie, which he ſhould beare vntounto her, who had her being from ſo neere his heart.
Now the difficultie is, how Eue being of ſo perfect ſtature, as ſhe was created, could be created out of a ribbe of ſo little quantitie, ſeeing either ſhee was equall in ſtature with the man, or not farre inferiour in greatnes vntounto him, was there any matter added vntounto the ribbe? or was the ſame matter of the ribbe multiplied? ſurely it might be, as Lombard, and Gabriel ſaid, by the multiplication of the ſame matter, or by rarefaction of the ſame ribbe; or rather, which I deeme more probable, by addition of new matter, as the Diuines hold it happened in the multiplication of the fiue barly loaues (of which wee read in the goſpell).
Neither may it be inferred hence, that then it ſhould rather hauehave beene ſaid, that the woman was framed of other matter, then of the ribbe of Adam, becauſe the more principall part beareth the name, not alwaies the greater; eſpecially, when the principall part, is not only the principall, but alſo the firſt of the whole compound or worke.
Wherefore, ſeeing the ribbe of Adam was the firſt, and principall matter, of which the woman was created, and vntounto the which the other was but an addition: it is therefore rightly, and abſolutely ſaid, that Eue was made of the ribbe of Adam, without the expreſſing of any other matter; becauſe, though the new aſſumed matter was the greater in quantitie, yet leſſe in perfection: ſo likewiſe in the muitiplication of the fiue loaues, though that which was added was much more, then the precedent quantitie of bread; yet becauſe it was but an addition vntounto the former, therefore the name was deriued of the more principall part, according to the common axiome of the Philoſophers, denominatio ſequitur principaliorem partem, the name muſt follow the more principall part.
CHAP. XXXVII.
Whether the ribbe of which Eue was created, was requiſite to the perfection of Adams body or no.
BOth the Phiſitians, and Philoſophers doe agree in this, that eueryevery duplicate page duplicate page man according to his naturall conſtitution, and perfection hath 24 ribbes, twelue of each ſide; wherefore if our firſt father had thirteene on the leaft, it may bee thought that this was rather monſtrous, then agreeable to nature, which neither admitteth want, nor ſuperfluitie; either therefore this ribbe was ſuper-abundant in him, and ſo he monſtrous by ſuper-abundance, or it is wanting in vsus, and ſo we monſtrous by defect.
I anſwer, that though it were monſtrous in any of vsus to hauehave 13 ribbes, yet was it in no wiſe in reſpect of Adam: it were in regard of vsus, becauſe none is to be created of vsus; but in regard of him the defect were rather monſtrous, becauſe Eue was to be created of it; ſo that neither was Adam a monſter, when he had that, which we hauehave not, neither yet deficient, when he wanted that of which Eue was created: becauſe the name of monſter is not ſo much in regard of ſuperabundance or want, as in regard of the ends, and purpoſes intended by the author of nature, grounded in that, which is moſt connaturall.
Wherefore, though in regard of the particular nature of Adam, as hee was but one particular man, this ribbe was ſuperfluous, and ſo conſequently in an other perſon might be thought monſtrous, yet in regard of him, of whom the reſt of mankinde was to proceed, it was moſt naturall.
Neither doe theſe two ſorts of conſiderations imply contradiction: ſeeing that euen in nature we hauehave infinite examples of this: for ſo the heauieſt droſſe, and maſſieſt matter, hath a naturall, and particular inclination to deſcend to the center, which neuertheleſſe will aſcend for the preſeruation of the courſe of nature: ne detur vacuum, when there is any danger of vacuitie of aire, or want of any other body, which naturally ſhould fill all places; ſo that, as to deſcend is proper to heauy things, conſidering their particular inclination, and nature; ſo to aſcend is no leſſe agreeable vntounto their nature conſidering their vniuerſall propenſion for the preſeruation of the vniuerſall good of nature.
In like manner if we conſider Adam, as one particular man, not as firſt parent of our humane nature, it were monſtrous, that hee ſhould hauehave more ribbs on the leaft ſide, then on the right, or more then any of his poſteritie hauehave: but if we conſider him, as he was to be the firſt father of mankinde, after that particular manner that God hath determined, it was moſt neceſſarie, and agreeable to his nature, that hee ſhould hauehave more ribbs then any other of the ſame ſpecificall nature, ſeeing, that our firſt mother Eue was to hauehave her being of this ribbe of his, and we all ours, by her.
CHAP. XXXVIII.
How mankinde ſhould hauehave beene multiplied if Adam had not ſinned.
GRegory Niſene, Damaſcene, Chryſoſtome, Procopius Gazeus, and diuers others were of opinion, that if Adam had not ſinned, there ſhould hauehave beene no ſuch naturall generation of mankinde, as is now, but rather an immediate multiplication, and production of men by the immediate power of God. So that as we ſhall be like vntounto the Angels in the coeleſtiall Paradiſe through our vnion vntounto Chriſt; ſo wee ſhould not hauehave beene vnlike vntounto them in the terreſtriall by the immediate production of God: wherefore as ſinne was the cauſe of our diſſimilitude from the Angelicall life, ſo was it (according to theſe Fathers) the cauſe alſo of the diſſimilitude of our production; the Angells being by creation immediately from God, wee not immediately, but by mediate generation: and hence it is that Auſtine ſaith, that conſanguinities, and affinities proceed of ſinne, not of nature.
The ground peraduenture of theſe Doctors may be the impure, and corrupt manner of our generation, and the deformitie of luſt together with the immoderate pleaſure thereof proceeding, the which our firſt fathers (as S. Auſtine ſaith) preſently vponupon their ſinne experimented, and thence were aſhamed and couered themſelues.
Neuertheleſſe, I cannot but deeme it moſt certaine, but that ſo long, as mans ſuperiour powers were ſubiect to God, ſo long alſo ſhould mans inferiour powers hauehave beene obedient to man; wherefore whiles there was no deformitie by ſin in the will, neither ſhould there hauehave beene any filthines or abomination in the actions of nature: But as our eyes, and other ſenſes be as yet ſubiect to our will, ſo alſo, all other now rebelling inferiour powers, ſhould hauehave beene ſubiect to their ſuperiour: laſtly, as all deformities and diſorder ſhould hauehave beene taken away; ſo all conformitie and order ſhould hauehave beene left. The ſenſitiue appetite ſhould hauehave been ſubiect to the reaſonable, the reaſonable to the ſpirit, the ſpirit to God. And as no diſorder in nature could proceede from the author of nature; ſo no diſorder in the acts of nature, could hauehave beene found in the courſe of nature; and this, though euen in the very eſtate of innocencie there had beene generation of mankinde, as now it is: as now (I meane) in the ſubſtance of the act, not in the manner of raigning, and raging luſt.
And this certainely was Gods intent in the creating of our firſt fathers male, and female; becauſe, if it had not been for generations ſake, they might hauehave beene both created males: becauſe all things at their firſt creation were created in their greateſt perfection: if therefore the man bee more perfect then the woman, why ſhould they not both hauehave been created male, if it had not beene for their multiplication, by the ordinarie courſe of generation, eſpecially ſeeing God bleſſed them with theſe words, which ſignifie no leſſe; increaſe, or (as the Hebrue hath) fructifie, and multiply, eſpecially ſeeing (as the Philoſopher ſaith) generation is the moſt naturall action of life; Ariſtotiles lib. 2. de anima, & lib. 4. meteor.yea then eueryevery thing is in his perfect eſtate, when it is powerfull to bring forth another like to it ſelfe.
CHAP. XXXIX.
Whether there ſhould hauehave beene more men, or women in the ſtate of innocencie: or rather an equalitie of both ſexes: and how there could hauehave beene any women, ſeeing they are ſaid to proceed out of the defect of nature.
AS touching the firſt point, I thinke it moſt probable, that there ſhould hauehave beene more men, then women, if ſo be that wee had perſiſted in the ſtate of innocencie: my reaſon is, becauſe nature then being in a full perfection, would for the moſt part hauehave produced the moſt perfect, which queſtionleſſe is the male, for the moſt part I ſay, not alwaies, becauſe the female alſo was neceſſary for the naturall propagation of mankinde.
Againe it was neceſſarie for the moſt part, not altogether neceſſarie, but only moſt perfect, and therefore moſt agreeable to that moſt perfect eſtate.
As touching the ſecond point of the multiplication of the female ſexe, and how that could be connaturall and agreable to that perfect eſtate of paradiſe, ſeeing it belongeth to the perfection of nature, to bring forth the moſt perfect, and conſequently male not female, as which is rather a declining from perfection, and argueth ſome weaknes in nature, or imperfection in the Parents;Ariſtotelis de generatione animalium lib. 4 cap. 2. & 6. yea as Ariſtotle ſaith is praeter intentionem agentis, and therefore ſeemeth rather a monſtrous act of generation, then a perfect iſſue, or patterne of the Parents, or nature.
And leaſt this may ſeeme improbable, euen nature herſelfe (as the Philoſopher writeth) giueth ſufficient tokens and ſignes of this, ſeeing that the female ſex is begotten rather in tender and old age, then in the flouriſhing, and vigorous time of mans age: for as naturall heat hath not attained vntounto his perfection in the one, ſo hath it loſt his former vigour in the other. It is alſo ordinarily ſeene that the moiſteſt, and moſt feeble bodies doe beget females, by reaſon of the want of naturall heate.
Furthermore the ſame philoſopher ſaith, that the female kinde being of their owne nature feeble, and cold, are to be deemed as a defect, errour, default, or declination of nature.
Neuertheleſſe I anſwer briefely, (becauſe this matter more belongeth to Philoſophy then to Diuinitie) that the production of the female, doth not proceede only, or rather not alwaies of the defect of nature; but oftentimes alſo of the more remiſſe manner of concurſe of the power of generation, as alſo of the imagination thereto inclining, and other like naturall defects: whence it is, that though the generation of the female be in vsus a ſigne of leſſe vigor of nature; yet was it not ſo in Adam, but rather it proceeded of the afore-ſaid cauſes of the imaginatiue apprehenſion, or particular diſpoſition of the author of nature, for the multiplication of mankinde.