Brief Exposition of Galatians and Ephesians, Exposition 2 · Chapter 5 · Verse and explication 31
Vers. 31. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joyned unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
THis verse, in the literal, plain and historical sense of the words, holdeth forth the law of marriage, binding all married parties in all times, which was pronounced by Adam, Gen. 2. 24. and approved by God Himself, Matth. 19. 5. And the words taken in this sense contain the third reason, to prove the former consequence, ver. 28. that seing wives are the bodies of their husbands, therefore they should be loved. The argument is taken from that law of marriage, expresly declaring that for this cause, to wit, because the wife is bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, as the cause is expressed, Gen. 2. 23, 24. which is the same in effect with the cause given, ver. 28. even because she is the body of the husband, to which this verse literally taken doth relate, or to the thirtieth verse immediatly preceeding, in so far as the strict union, which is between married parties, is there alluded unto: Upon all which causes, or rather one and the same cause expressed in all those places, that law doth declare, first, That the man is to leave father and mother, to wit, not by casting off naturall affection to his parents, Gen. 44. 34. or by refusing to help them in their strait, 1. Tim. 5. 4. but by loving his wife more than them, and by leaving his fathers family, if he, his wife and they cannot live all together, and by joyning in a new family with his wife, Gen. 28. 5. as is further cleared by the second thing here declared, to wit, that he ought to be joyned inseperably to his wife, and that both in affection, Prov. 5. 19. and cohabitation, dwelling with her, 1 Pet. 3. 7. The word in the original, doth signifie such a joyning, as that of two boards of timber, firmly glued together; not as if a man were to reside constantly at home: for, the Merchant, the Lawyer, and men of other imployments also, must some times go abroad, Prov. 7. 19, 20. But his fixed dwelling should be with her, and his presence also, so far as his necessary calling shall permit, so that he is not without necessity to be absent from his own home, Prov. 5. -19. And, thirdly, this law declareth, that they two shall be one flesh; which implyeth, first, a most strict union, so that they cannot be separated, (except in the case of adultery, Matth. 19.—9—and wilfull desertion of the one party, persisted in, after all meanes used to the contrary, 1 Cor. 7. 15) more than a piece of a mans body, may be cut off from the rest: And, secondly, a most intimate communion, whereby they have common goods, common friends, yea, and all things common, as if they were but one person: And thirdly, the lawfull and sanctified use of the marriage-bed, allowed unto them of God, which out of the case of marriage is sinfull and damnable, 1 Cor. 6. 16. Heb. 13. 4. But for further clearing of the words, know, that beside their literal and historical sense, God intended that the purpose contained in them, concerning the carnal marriage of man and woman, should represent and shadow forth somewhat of Christ, and of that spirituall marriage between Christ and the Church, as appeareth from the situation of the words, immediatly after ver. 30. which doth evidently speak of Christ, as is already shown; and before verse 32. where he declareth, that the purpose in hand is a mysterie, and to be understood of Christ and the Church: now, the purpose here expressed, doth hold in Christ, by analogie and proportion, in so far as Christ did leave His Father, by laying aside the glory which He had with Him, Joh. 16. 28. and taking on the form of a servant, Philip. 2. 8. and did leave His mother Mary also, and her house and family, Luke 2. 49. that He might purchase a bride unto Himself, (See ver. 25. 26.) to whom He doth cleave inseparably: Rom. 8. 35. and with most tender affection, Heb. 4. 15. by vertue of which spiritual marriage, Christ and Believers become, though not one flesh, yet one spirit, 1 Cor. 6. 17. being most strictly tyed together by His Spirit, and the grace of faith, from which conjunction, Believers so espoused, become fruitfull in good works, and do bring forth fruit unto God, Rom. 7. 4.
From the literal sense of this verse, Learn, 1. The love of married parties ought to be very great, and second to no love else, but that which we owe to God: for, even the love we owe to parents, from whom we have our being, ought to give place unto it; A man shall leave father and mother, saith he, and be joyned unto his wife. 2. It is lawfull and allowed of God unto all persons of all ranks, being come to mature age, (1 Cor. 7. -36-) and especially to those who have not the gift of continency, (1 Cor. 7. 9.) to enter the married state of life, only if they marry in the Lord, 1 Cor. 7. -39. and therefore the doctrine forbidding marriage to all those who bear office in the Church, is the doctrine of devils, 1 Tim. 4. 1, 3. for, the text speaketh of all men indifferently; A man shall leave father and mother, and be joyned to his wife. 3. Divine commands are alwayes founded upon most just reasons, which would be eyed by us, that so our obedience may be more willing and chearfull, yea, a piece of reasonable service unto God, Rom. 12. 1. for, this command given here unto husbands, to cleave unto their wives, is not nakedly propounded, but with a strong reason annexed for inforcing the duty enjoyned by it: For this cause, saith he, shall a man be joyned unto his wife. 4. As children are not to remain alwayes childish, but being come to age and understanding, ought to bestir themselves in providing things necessary and honest, according as the station, wherein they are placed by God, shall require; So parents ought to remit somewhat of their fatherly authority over their children, as they grow in age and understanding, not expecting nor requiring that children, now come to age, should absolutely and in all things as formerly, depend upon the counsell and direction of parents, or give themselves wholly to minde their concernments, neglecting every other thing else which may concern themselves: for, this Law, supponeth a state of childehood, wherein children are to be wholly under the authority of parents minding their concernments and at their direction, and that their coming to age, and entering the married state of life, doth give them more liberty to follow their own direction, and to do for themselves; a man shall leave father and mother, and be joyned to his wife. 5. Whatever hath been the corrupt custome of men, to the contrary, Gen. 4. 19. Yet, according to the first institution of marriage, only two, one man and one woman, and not moe, either of the one sexe or the other, may be lawfully married together at once: for, the law saith, a man shall be joyned to his wife, not to his wives, and they two, not they three, or four, shall be one flesh.
From the mysticall application of the words, and of the purpose comprehended in them, Learn, 1. So great a depth is Scripture, that in some parcels thereof, which do appear most plain and easie to be understood, many dark and hid mysteries do lye undiscovered: for, under this plain history of the marriage of our first parents, that great mysterie of the spiritual conjunction of Christ and His Church, was also held forth, as the Apostle doth here make clear; For this cause shall a man leave father and mother. See further to this purpose, upon Gal. 4. ver. 24. doct. 1, 2. Doct. 2. So holy and honourable is the ordinance of marriage in it self, and so highly ought it to be esteemed of by us, that God maketh use of it to shadow forth that blessed union and most holy communion which is betwixt Christ and His Church: for, what was spoken historically of marriage, is here applied mystically to Christ; For this cause shall a man leave, &c. 3. As the Church of true Believers, is the Bride, the Lambs wife, espoused already to Christ; So never any man did more to purchase a Bride to himself, than Christ hath done for His. He laid aside the glory which He had with the Father, and became of no reputation, as was mystically foretold in this history of the first marriage; A man shall leave his father and mother. 4. The great travel and trouble which Christ was put to for purchasing a Bride unto Himself, doth not make Him regard her the lesse now when He hath her: for, He doth inseparably cleave unto her, with most ardent and exemplary affection, as was also mystically foretold; And shall be joyned to his wife.