Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Commentary on Genesis · Chapter 2 · Verse 21
VERSE 21.
ANd the Lord God] To fix our eyes more fully on God, as the Author of this great mercy in the Creation of the Woman to be mans helper, The Holy Ghoſt entitles him to every Circumſtance obſervable in the forming of her. God ſends the Sleep, he takes out the Rib, He cloſeth up the fleſh in the place of it; He formes the Woman, He brings her to the man. So that there is none to be ſeen in that work, from the beginning to the end, but God alone. Now although all ſleep be from God, yet the Holy Ghoſt in this place notes unto us extraordinarie ſleep, which God caſt upon Adam for this occaſion, by his Own Hand.
Cauſed to fall] How, it is not expreſſed, nor curiouſly to be enquired in to, onelyonly it muſt be acknowledged (which is implyed in the relation) that it was not VVearineſſe by labour, nor Repletion by food, which brought this ſleep upon him, at this time; And therefore muſt be accounted as an extraordinary Act of God, as are all the reſt that follow afterwards.
A deep ſleep] For ſo the Word in the Originall ſignifies, which bound up all his ſenſes; ſuch a ſleep as fell upon Abraham, Gen. 15.12. Whether it were a Trance or Extaſie, as ſome conceive it to have been, is more then can be gathered out of the Text. Such a ſleep it was queſtionleſſe, that took from Adam the Obſervation of all that was done, till the work was ended; Some conceive that he was caſt into this ſleep, to take from him the ſenſe of the pain, which the taking out of his Rib muſt needs put him to, as they conceive (as if God, that took it out, could not take it out without pain): Others that the work might appear to be wholly Gods; ſeeing the man was aſleep, while it was done, and that the Providence and Love of God towards him, might the more evidently appear, in providing this help for him while he ſlept; And laſtly, ſome moſt probably conceive, that Gods Intention was in this, as in the reſt of his works, to hide the Operation from mans eies, that he might rather ſee What was done, then How it was done, which is the courſe that he takes in all the acts of his Providence unto this day.
And he took one of his Ribbs] In this, and in the Circumſtance following (of cloſing up of the fleſh inſtead thereof, and framing the woman) the Spirit of God expreſſing only that they were Gods Acts, but forbearing to deſcribe How they were done; in a ſort commands us rather to believe, then to ſearch curiouſly into them. But why a Rib? Some conceive, for the Scituation that it hath in the body; as firſt, that it was taken neither from the head nor foot, to manifeſt that the place of the Wife was to be neither above, nor to be far below, her Husband. Secondly, that it was taken from a place near the heart, to point at the entire and hearty affection, wherewith the man was to imbrace his Wife. Thirdly, becauſe thoſe parts of the body, are covered with the Armes, ſome conceive that it noted both the ſhadowing, and protection of the Wife by the Husband; All are but conjectures and ſo to be taken, and yet may miniſter unto us hints of profitable meditation; But beſides it may be profitably conceived, that God made choice of a Rib, becauſe it might be beſt ſpared, without any notable maime, or deformity to the body. The Rib by ſome is taken entirely for the whole Rib, both the Bone and the Fleſh belonging thereunto, becauſe Adam afterwards acknowledgeth her to be not onelyonly Bone of his Bone, but Fleſh of his Fleſh likwiſe; And a bone he took, not ſo much to point at the ſtifneſſe and untractableneſſe of Women, as ſome imagine; as at their ſtrength and Firmneſſe in help and Aſſiſtance.
And cloſed up the fleſh] So that it ſeemes, after that, Adam wanted one of his Ribs, unleſſe we follow their opinion, who being loath to acknowledge any defect in Adams body, ſuppoſe that God in the beginning Created in Adam one Rib Supernumerary, which he took away, when he made the Woman: a groundleſſe and vain Conjecture. It ſeems more probable, that whereas God might, as eaſily have filled up the place with another Bone, as he did with fleſh; He did purpoſely leave Adam, that lively remembrance of the want of a Rib, as a Character in his breaſt, as well to keep ſtill freſh in his mind, the remembrance of ſo great a Mercy from God in Creating him ſuch an help, as alſo to ſet alwaies before him, the duty of embracing his VVife, with hearty affections, that was part of his own fleſh and Bone, taken from a place ſo near unto his heart.
After God had made Adam to obſerve the neceſſity of Creating the woman, he takes the work it ſelf in hand, and firſt by way of preparation thereunto, caſts Adam into a deep ſleep, and then takes out of Adams breaſt, the matter of which he formes the VVoman, This deep Sleep God caſt Adam into. VVhence,
1. Obſerve, Even ſleep, and quiet reſt, are given by God Himſelf, and therefore are to be acknowledged as his Bleſſings.
Obſerv. 1 WHen he pleaſeth He holdeth, and keeps our eyes waking, Pſalm. 77.4. As he did that Great Kings, when he would give him occaſion to remember Mordecay's good Service, Heſt. 6.2. And it is he that beſtowes ſleep on his Beloved, Pſalm. 127.2. As on the contrary He ſendeth a ſpirit of deep ſleep, upon his adverſaries, when he pleaſeth, Iſa. 29.10.
Let men then acknowledge, and reckon up ſleep amongſt Gods Bleſſings, as an eſpeciall meanes of quickening and refreſhing their ſpirits; and thereby both of ſupporting men lives, and ſtrengthening them for their imployments: eſpecially when it is ſweet and comfortable, as Jer. 31.26. And not troubled with affrighting dreames, as Job 7.14. which God gives or denies at his Pleaſure; by Naturall meanes indeed, but thoſe both ſent, and made effectuall by Himſelf.
God we ſee makes Adam to find the need of an help, before he goes about to make one; And when he had made her, opens his eyes to behold, and take notice of her fitneſſe for him, but how ſhe is made he muſt not ſee: all the while the work is in hand, he muſt be in a deeper ſleep; Thus God deales uſually in all his works. So that we may from hence,
2. Obſerve, Though God be pleaſed to manifeſt his works to men, that they may behold them; yet the manner how they are wrought, is uſually hidden from their eyes.
Obſerv. 2 IF in things Naturall, we ſee that the Child is framed in the Mothers Womb, but we know not how; that we are nouriſhed by our food, but in what manner we cannot obſerve; that Corn, Herbs, and Plants do grow, but how we cannot tell: Much more in things Spirituall are we ignorant how; faith is wrought in our hearts, how we are born a new, we know not, though we feel the effects themſelves: which wales of God are neither Abſolutely Neceſſary to be diſcovered to us, nor poſſible to be diſcovered by us, in this body of the fleſh wherein we diſcover both God, and his Waies onelyonly in part, 1 Cor 13.12. It is ſufficient that we ſhall know all things whereof our nature is Capable hereafter, when we ſhall know as we are known; And ſee God Himſelf as Heis, 1 John 3.2. See Obſerv. 7. on the ſecond Verſe of the Firſt Chapter.
VVhether this, amongſt the reſt, were intended by God to caſt Adam into a ſleep while he made the VVoman, that He might take notice of Gods Care and Providence over him, while he ſlept, it is not certain; but that it was ſo, it is evident. Whence,
3. Obſerve, God takes care of us, and provides for us, even while we ſleep, and think not on our own affaires.
Obſerv. 3 WHile David ſlept the Lord ſuſtained him, Pſalme 3.5. The Heavens Caſt their influence upon the Earth, the Herbs and Plants grow, the Corn which we ſowe takes root by night, while we ſleep, as well as while we wake in the day, Mark. 4.27. Thus his eyes are ſtill upon our Labours, caring for us from the Beginning to the end of the Year, Deut. 11.12. VVhile the Mother ſleeps the Child is faſhioned, and growes in her VVomb, our meat is digeſted in our ſtomacks while we talk, labour, or follow our employments; Yea he makes our reynes to teach us every night, Pſalme 16.7. Inſtructing us ſometimes in dreames and viſions; as He did Jacob, Joſeph his Son, Paraoh, Nebuchadnezzar Pilates VVife, and divers others; And this as 1. He can do becauſe he neither ſlumbers nor ſleeps, Pſal, 121.3.4. So, ſecondly, he doth 1. To manifeſt his faithful Care over us, that our hearts may reſt upon him, 2. and to convince us that the meanes by which we are ſupported, are not from our ſelves, when we have no hand in thoſe works which are done, not onelyonly without our help, but without our knowledge.
The Man himſelf, with divers other Creatures, God framed out of the Earth, the matter of the Womans Body, he takes from the Man; the reaſon whereof we ſhall enquire into hereafter. In the mean time, from hence we may,
4. Obſerve, God delights to vary his waies in all his Operations.
Obſerv. 4 The works themſelves are indeed of infinite variety, Pſalme 104.23. And ſo is the matter on which he works, Groſſe Earth, Fluid VVaters, Thin Vapours, or the like; and that Matter is ſometimes Rude and unprepared, ſometimes fitted for the effect to be produced, as Seeds to produce Herbs, and Plants; And ſo are his waies of working ſometime by means, ſometimes without: Sometimes by meanes agreeable, other whiles by contraries. All this he doth to Manifeſt, 1. his infinite Wiſdom, Pſal. 104.24. 2. His Almighty Power, appearing in this, that he ties himſelf to no meanes, nor manner of working, but brings to paſſe any thing, by what way he pleaſeth; So that the effect appears not to depend upon any meanes, but only upon the power of him that worketh All in All. 3. That he may intice us by ſuch variety, to ſearch into his waies as His Workes are ſought out by thoſe that have pleaſure therein, Pſalme 111.2.
1. Advance and Magnifie God in comparng men with him, their folly with his Wiſdome, their weakneſſe with his Power; men muſt have ſuch Materials, ſuch Preparations, ſuch Inſtruments; or elſe they can work nothing, whereas God works any thing, out of any Materiall, by any Inſtrument; Nay, without any, and that of Himſelf without the aſſiſtance of any Creature at all.
2. Deſpair not at any time, nor in any caſe: Do Materials fail? Is there never a Rib in Adams ſide, no drie bones in the field? No ſtones to raiſe up Children to Abraham? If there be none of theſe, where was the matter of which God made the World? The like we may ſay of Meanes and Helps, nothing can fail us, but our own hearts, to reſt upon Gods Power, and Faithfulneſſe, waiting for him in the way of his Judgments, Iſa. 26.8.
The Reaſon why God took Adams Rib to make of it the Womans Body, may be conceived to be, either to knit them the neerer together in one band of Love, as being the ſame fleſh, which no man ever hated, Eph. 5.29. Or by the Womans Original, to point at the ſtraightneſſe of the Marriage Band, that the Man and Wife ſhould become one, as they were One at the firſt, Matth. 19.5. To both which uſes Adam applyes this Conſideration afterwards, verſe 24. Or to manifeſt the Womans Dependance upon, and Subjection unto her Husband, which the Apoſtle infers upon this very ground, that ſhe was taken out of the Man, 1 Cor. 11.8. Or beſids all theſe, both to knit all men together in mutuall Love, as ſpringing every way from one blood, Act. 17.26. And withal to lead them to the Conſideration of that One God, the Father of All, from whom all things have their Originall. Out of all thoſe profitable Conſiderations, which this Circumſtance yields unto us; VVe may,
5. Obſerve, Gods Wayes and Works are Ordinarily full of holy Inſtructions.
Obſerv. 5 DAy unto day uttereth ſpeech, and night unto night teacheth knowledge, Pſal. 19.2. The Ants provident diligence, Prov. 6.6. The Storks obſervation of the ſeaſons of the year, Jer. 8.7. The Oxe and Aſſes acknowledgment of their Owners that feed them; nay, the very growing of the Lillies, ſpringing of the Corn, from the ſeed that dies, and what not? afford us Inſtructions, Reproofs, and grounds of Conſolation. It muſt needs be ſo, ſeeing they are the effects of Gods Wiſdom, Power, and Goodneſſe, and therefore cannot but manifeſt unto us, thoſe glorious Attributes of his, and thereby teach us to Fear, Love, and Truſt in Him. 2. And are by God Himſelf in a ſpecial manner directed unto that end, Eccl. 3.14. Pſal. 92.15.
The place whence this Ribb was taken, is ſuppoſed to point at the place, which the Wife was to have under her Husband. Whence,
6. Obſerve, The Wife muſt be neither her Husbands Lord nor Vaſſal.
Obſerv. 6 SUbject indeed unto him, as unto the Lord, Eph. 5.22. and therefore to reſpect him with Reverence, ver. 33. and yet beloved of him as his own fleſh, ver. 28. and governed by him with great moderation, and reſpect to her as the weaker veſſel, 1 Pet. 3.7. made partaker of his Counſels, in things of mutuall Concernment, as a friend; of his Eſtate above a Child; of his Love, as his own fleſh, advanced to rule and exerciſe Authority under him at home, and to Honour and Reſpect abroad, preſerved as the apple of his eye; and Comforted, Strengthened, and Encouraged as the Companion of his Labours, and partaker of all his hopes; ſubjected to him in her Outward Condition, but highly advanced in his heart, as a member of Chriſt, and Heir together with him of the Grace of Life.
The Matter of which the Woman was made, being a Bone of Adam's Body, and conſequently the firmeſt Material that could be taken from him, warrants us farther to,
7. Obſerve, A Wife Is, or Should be, a ſtrong Helper to her Husband.
Obſerv. 7 SUch a one a vertuous Wife is deſcribed to be, Prov. 31. Such as were thoſe holy Matrons, Sarah, Rebeccah, Bathſhebah, and others. Great reaſon ſhe ſhould be ſo, ſeeing ſhe is the ſecond Pillar that ſupports the family, one in whom the Husbands heart may ſafely truſt, Prov. 31.11. for her advice, in ordering his affaires, overſeeing the wayes of his houſhold, inſtructing the Children, directing the ſervants at home, comforting him in all diſtreſſes, aſſiſting in all Temptations. She that ſhall perform all theſe duties, needs to be furniſhed with proportionable abilities, both of Nature, and Grace, and ſtrongly ſupported by the aſſiſtance of Gods Spirit.
It ſeems God made choice of a rib, as being fitteſt to be ſpared, without any conſiderable Maim, or Deformity to the reſt of the body, that ſo he might do him much good, with little harm or loſſe. Whence,
8. Obſerve, God requires nothing of us, nor doth any thing unto us, that may hurt us, or undo us.
Obſerv. 8 HE requires no more of our Eſtate then we may well ſpare, conſidering his bleſſing annexed to our liberality, Prov. 3.9. (ſo his care of eaſing the poor, Levit. 12.8.); no more of our Labours then may well ſtand with our health, our Thrift, and the liberty and freedom of our minds for heavenly Meditations, and Religious Exerciſes; no more abſtinence from unprofitable delights, than may ſtand with the health of our bodies, and conduce to the well ordering of our minds, and the preſervation of the Creatures; nay, he layes no more upon us in Temptations and Tryals, than we are able to bear, 1 Cor. 10.13. and than he recompenſeth with a proportionable meaſure of Conſolation, 2 Cor. 1.5. than ſerves to hold us on in a right way, Pſal. 119.67. at preſent, and to advance our reward at the laſt day, 2 Cor. 4.17. Neither can it be otherwiſe, ſeeing God, 1. Seeks no gain by us, but would have us gain by him, Deut. 5.29. 2. Cannot wrong us through ignorance, for he knowes our frame, and remembers that we are duſt, Pſal. 103.14. and knowes before-hand how to deliver us in any Temptation, 2 Pet. 2.9. 3. Neither is he enforced to lay heavy burthens on ſome, to ſpare others: for he that is All-ſufficient, can provide for the good of Community, with the good of every particular member thereof.
Let nothing be grievous unto us that God either Commands, or layes upon us; Remembring, 1. That he may do with his own what he will. 2. And yet hates nothing which he hath made. 3. And Can, and will not fail to reſtore unto us abundantly, whatſoever we ſeem to loſe, either in Doing, or Suffering by his appointment, that he may be no mans debtor.
It is added, that God cloſed up the fleſh inſtead of the Rib that he had taken away; as indeed it was needful, both to hide the deformity, and to preſerve the Inward parts. Whence,
9. Obſerve, God takes nothing from us, but he takes care to recompence it unto us, ſome way or other.
Obſerv. 9 WHen he requires it, for his ſervice, Prov. 3.9, 10. Mal. 3.10. Or for the neceſſary relief of his children, Prov. 19.17. or takes it from us, when we ſuffer for his Name, Matth. 19.29. or bear his yoke: as is manifeſt in Job's example. And this Experience will ſhew us (if we wiſely conſider Gods wayes) that whatſoever loſſe we make, by him, or for him, ſhall be either recompenſed in the ſame kind, as in Job's caſe, or in ſomething of greater advantage unto us; as the loſſe of Wealth, with encreaſe of Grace: and that either in preſent, Mark 10.30. or after a while, Eccl. 11.1. Or at the fartheſt, at the laſt day. And hereof we may reſt aſſured, both becauſe Gods All-ſufficiency enableth him thereunto, as alſo becauſe his abundant love moves him thereunto, and the reſpect to his own honour, who is neither Unrighteous to forget our labour of Love, Heb. 6.10. nor can endure to be any mans debtor, Rom. 11.35. or to diſhearten any man thereby, in his ſervice.
But it was but fleſh wherewith God filled up the breach, that he had made in Adams breaſt, to leave that lively remembrance with him, both of his Wifes nearneſſe unto him, and of his duty unto her. Whence,
10. Obſerve, It is uſual with God to leave with us near and lively Remembrances both of his Mercies to us, and of our Duties.
Obſer. 10 THus he ſet the ſeal of his Covenant in the fleſh of Abraham, left the Sabbath to be a publique Monument both of his Mercies, and of our Duty. Thus he heales the corruption of our Nature, but ſo, that by the dwelling of ſin in us, we may be ſenſible from what we are delivered, be the more thankful for Chriſt, Rom. 7.24, 25. and made the more watchful in all our wayes. And this he doth out of a kind of neceſſity, to help our weakneſſe, who of our ſelves are ſo apt to caſt behind our backs the remembrance of his Mercies, and of our own Duties.