Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Commentary on Genesis · Chapter 2 · Verse 22
VERSE 22.
THe Ribb which the Lord God had taken] So that he brought not any other matter to it, to make up the Womans body out of it and other materials added to it; but that very Ribb that he made into a Woman. The manner let no man enquire into, which is ſecret: But of Gods power to be able to make ſo large a body, of ſo ſmall a ſubſtance, who can doubt, that acknowledgeth that God made the World of nothing?
Made he a Woman] Or, according to the Original, Built he into a Woman: A phraſe pointing at the Art in framing of her body, and at the perfection of the Work. For an houſe, as we know, is compoſed by Art, in a proportion fit for the uſe to which it is deſigned. Whether this phraſe have relation alſo to the man, who was but, as it were, One ſide of the houſe, till the woman was made, and joyned to him, or (which is more probable) points onelyonly at the perfect frame of the Womans body, being as an houſe well built, and in due proportion, we need not diſpute. We know the Scripture often reſembles mans body to an houſe, Job 4.19. 2 Cor. 5.1.
And brought her unto the man] Not as he brought the beaſts before him, to be ſurveyed; but, after he had related unto Him whence ſhe was taken, to give her unto him as his unſeparable companion to dwell with him, and be his Helper. Whether this were performed with ſome viſible repreſentation of Gods preſence, (as ſome conceive it to be done by Chriſt Himſelf, taking on him the Form of a man, as he did ſometimes after the Fall) or any other way, and with what Ceremony, ſince the Holy Ghoſt hath not expreſſed it, we muſt not enquire. This only we muſt acknowledge, that this bringing of the Woman to the Man, implyes the full beſtowing of her upon him, that they ſhould live together as Man and Wife, by Gods appointment.
So then, in this deſcription of the Womans Creation, we have laid before us all the Cauſes of that work: The Efficient, God. The Material, A Ribb taken from the Man. The Formal, to be made a Woman. And the Final, that ſhe might be a VVife and Helper to the Man. Of the VVomans Soul we hear nothing in this place. Moſes had ſaid enough before, in the Creation of the Man, leaving us to conceive, that ſince there is nothing more mentioned concerning the womans ſoul, than we had heard before in the inſpiring of Adams, that ſhe alſo had her ſoul inſpired in the like manner. This new wonder of multiplying one Bone into ſo many, of making ſo many parts and members of One, and of enlarging one ſmall Ribb, into the full meaſure of a Womans body fully grown, miniſters much matter of Philoſophical Diſputes, to men that forget, that the Holy Ghoſt preſents unto them a work above nature, and therefore not to be examined by Natural reaſon, and by expreſſing what was done without; the Manner how, leads them to Admiration, rather than into a Curious inquiſition, of that which we cannot underſtand. Only it gives us occaſion from hence to,
1. Obſerve, God can change any thing into what Form he pleaſeth.
Obſerv. 1 THis he manifeſts in the whole courſe of nature: Out of a ſmall ſeed he produceth the Root, the Stalk, the Ear of the Corn, all theſe, and the flower and fruits of every herb. The Trunck, Bark, Leaves, Branches, Bloſſoms and Ripe Fruits of every Tree. Out of the Similar parts of the ſeed of Man and Beaſts, the ſeveral Members and Diſſimilar parts of the bodies, of all living Creatures: and out of the ſame food, the matter that nouriſheth them all, diverſified according to the nature of every part. And no marvel, ſeeing all theſe things are from God Himſelf, and not from the Matter out of which they are produced, who can therefore eaſily turn any matter into what form he will, ſeeing he gave them that form in which they are. See Chap. 1. Ver. 21. Obſerv. 4.
This phraſe of Building here uſed, pointing at the Exactneſſe and perfection of the work of the Art uſed in framing it, may warrant us to,
2. Obſerve, God is Exact and Perfect in all the Works that he undertakes.
Obſerv. 2 HIs Work is Perfect, Deut. 32.4. in a Reſpective Perfection to the proportion of the work it ſelf, and to the End whereat it aimes. See Chap. 1. Ver. 4. Obſerv. 3. and Chap. 2. Ver. 1. Obſerv. 3.
God built the Ribb into a Woman, the Text ſaith expreſly: That he therein uſed the Miniſtery of Angels (as ſome have imagined) is a groundleſſe fantaſie; ſo that we may warrantably,
3. Obſerve. Women, as well as men, are Gods own Workmanſhip.
Obſerv. 3 HE made Male and Female, Matth. 19.4. made one woman, Mal. 2.15. this unqueſtionable Truth needs no proof at all.
Let it be the Comfort of that Sexe, That which is Gods work ſhall be his Care. His Son Chriſt hath honoured them in taking fleſh of a Woman and not of a Man. God Himſelf hath honoured them ſo far ſometimes, as to put the government of the State into their Hands, Judg. 4.4. To make uſe of them, extraordinarily, for the revealing of his Will, by way of Prophecy to his Church. But above all, both redeemed them, as well as men by the Blood of his Own Son, Sanctified them by his Spirit; And made them heires together with Men of the Grace of Life, 1 Pet. 3.7. The more to blame are they that ſo far undervalew them that they Judge them unworthy of the knowledge of his Truth …; And by conſequence of Life and Salvation; whereas in Chriſt there is neither Male nor Female, as the Apoſtle tells us, Gal. 3.28.
It is worthy our Obſerving, that God having abundance of Spirit (as the Prophet ſpeaks, Mal. 2.15.) and there being more cauſe, of giving Adam many Wives, for the ſpeedy Peopling of the Earth, than there could be to any of his Poſterity, yet in the begining would make Adam but one Wife; Whence,
4. Obſerve, God hath allowell but one Wife to one Man.
Obſerv. 4 GOds Act in Creating but one Man, and One Woman, and His Law given Adam thereupon, that thoſe two ſhould be one fleſh, as they had been One, our Saviour alleadgeth, Matth. 19.4. Propoſeth as a Law binding all Adams Poſterity, and therefore not to be diſpenſed with, by Moſes, much more doth it make void all arguments taken up from the acts, though of the Patriarchs themſelves, whoſe Polygamies are rather not reproved, then allowed; much leſſe ſet before us for Precedents for imitation, but may be juſtly conceived to be recorded amongſt their blemiſhes: the ſucceſſe whereof turned, either to their vexation, as the Contentions between Leab and Rachel did to Jacob; or became their ſnares, as Solomons many VVives did unto him; or were a Judgment and Plague unto them, as Davids Concubines, when they were defiled by his Son Abſolom. Indeed ſingle matches are the beſt meanes of preſerving love between the married Perſons, and their Poſterity, Chaſtity, Order and Government in the Family: all which cannot but be much hazarded if not quite overthrown by Polygamie, as is manifeſt both by Reaſon, and Experience.
God had now made the VVoman, and that too, to be an help to the man; but all this while, Adam had no intereſt in her, till God had brought Her to Him, and beſtowed Her on Him, as his VVife; VVhence,
5. Obſerve. Though all things be made for Man, yet he can have no intereſt in any thing Untill God Himſelf beſtow it on him.
Obſerv. 5 HE had no right to the Lordſhip over the Creatures, till God had put them under his feet, nor to dwell in Paradiſe, till God gave him the poſſeſſion of it, nor to eat of the Trees therein, till God gave him leave to do it: Yea, when God hath put mens eſtates into their hands, yet our Saviour directs us to beg our allowance out of them from God, for the portion of every day. 1. Becauſe all that we have or Uſe is Gods, who only Sends them to us for our uſe, reſerving the Propriety of all to himſelf; 2. That we may uſe all according to his Direction, and not according to our own Luſts. 3. That we may upon the better grounds expect his bleſſing upon that which we uſe, without which it cannot profit us.
Let every man then be carefull to get a Grant from God, of all that he hath, of the Land that he poſſeſſeth of the Houſe that he dwells in, of the Cloaths that he weares, of the Food that he eats; Firſt, that he may enjoy it by a Juſt Civil Title, by Honeſt Labour, Lawful Purchaſe, or Juſt Inheritance. Secondly, Let him withall gain a Religious Title; getting an intereſt therein, by Gods Promiſe, which is limited, 1. to all that are in Chriſt, who is Lord not onelyonly of the VVorld, but of his Church too, of which we are Members. 3. Let us get all that we make uſe of daily out of Gods Hand, begging it by prayer, and walking before him in an holy Courſe of Obedience, uſing the Creatures for no other end but to enable us thereunto.
Gods bringing the VVoman to Adam, and beſtowing her upon him, to be his VVife, and thereby declaring himſelf to be the Authour of that Marriage; VVarrants us to,
6. Obſerve, Every Child of God muſt deſire to receive his Wife from Gods Hand.
Obſerv. 6 GOd indeed claimes the power of match making to himſelf, in a more ſpeciall manner then he doth the ordering of any other affaires of men, Prov. 19.14. Not onelyonly becauſe he is the Common Parent, and therefore ought to have the greateſt hand in beſtowing his own Children; but beſides it is he that muſt give the Portion, which is not ſo much the Dowry given by the Parents (although that alſo be little worth, unleſſe his bleſſing be added to it) as the Abilities, by which the married perſons are made fit helpers one to another; Yea, it is he that muſt build the Houſe by bleſſing their Labours, and giving them the fruits of their bodies. Laſtly, becauſe the Children that are born to their Parents muſt be his, the end of marriage being, that He, and not onelyonly the Parents, might have an holy Seed, Mal. 2.15.
Let every good man then Labour to ſeek his Wife at Gods Hand; 1. By making choice of ſuch a Derſon, as is of his Family, with whom he may converſe as an Heir with him of the Grace of Life. 2. Labouring to gain her by warrantable Waies, Prayer, Advice, and Mediation of Godly Friends, Holy Conferences, and Godly propoſitions, not by carnall allurements, deceitfulneſſe, enticements, or violent importunities. 3. And aiming at a right end therein, rather our Encreaſe in piety, and the Propagation of an Holy Seed, than the advancing our ſelves in our outward eſtates: Remembring 1. that God onelyonly (who looks not as Man on the outward appearance, but ſeeth the heart) is onelyonly able to direct us in our choice. 2. That it laies upon us a ſtrong engagement, to make an holy uſe of marriage, when we thus lay the foundation of it in his Fear. 3. That it ſweetens all the croſſes, which we may meet with, in a married life; being aſſured, that if they fall upon us by his Hand, they ſhall by him be ſo ſanctified unto us, that they as all things elſe, ſhall work together to our good.