Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Book 3 · Chapter 3 · Verse 16
VERSE 16.
UNto the woman he ſaid] She being the firſt in the tranſgreſſion, is firſt in the cenſure, as ſhe had juſtly deſerved.
I will greatly multiply thy ſorrow and conception] That is, thy ſorrow in conceiving and breeding of children. Sorrow is pain, and weakneſſe of body, which makes the heart ſad and heavy; and that ſuch kinde of paines and weakneſſe, and indiſpoſition of body in women, doth uſually accompany the conceiving and breeding of children, all experience ſhews: now though that ariſe from a cauſe in nature, yet it is ordered and appointed by God himſelfe, in a courſe of Juſtice.
In ſorrow ſhalt thou bring forth children] That is, with bitter and ſharp paines, which moſt women generally ſuffer in their travail, many times to the endangering, yea, as we ſee ſometimes, to the loſſe of their lives: this is a farther encreaſe of the judgement; to ſickneſſe in conceiving, are added ſtrong paines in travaile.
And thy deſire ſhall be to thy husband] The ſame phraſe the Lord uſeth to expreſſe Abels ſubjection to his brother Cain, Gen. 4.7. which implies not only ſubjection to him, in obeying his commands, but reacheth farther, to the bringing under unto him, the very deſires of her heart, to be regulated by him, ſo farre that it ſhould not be lawful for her to will, or deſire what ſhe her ſelfe liked, but only what her husband ſhould approve and allow. A juſt law unto her, who having given way to her own inordinate phantaſie, and appetite, ſtirred up in her by the ſuggeſtions of Satan, had undone at once both her ſelf and husband. And yet a rule given her for her own good and ſafety, who having by experience found how ill ſhe was able to moderate her own deſires, muſt needs be the more ſecured, by having a Moderator ſet over her, by whoſe wiſdome, ſuch inordinate motions of her minde, might at leaſt be ſo farre kept in order, that they ſhould not break out into outward Acts. Now it muſt needs be, that the man being of the two, of the more noble ſex, and the woman being created both for him, and out of him, he muſt from the beginning have preeminence above the woman; but that may ſeem to be at the firſt, rather a priority in order, then a ſuperiority in authority. And both of them being endued with perfect underſtanding, and with wills and affections rightly ordered every way, their government (if they had continued in that condition) might, in all probability, have been carried on rather by conſent, then by preſcription, when they ſhould both of them deſire and approve the ſame things, in which caſe injunctions had been needleſſe.
In examining this ſentence, which God paſſeth upon the woman firſt, and upon the man afterwards, it is worthy our obſervation, that in them both we finde a mixture of mercy, tempered with judgement. The woman ſhall endure paines, and ſorrow in conceiving, and in bringing forth children, but that neceſſarily ſuppoſeth, that ſhe ſhall have children, and a poſterity, and leave an iſſue behinde her, whereas in the extremity of Juſtice, ſhe might, at that very preſent, have been cut off from the earth, according to the curſe threatened; In the day when thou cateſt thereof, thou ſhalt die the death. And as for the man, his labour (which at firſt was unto him a recreation and delight) ſhall now be hard and painful; but withal there's a promiſe enterlaced, that the ſweat of his face ſhall yield him bread, that is, meanes for the ſuſtaining of his life. And that we may more clearly diſcover the way of God herein, we muſt in a ſpecial manner obſerve, that this ſentence is pronounced againſt them both, after the promiſe of Chriſt made unto them in the verſe praecedent; in whom God offered to our firſt Parents peace and reconciliation, although he lay upon them theſe quick remembrances, both of their own ſin, and of Gods juſt diſpleaſure againſt them for it. Whence
1 OBSERVE, All the afflictions of Christs members are diſpenſed unto them under the Covenant of Grace.
Obſerve 1 GOd eſtabliſheth a firme Covenant with David, Pſal. 89.28. and after that chaſtens him in his poſterity, when they provoke him, and yet makes good his Covenant ſtill, ver. 31, 32, 34. His children muſt have afflictions in the world, Joh. 16.33. He receives us for ſons, and yet chaſtens us, Heb. 12.6. pardons Davids ſinne, and yet layes his hand upon his childe, 2 Sam. 12. Whence the Prophet David acknowledgeth, that he had afflicted him in faithfulneſſe, Pſal. 119.75. that is, both in ſincere love, and according to his Promiſe and Covenant which he had made with him. Reaſons may be,
1. All his diſpenſations towards the members of Chriſt, are by vertue of that Covenant, by which he adminiſters all things to them, having committed all judgement to the ſon, Joh. 5.22.
2. Neither is the chaſtiſement of his children any hinderance to that Covenant, by which God hath engaged himſelf to with-hold no good thing from us, Pſal. 84.11. ſeeing they alſo work together to their good, Rom. 8.28. as David found by experience, Pſal. 119.71.
3. Otherwiſe God ſhould loſe his end, in chaſtening his own for their good, ſeeing the good of all proceeds from the ſanctifying of all in Chriſt, who is like the tree that ſweetened the bitter waters, Exod. 15.25.
4. God is no changeling, His mercy is from everlaſting to everlasting upon thoſe that feare him, Pſal. 103.17. neither doth he as men, ſometimes love, and ſometimes hate, but loves unto the end, thoſe whom he loves, John 13.1. Alwayes taking pleaſure in thoſe that fear him, Pſal. 147.11. even when he is diſpleaſed with their ſins, Eſay 57.17, 18.
1. A ſingular conſolation to the godly, when not only thoſe afflictions, which fall upon them by the will of God, are ſanctified unto them in Chriſt, but beſides the Covenant of peace remains firme unto them. So that no evil ſhall offend them, or interrupt their peace, Pſalme 119.165. nor ſeparate them from the love of Chriſt, Rom. 8.31.
2. Let no man judge of his eſtate by the afflictions that befall him in this life, by which no man can gueſſe, whether he be worthy of love or hatred, Eccl. 9.1. It was Davids error, that he judged of his own condition, by his chaſtiſements, that lighted on him every morning, Pſal. 73.14. which beſides the preſent unquietneſſe of his ſpirit, which much afflicted him, ver. 21. had wel nigh diſheartned him in his courſe, verſ. 13. Indeed the judging of our eſtates upon ſuch falſe grounds,
1. Cannot but at preſent deprive us of our comfort, in the aſſurance of Gods love, and hinder our rejoycing in him.
2. Diſcourage us in our duties of his ſervice.
3. Shake our faith.
4. And take away the fruits of our afflictions, reformation for time to come; ſee Pſalm 119.67. and experience of his love and faithfulneſſe at preſent, Rom. 5.3.
1. Let us then in the midſt of our afflictions hold faſt the grounds of our hope, as Job doth, in the middeſt of thoſe ſharp tryals, wherewith God exerciſed him, Job 19.25. and the Church of God, Lam. 3.21, 24.
2. Let us withal ſearch our wayes, Lam. 3.40. remembring that afflictions, although they be not laid upon any of Gods children as a judgement for ſin, yet they are chaſtiſements for ſin, and are intended to us for reformation, Iſa. 27.9. Seeing Gods diſpleaſure is not againſt our perſons, which he chaſtiſeth in love, Pſal. 119.75. but againſt our ſins only, for which when we are humbled; and break them off by repentance, we ſhall finde the experience of Gods relenting towards us, and readineſſe to abound in mercies, as in times paſt, Jer. 31.18, 19, 20.
The ſentence that was decreed by God againſt our Parents, was as the words import, preſent death, Death in that day wherein they ſhould eat of the fruit forbidden. The extremity of this ſentence (God now looking upon them in Chriſt) is pleaſed to remit. Notwithſtanding, he thinks fit to leave with them ſuch remembrances, both of their ſin, and of his diſlike of it, as might put them in minde of it all the dayes of their lives. Whence
2 OBSERVE, Though God have, thorough Chriſt remitted to his children the ſentence of Death, yet he hath not freed them from the afflictions of this life.
Obſerve. 2 ARiſing, 1. From within our ſelves, either in the outward man, as infirmities, or ſickneſſes of body, ſuch as the Prophet David complaines of, Pſal. 38.5, 7. or in the ſoul and ſpirit, in much grief and unquietneſſe of mind, with which the godly are ſomtimes afflicted, Pſal. 77.2, 3. and that ſo far, that both their fleſh and their heart may fail them, Pſal. 73.26.
2. From without by Satan, and his inſtruments, which are great vexations, Pſal. 143.4, 5. As our Saviour himſelf tells us, that we ſhall have tribulations in the world, Job 16.33. Reaſons,
1. God hath ſo much reſpect to his own honour, advanced,
Firſt, by diſcovering the ſincerity of his ſervants hearts, who might be conceived to ſerve God, rather for hire then for love, as Satan caſts it in Gods teeth, Job 1.9, 10. but when they truſt in him, and ſerve him cheerfully, even when he ſlays them, Iob 13.15. declare to the world, that they cleave unto him for himſelf, and not for his rewards.
2. In his Juſtice, who ſpares not his own children, when they ſin againſt him (as himſelf declares, Pſal. 89.30.) as oftentimes they do, 1 Kings 8.46.
Thirdly, in his truth and faithfulneſſe, when he preſerves his own in the midſt of their tryals (holds them ſtill by their right hand, Pſal. 73.23.) as he did the three children in the flames offire, Dan. 3.28.
2. It is for his childrens good many ways,
1. To humble them, Ier. 31.18, 19.
2. To reform them, as it did David, Pſal. 119.67. and ought to do us, Lam. 3.40.
3. To keep us cloſe to God, as it did the ſame Prophet David, Pſ. 73.28.
4. By making us weary of the world, in which we can enjoy no quietneſſe; to make us long for heaven, where all teares ſhall be wiped away from our eyes, and there ſhall be no more ſorrow nor paine, Rev. 21.4. but fulneſſe of joy, and rivers of pleaſures for evermore, Pſal. 16.12.
1. It juſtly taxeth all thoſe that murmur, and are ready to blaſpheme God, for their plagues, Rev. 16.11. as all wicked men do. Or are offended at the condition of a Chriſtian, when tribulations & perſecutions ariſe, as they are that have no root in themſelves, Mat. 13.21. or are diſcouraged in the courſe of their profeſſion, as the Prophet David was, Pſal. 73.13, 14. Or laſtly, ſuch as judge men forſaken, or neglected by God, when they finde them, even the godly themſelves, involved in the ſame calamities, with the reſt of the world, as they judged of Davids caſe, Pſal. 71.11. and as the Barbarians judged of Paul, Act. 28.4.
2. And ought to quiet the ſpirits of all that are godly, if they will conſider,
1. Not ſo much what they ſuffer in their preſent afflictions, as from what they are delivered, and have juſtly deſerved.
2. And that the burthen of afflictions, which ſeemes ſo heavy, is in true eſtimation both light and momentany, as the Apoſtle tels us, 2 Cor. 4.17.
3. And whatſoever they are, they are no effects of Gods hatred, but of his love; and not exacted upon us as a debt for ſin, which Chriſt hath ſatisfied to the full, but laid on us as chaſtiſements for our good.
Now if we look on the manner of Gods diſpenſing theſe afflictions, which he layes upon the offendors, in this ſentence which he pronounceth upon them, we ſhall diſcover in them (as hath already been obſerved) a mixture of mercy with their judgement, a compoſition of bitter and ſweet; The woman ſhall have joy and comfort in her iſſue, but ſharp paines and ſorrow both in conceiving, and bringing forth her children. And the man ſhall have the fruit of his labours, for the ſuſtaining of his life; but withal he ſhall buy it dearly, with the ſweat of his face, by much labour and wearineſſe. Whence
3. OBSERVE. All the afflictions that God layes upon his children in this life, have mixed with their bitterneſſe ſome ſweetneſſe of mercy.
Obſerve 3 FIrſt there is mercy in the fountain whence theſe diſpenſations of afflictions flow, which is not wrath and diſpleaſure, but love and faithfulneſſe, as the Prophet acknowledgeth, Pſal. 119.75.
Secondly, in the meaſure, Iſa. 27.8. that he doth not ſtir up all his wrath againſt us, Pſal. 78.38.
Thirdly, in the iſſue, that even the afflictions themſelves work to their good, as Dauid found by experience, and God hath promiſed they ſhall do, Rom. 8.28. Reaſon,
1. The ſatisfaction of Chriſt, who hath taken upon him all the debt of our ſins, (which is pure wrath) and hath paid that to the uttermoſt. So that the diſpenſation of the chaſtiſements, wherewith God is pleaſed to exerciſe his children, muſt needs be out of Gods mercy, and not out of his Juſtice.
2. Otherwiſe Chriſt had redeemed his children in vaine, if God ſhould now after he is reconciled fully unto us, and hath pardoned all our ſins, and accepted a ranſome, poure out his wrath upon us again, and thereby deſtroy us, depriving us of the benefit of our Covenant, and himſelf of his own glory.
1. Let it ſupport all our ſpirits, in the middeſt of our ſharpeſt trials, as it doth the Churches, Lam. 3.28, 29, 31, 32. and raiſe them to a patient waiting upon God, that ſeemes for the preſent to hide his face from us, as the Prophet reſolves, Iſa. 8.17. and the Pſalmiſt doth, Pſal. 130.3, 4, 5. in the way of his judgements, Iſa. 26.8. whoſe very wrath, having in it a mixture of mercy and compaſſion, Jerem. 31.20. gives ground of aſſurance, that he will not chide continually; Pſal. 103.9.10. ſeeing he hath not dealt with us after our ſins, and doth but wait, that he may be gracious unto us, Iſa. 30.18.
2. Let us in all our afflictions, take notice of, and labour to ſearch out, that mercy that he mixeth with his judgements.
Firſt, that the meaſure of them is neither proportioned to our ſins, as Ezra acknowledged Ezra 9.13. nor to the examples of the judgements poured out upon the wicked; Iſa. 27.7.
Secondly, neither do they work in us murmuring, and repining againſt God, but humbleneſſe of minde, ſhame of our ſelves, complaints of our ſins, Mic 7.9. and not of Gods juſtice, with Gain, Gen. 4.13. ſoftneſſe of ſpirit, and tractableneſſe to him, love of him, and deſire to be at peace with him, Iſa. 27.5.
Now, as in this ſentence of God there is a mixture of mercy, to allay the bitterneſſe of the afflictions, ſo there is withal bitterneſſe in the affliction it ſelfe, ſufficient to make the man and woman ſenſible of the ſmart of Gods hand, as ſharp paines and ſorrows in conceiving and bringing forth children, and hard labour to the man, in getting his bread, with the ſweat of his browes. Whence
4. OBSERVE, As there is ſome mixture of mercy, with the bitterneſſe of the afflictions of this life, ſo is there a mixture of bitterneſſe with the bleſſings of this life.
Obſerve. 4 SOlomon found nothing of all that he had laboured in, but vanity, and vexation of ſpirit, Eccl. 2.11. and ſaw in enjoying wealth, ſorrow, and wrath with ſickneſſe, Eccl 5.17. labour in getting; for when the wiſe man tells us, that in all labour there is profit, Prov. 14.23. he muſt neceſſarily imply that in all profit there is labour: And care and feare in keeping, by reaſon of the mutability of all outward things, (which Solomon elegantly expreſſeth, by comparing them to birds that have wings, Prov. 23.5.) beſides the ſhortneſſe of their continuance, Prov. 27.24. Luke 12.20. ſorrow in conceiving and bringing forth children, trouble in breeding and bringing them up, feare of them what way they will take after they are bred: yea, even in ſpiritual things we have alwayes a mixture of joy and ſorrow, confidence and feare. Reaſon
1. Becauſe in us, with that good, which by grace is wrought in us, there is a mixture of evil, which corrupts the ſweetneſſe of that good, which we might enjoy in any bleſſing, as it happens in a body, wherein the taſte is corrupted, by ill humours; it mixeth ſome bitterneſſe with the food which we take in, though of it ſelfe it have a pleaſant reliſh.
2. In this condition it is beſt for us that it ſhould be ſo.
1. To make us ſenſible of ſin, which hath brought vanity upon us, and upon all the creatures, Rom. 8.20.
2. To weane us from this preſent world, and to provoke us to long after the reſtitution, both of our ſelves, and the reſt of the creatures, into a ſtate of perfection, ſee Rom. 8.21.23.
3. It is ſufficient, that after the enjoying of this ſtate of imperfection, for a ſhort ſpace, we ſhall be ſetled in a ſtate of full perfection for all eternity.
Let us uſe even the bleſſings of this life with feare, getting them ſanctified unto us, by the Word and Prayer, 1 Tim. 4.5. and let us take off our hearts from delighting in them, but labour to draw near unto God, who is the ſtrength of our heart, when all outward meanes ſhall faile us, and our portion for ever, Pſal. 73.28.
The laſt clauſe in the womans cenſure is, that ſhe ſhall be ſubject to her husband. Whence
5. OBSERVE It is the wives duty to be ſubject to the will and direction of her husband.
Obſerve 5 THe Apoſtle will have this ſubjection extended to every thing, Eph. 5.24. that is, every thing that is not limited by the rule of the Law of God, but left to be ordered by Chriſtian Prudence, which are things in their owne nature indifferent, ſo Sarah followed Abraham out of her own countrey to Canaan, Gen. 12.5. obeyed his command, in making proviſion for the Angels, Gen 18.6. as for that particular direction of God to him, to hearken to her, Gen. 21.12. it extends no farther then ſuch caſes, wherein the wife adviſeth what God himſelfe directs. Otherwiſe, when ſhe counſels him to take his maid into his bed, though God were pleaſed to wink at it, yet it bred her ſome trouble, Gen. 16.2, 5. no marvel, if Jezabels over-ruling of her husband Ahab, in the matter of Naboths vineyard, ſped much worſe, and proved the ruine both of her and her husband, and the whole family, 1 Kings 21.7, 22, 23, 25. Reaſon
1. There muſt be order in every ſociety, without which there follows diviſion, and thereupon confuſion, Mark 3.25. Now the fitteſt to governe in the family is the husband, as being of the two the more worthy perſon, every way, ſeeing the man was firſt created, and that after the image of God, the woman after the image of the man, 1 Cor. 11.7.
2. And the woman created for the man, not the man for the woman, ver. 9. and of his ſubſtance, being framed of a rib taken out of his body, ver. 8.
3. The woman was firſt in the tranſgreſſion, and ſeduced her husband, 1 Tim. 2.14.
4. And the man uſually is, and alwayes ought to be endued with the beſt abilities for Government.
Let all wives learn to know and content themſelves with the places wherein God hath ſet them.
1. As being preſcribed by God himſelf, who hath power to diſpoſe of his own creatures, and who is obeyed in the perſon of the husband. See Eph. 5.22. as he is by a ſervant in the perſon of the Maſter, Eph. 6.7.
2. As eaſieſt for the woman, ſeeing it is eaſier to obey, then to preſcribe and direct.
3. And is found in the event to be more ſafe; as Zipporah, by obeying her husband in circumciſing her childe, ſaved his life, Exodus 4.24, 26.
4. And is but in matters of leſſe moment, ſeeing in the grace of life, they are both equal, 1 Pet. 3.7. and alike ſubject to God in his commands, ſo that in matters of duty ſhe obeys only the command of God, and not of man.
5. And this ſubjection is but for a ſhort time, which makes any thing eaſie to be borne.
6. And if it be conſcionably performed, is recompenſed with a reward hereafter, as is ſervants obedience to their Maſters, Epheſians 6.8.
The expreſſion, in which God layes down the rule of this ſubjection, is not to be paſſed by. Thy deſire, ſaith he, ſhall be to thy husband: which requires not only an outward conformity to the huſbands commands, but beſides, an inward ſubjection of the heart to his Will. Whence
6 OBSERVE. The ſubjection of the wife to the husband muſt be, not only in outward obedience to his commands; but beſides, in the inward affection of the heart.
Obſerve. 6 SHe is therefore commanded to reverence her husband, Eph. 5.33. and to yield ſubjection to him as to the Lord, Eph. 5, 22, 24. which conſiſts in laying aſide her own wiſdome, to receive directions from his mouth, as God requires his people to obey him, in doing, not that which is right in their own eyes, but what he ſhall command, Deut. 12.8. and in renouncing her own will, as Peter did when he let down his net, upon Chriſts command, which otherwiſe he had no mind to do, Luke 5.5. Reaſons
1. It is a duty to be performed to God, who will be ſerved, not only with the outward man, but with the heart, Col. 3.22, 23.
2. Elſe the ſubjection muſt needs be burthenſome, and the ſervices done therein, like that of Zipporah, in circumciſing her childe, Exod. 4.25.
Let wives labour to ſubmit to their husbands, not only out of neceſſity; but with all chearfulneſſe conſcionably, as they are exhorted, 1 Pet. 3.1. to which end,
1. Let them abound in love towards their husbands, which makes all ſervices eaſie, Gen. 29.20. and cordial, Pſal. 119.167.
2. Let them learne ſelf-denial, which makes one fit to ſerve another, with the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 10.33.
3. Let them fixe their eyes upon God, who hath ſet them over them in his ſtead, as the Apoſtle exhorts ſervants to do, Eph. 6.5, 6.
4. Look not at things preſent, but at the eſtate to come, when they ſhall, both husband and wife, without any ſubordination, be both heirs together of the grace of life.