Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Book 3 · Chapter 3 · Verse 20
VERSE 20.
ANd Adam called his wives name Eve] Chavah in the Original, that is, living. Impoſing of names is a token of authority, as we have obſerved in Adams giving names to the creatures; but in this name given to his wife, he ſeemes beſides to manifeſt his faith in the Promiſe of the Meſſiah, by which he was delivered from death, and in whom he and his poſterity ſhould live for ever. Thus God notwithſtanding the heavy curſe denounced againſt Adam for his rebellion, yet leaves him a promiſe to ſupport him, and gives him an heart to embrace and ſtay himſelf upon it. Whence
1 OBSERVE, God leaves not his children without meanes to ſupport them in their worſt condition.
Obſerve. 1 IN dangers threatened and feared, as in Jacobs caſe, Gen. 32.5, 11.28. in afflictions felt, as, Pſal. 119.50, 52, 92, 93. Job 19.25. in temptations, 2 Cor. 12.7, 8, 9. Luke 22.31, 32. in ſpiritual agonies, as in our Saviours caſe, Luke 22.43. and when men are upon the point of deſpire, Pſal. 73.10, 11. Reaſon
Firſt, all things are managed by God, who
1. Is in his nature full of compaſſion, Pſal. 113.8, 13.
2. Hath a peculiar intereſt in his children, Iſ. 43.1, 2. and 63.16. compared with ver. 9.
3. And is much honoured by his faithfulneſſe, in remembring his Covenant made with them, Pſal. 106.45. and in Perfecting his ſtrength in their weakneſſe, 2 Cor. 12.9.
4. And his aime is not to deſtroy his ſervants, Hoſ. 11.8, 9. but to purge them, Iſa. 27.9. and to cauſe them to walk more warily in their way, ſee Pſal. 119.67.
A ſingular comfort to the godly, Pſal. 23.4. and 73.23. and that of which they ſtand in great need.
1. As being to encounter with many enemies, Pſal. 119.157. and potent, not only men, Pſal. 22.13. and 59.13. but Satan himſelf, Eph. 6.12.
2. Being themſelves weak, Pſal. 22.6. and 142.6. and apt to be diſcouraged, Pſal. 75.13. But let this ſupport our hearts,
1. That God hath taken charge of us, and given Chriſt to be the Saviour of his body, Eph. 5.23. out of whoſe hand no man can pluck us, John 10.28, 29.
2. Is found by experience to be near unto us, though we ſee him not, as David found, and comforts himſelf therewith, Pſal. 119.150, 151. even a preſent help in time of trouble, Pſal. 46.1. Let that conſideration quiet our hearts, and encourage us to his ſervice.
But it is farther worth our obſervation, that the firſt ſtep that Adam makes towards God, is the embracing of his Promiſe by faith. Whence we may
2 OBSERVE, The grace which God eſpecially works and preſerves in his childrens hearts, is faith.
Obſerve. 2 JOhn 6.29. that is it which Chriſt prayes for in Peter, that his faith may not faile, Luke 22.32. that is the ſcope of the Goſpel, Rom. 1.16. and 16.26. and in which we are exhorted to ſtand faſt, 1 Cor. 16.13. Acts 14.22. Reaſon
1. It is of all other graces moſt generally neceſſary and uſeful, as by which we are united unto God by Chriſt, ſee Pſal. 73.25, 28. and by which we live in Chriſt, Gal. 2.20.
2. By which we are juſtified before God.
3. Made his children, Gal. 3.28.
4. By which our hearts are purified, Acts 15.9.
5. By which we quench the fiery darts of Satan, Eph. 6.16.
Secondly, By it we muſt glorifie God, Rom. 4.20. ſetting to our ſeale that he is true, John 3.33.
Thirdly, it is the mother of all Graces, Love, Humility, &c. ſee 2 Pet. 3.5.
Fourthly, that which muſt ſeaſon all our ſervices, which are not accepted without it, Heb. 11.4, 6. eſpecially our prayers, James 1.6. And
Fifthly, ſupplies us with all our comforts, Rom. 5.23. Pſal. 116.10. and encourageth us to all our duties, Pſal. 119.166.
Labour above all things to get and preſerve faith,
1. As moſt uſeful, as we have ſeen;
2. Hardeſt to be obtained, as apprehending things incredible, and which natural reaſon muſt needs oppoſe.
3. And that againſt which Satan above all bends all his ſtrength. The meanes both to obtain and preſerve it are,
1. The gaining of the true knowledge of God out of his Word, Pſal. 9.10. Rom. 10.17.
2. The laying up in our hearts, and frequent meditation on Gods Promiſes, with holy David, Pſal. 119.11, 97. and 130.5.
3. The careful obſervation of acts of Providence, anſwerable to the Promiſes, Pſal. 77.10, 11, 12.
4. Earneſt prayer, Luke 17.5. for faith is only Gods gift.
We may yet further obſerve, in what manner Adam embraceth this Promiſe from God, and builds upon it, as upon a thing certain and real, in ſo much that he, as in remembrance of a mercy received, preſerves the memorial of it in his wives name. So that we may thence
3 OBSERVE, Gods Promiſes muſt be embraced by faith, as real performances.
Obſerve. 3 THerefore we finde, that in the believers beart, they produce the ſame effect, as if they were already enjoyed: Joy, John 8.56. Pſal. 16.9, 10. comfort, Pſal. 119.49, 50. inſulting over enemies, and deſpiſing dangers, Pſal. 6.8. This indeed is the power of faith, that it is the ſubſtance of things hoped for, Heb. 11.1. that it apprehends things that are to come, as if they were in being; which it doth without errour; as without errour God calls the things that Are not, as if they Were, Rom. 4.17. Reaſon
1. It may well be, ſeeing in Gods Will, things have a Being, though they have not yet a Subſiſtence: for by him all things conſiſt, Col. 1.17. and not only By him, but In him, Acts 17.28.
2. And it is fit it ſhould be ſo, that faith might have a firme foundation, as being given us by God, both that thereby we may glorifie him, Rom. 4.20. ſetting to our ſeale that he is true, John 3.33. and Almighty, Rom. 4.21. and beſides, may have in our ſelves ſtrong conſolation, Heb. 6.18.
Let us then ſo ground our faith upon Gods Promiſes, as if we enjoyed that which we hope for, having our converſation in heaven. Phil. 3 20. rejoycing with joy unſpeakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1.8. enduring the croſſes and ſhame of the world, Heb. 12.2. and rejoycing in tribulations, Rom. 5.3.
To teſtifie his faith in Gods Promiſe, and to keep freſh in memory that great mercy; Adam points at it in the name that he gives his wife, when he calls her Chavah, that is, living. Whence we may
4 OBSERVE A godly man muſt be careful to preſerve memorials of great mercies.
Obſerve 4 TO this end God ordained the Sabbath, and divers other feſtivals, as likewiſe did the Church in imitation of him, Heſter 9.20, 21, 27, 28. for the ſame end they gave names to the places where thoſe mercies were performed, 1 Sam. 7.12. 2 Chron. 20.26. upon the ſame ground God appoints a pot of Mannah to be kept in the Tabernacle, to remember poſterity of that miraculous feeding of their fathers with bread from heaven, Exod. 16.33. Reaſon
1. It is the maine end which God aimes at in his works, to have them remembred, Pſal. 111.4.
2. And is of great uſe to us, Pſal. 78.7.
3. Who are apt of our ſelves to forget them, Pſal. 106.7.13.
Let it move us to revive the memory of ſpecial mercies to our ſelves; or the Church in general,
1. By recording them.
2. By meditating on them often.
3. By relating of them to poſterity, Pſal. 78.96. as being of ſpecial uſe,
1. To ſtrengthen our faith. 2. To increaſe and inflame our hearts with Gods love. 3. To quicken us to our duties. 4. To ſupport us in temptations.
Again, the remembrance of this mercy Adam preſerves in the name that he gives his wiſe, and thereby teacheth us what uſe to make of the names we give. So that we may
5 OBSERVE, It is fit in giving Names, to make choice of ſuch as may give us withal ſomething for our inſtraction.
Obſerve 5 OF this God himſelf gives us a precedent, in changing Abrahams and Sarahs name, Gen. 17.5, 15. and Jacobs, Gen. 32.28. in giving Solomon his name, 1 Chron. 22.9. and the name of Jeſus to our Saviour, Mat. 1.21. which holy perſions have followed, Gen. 21.3, 6. and 29.32. Reaſon
1. We need all helps, to minde us either of Gods mercies, and acts of his Providence, or of our own duties; which God himſelf implied, in cauſing his people to write the Commandments on the poſts and gates of their houſes, Deut. 11.20. and to make fringes to their garments, to put them in minde of them, Numb. 15.38, 39.
2. And there is no readier meanes, to minde us of ſuch things then our names, which we have daily in our mouthes and memories.