Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Book 3 · Chapter 3 · Verse 21 – Verse 22
VERSE 21.
UNto Adam alſo and to his wife did the Lord make coats of skins, and cloathed them.] How he made them, or of what skins, whether of any beaſts, or whether he made the skins as well as the garments, ſeeing the Spirit of God hath not revealed, it is preſumption, and vaine curioſity to enquire. Only we may hence
1 OBSERVE, The very cloaths that we weare, are Gods proviſion.
Obſerve. 1 THerefore Jacob expects them from him, and acknowledgeth them to be his gift, Gen. 28.20. and our Saviour aſſures us, that God takes care to provide them, Mat. 6.30. It is true, that he brings in to us this, as well as other proviſions, by meanes, as by the parents care, 1 Sam. 2.19. or liberality of charitable men, Job 31.19, 20. or by the providence and induſtry of good husbands and houſewives, Prov. 31.21, 22. but they are but the hands that reach out unto that which they take out of Gods ſtore Reaſon,
1. Becauſe the earth and fulneſſe thereof are all his, Pſalme 24.1. The beaſts whoſe wool and skins are the materials of our garments; and the earth, that, of which we get our linen, as we do our bread.
2. It is fit it ſhould be ſo, that fetching all from him, we might returne all to him again: whoſe care for us exceeds that of our own parents, as David acknowledgeth, Pſal. 27.10.
1. Serve him faithfully, that feeds us, and cloaths us, and ſupplies us with all the comforts of our lives.
2. Honour him with that which himſelf beſtowes. This we do,
Firſt, when we ſeek all at his hand, Phil. 4.6. caſting our care on him, who careth for us, 1 Pet. 5.7.
1. Who can, Numb. 11.23.
2. And will ſupply us, Mat. 6.30.
3. And that freely.
Secondly, when we uſe our cloaths for the ends, and within the bounds limited by God that gives them. For neceſſity not for pride; or for diſtinction of ſexes, Deut. 22.5. or degrees, Luke 7.25. which whoſoever exceed, ſee their judgement, Iſa. 3.18, 24.
Thirdly, praiſe him for all, Job 31.20. But we ſee, that though God provide our firſt Parents cloaths, yet they are of the pooreſt and baſeſt materials, ſerving rather for neceſſity, to cover their ſhame, and defend them from the injury of the weather, then for ornament and bravery. Whence
2. OBSERVE, Neceſſary proviſion is as much as we can look for at Gods hand.
Obſerve 2 AS much as we are warranted to ask even bread for the day, Mat. 6.11. food and cloathing, which is all that Jacob craves, Gen. 28.20. or Agur, Prov. 30.8. wherewith we ought to content our ſelves, 1 Tim. 6.8. and as much as is promiſed, Pſal. 37.3, or as God gave his children in the Wilderneſſe; See Deut. 29.5, 6. Reaſon,
1. That is as much as we can uſe, Eccl. 5.11.
2. And is beſt for us.
1. For health of our bodies, Eccl. 5.12.
2. To fit us for employments.
3. And to keep the minde in a right frame, See Luke 21.34.
4. And for ſupporting of community, which muſt neceſſarily be much hindered by exceſſe in food and cloathing.
Firſt, deſire no more then neceſſaries, with Agur and Jacob, Seeing
1. More then that would but encomber us.
2. Might perhaps enſnare us.
3. And muſt encreaſe our account at laſt, and cannot be made uſe of for our ſelves. This indeed will be our peace, when our deſires are moderate, and limited by the bounds of ſuch eſtates as God hath allotted us.
Secondly, let no man be diſcontented at a mean condition,
1. Which is more then he brought with him into the world, or ſhall carry with him out of the world.
2. Or then he is worthy of by any deſart of his own.
3. And as much as God in his wiſdome thinks fitteſt for us, who knows, and loves us better then we do our ſelves.
Theſe skins wherewith God clad our firſt Parents muſt needs be ſtripped from the bodies of ſome beaſt or other, unleſſe we conceive that God created them extraordinarily for that purpoſe; at leaſt thoſe garments that ordinarily men uſe, we know are borrowed from them. So that we may thence
3. OBSERVE, Our cloaths for the most part, are but borrowed from other Creatures.
Obſerve. 3 THe fleece, the material of the cloth we make, is ſhorne from the ſheeps back, Job 31.20. Prov. 27.26. our linen we draw out of the bowels of the earth; cotten wools we borrow from the trees; ſilks and velvets are but the webs of poore wormes. Reaſon,
1. To humble and keep our hearts low, when we conſider that we have nothing but what we borrow, and that of our baſeſt vaſſals.
2. To move us to take care of the creature, without the hep whereof we muſt needs ſtarve for hunger and cold.
Who are they then that lift up their hearts in pride for the bravery of their cloathing, which
1. Is but the body of mens ſhame.
2. Adornes but the outward man, which is leaſt ſet by; See 1 Pet. 3.3, 4.
3. Wherein the meaneſt of the creatures excel us, Mat. 6.29.
4. Whereby we walk contrary to God, glorying in that which he hath ordained to humble us.
VERSE 22.
ANd the Lord God ſaid] Not vocally, but mentally he conſidered.
Behold the man is become as one of us] Ironically ſcoffing at Satans vaine promiſe, and mans as vaine credulity; the falſhood and folly whereof were manifeſted by a quite contrary event.
To know good and evil] Of good they knew leſſe then they did before, and evil they knew experimentally to their own ſhame and ſorrow.
And now lest he put forth his hand and take alſo of the tree of life] An imperfect ſpeech, intimating one ſpecial reaſon why God drove man out of Paradiſe, to prevent his further ſin by profaning that holy Ordinance in eating of the Tree of Life, which he had now no right unto, having broken the Covenant whereof it was the ſeale; and which he was as likely by the policy of Satan to be drawn unto, as he had been before, to eat of the forbidden fruit.
And live for ever] Which Satan might ſuggeſt, and man might as eaſily believe, as well knowing that this tree had that vertue, though it were now of no efficacy, by mans breach of the Covenant.