Genesis 2:21-22 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs… God's bringing Eve to Adam implieth five things: — 1. His permission, allowance, and grant, for that Adam might thankfully acknowledge the benefit as coming from God, God Himself brought her. This bringing was the full bestowing her upon him, that they should live together as man and wife. 2. His institution and appointment of marriage as the means of propagating mankind. 3. For the greater solemnity and comely order of marriage. Adam did not take her of his own head, but God brought her to him. This honour and special favour God vouchsafeth mankind above all other creatures; He Himself, in His own person, maketh the match, and bringeth them together. 4. To dispense His blessing to them. The woman was created on the sixth day, as appeareth (Genesis 1); and it is said that when He had "created them male and female, He blessed them" (ver. 28). He doth enlarge things here, and explaineth what there He had touched briefly. When He had made the woman, He brought her to the man, and blessed them both together; showing thereby that when any enter into this estate, they should take God's blessing along with them, upon whose favour the comfort of this relation doth wholly depend. 5. For a pattern of providence in all after times. It is worth the observing, that Christ reasoning against polygamy, from ver. 24, compared with Matthew 19. God having abundance of the spirit, as the prophet speaks (Malachi 2:15), brought the woman to one man, though there was more cause of giving Adam many wives for the speedier peopling of the world, than there could be to any of his posterity. The point which I shall insist on is this: — That marriages are then holily entered into, when the parties take one another out of God's hands. I. I will show you in what sense they are said to take one another out of God's hands. II. Why this is so necessary to be observed. I. For the first, THEY TAKE ONE ANOTHER OUT OF GOD'S HANDS TWO WAYS. 1. When His directions are observed. 2. When His providence is owned and acknowledged. 3. When His directions in His word are observed; and so — (1) As to the choice of parties. (2) As to consent of parents. (3) As to the manner of procuring it, that they labour to gain one another by warrantable, yea, religious ways, that we may lay the foundation of this relation in the fear of God; not by stealth, or carnal allurements, or violent importunities, or deceitful proposals, but by such ways and means as will become the gravity of religion; that weanedness and sobriety that should be in the hearts of believers; that deliberation which a business of such weight calls for; and that reverence of God, and justice that we owe to all; that seriousness of spirit, and that respect to the glory of God with which all such actions should be undertaken (Colossians 3:17). (4) Especially clearing up our right and title by Christ. Meats, drinks, marriage, they are all sanctified by the word and prayer, and appointed to be received by thanksgiving of them that believe and receive the truth (1 Timothy 4:3-5). (5) For the end. The general and last end of this, as of every action, must be God's glory (1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:17). A Christian's second table duties and first table duties should have on them HOLINESS TO THE LORD. All the vessels of Jerusalem must have God's impress. More particularly our increase in godliness and the propagation of the holy seed must be aimed at. 2. When His providence is owned and acknowledged. It is the duty of them that fear God to own Him upon all occasions, especially in such a business. Heathens would not begin such a business without a sacrifice. There is a special providence about marriages. God claimeth the power of match-making to Himself, more than He doth of ordering any other affairs of men — "Riches and honours are an inheritance from our fathers; but a good wife is from the Lord" (Proverbs 19:14). II. WHY IS THIS SO NECESSARY A DUTY? It doth in a great measure appear from what is said already. But farther — 1. It will be a great engagement upon us to give God all the glory of the comfort we have in such a relation, when you do more sensibly and explicitly take one another out of God's hands. 2. That we may carry ourselves more holily in our relations, it is good to see God's hand in them. Every relation is a new talent wherewith God intrusteth us to trade for His glory; and to that end we must make conscience to use it. 3. That we may more patiently bear the crosses incident to this state of life if God call us to them. They that launch forth into the world, sail in a troublesome and tempestuous sea, and cannot expect but to meet with a storm before they come to the end of their voyage. The married life hath its comforts, and also its encumbrances and sorrows. Now it will sweeten all our crosses incident to this condition, when we remember we did not rashly enter into it by our own choice, but were led by the fair directure and fair invitation of God's providence; we need not much be troubled at what overtaketh us in the way of our duty, and the relations to which we are called. That hand that sent the trouble will sanctify it, or He will overrule things so that they shall work for our good. If God call us into this estate, He will support us in it. 4. We may with the more confidence apply ourselves to God, and depend on Him for a blessing upon a wife of God's choosing, or a husband of God's choosing. We have access to the throne of grace with more hope, because we have given up ourselves to His direction — "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:6). 5. It is a help to make us more ready to part with one another when God willeth it. It is the apostle's direction — "The time is short, it remains that those that have wives be as though they had none" (1 Corinthians 7:29); not so as to be defective in our love to them and care over them; no, there is rather to be an excess than a defect here — "Be thou ravished always with her love" (Proverbs 5:19); but as to a preparation of heart to keep or lose, if God should see fit, to be contented to part with a dear yoke fellow, or at least with an humble submission and acquiescence, when God's will is declared; and somewhat of this must be mingled with all our rejoicings, some thoughts of the vanity of the creature. APPLICATION. I. Let us seek God by earnest prayer when any such matter is in hand. It is a contempt of God, and a kind of laying Him aside, when we dare undertake anything without His leave, counsel, and blessing; and these are the things we are to seek in prayer. 1. His leave. Adam had no interest in Eve till God brought her to him, and bestowed her on him. Every one of us must get a grant of God of all that he hath; the Lord He possesseth the house that we dwell in, the clothes we wear, the food we eat; and so, in the use of all other comforts, we must have a license from God, and take His leave. God is said to have given David the wives that he had into his bosom. 2. His counsel and direction when the case is doubtful and our thoughts are uncertain — "Lean not to thy own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5). We scarce know duties, certainly we cannot foresee events; therefore a man that maketh his bosom his oracle, his wit his counsellor, will choose a mischief to himself, instead of a comfort and a blessing. Therefore we ought chiefly, and first of all, to consult with God, and seek His direction, for He seeth the heart, and foreseeth events. 3. We ask His blessing. God doth not only foresee the event, but orders it; by His wisdom He foreseeth it, and by His powerful providence He bringeth it to pass. Therefore God, that hath the disposal of all events, when our direction is over, is to be sought unto for a blessing; for every comfort cometh the sooner when it is sought in prayer; and whatever God's purposes be, that is our duty. II. Advice to persons that are entering into this relation. 1. Negatively. See that God be no loser by the marriage. 2. Positively. Be sure that God be a gainer. These are the two proffers I have to make to you. 1. Negatively. Let not God be a loser; He never intended to give you gifts to His own wrong. Now that will be — (1) He be not the only one and the lovely one of your souls. God must not have an image of jealousy set up; He must still be owned as the chiefest good. A wife is the delight of the eyes, but not the idol of the heart. (2) If you be diverted from the earnest pursuit of heavenly things, either by carnal complacency or distracting cares and worldly encumbrances. (3) God would be a loser if you be less resolute in owning God's truth than you were before. Oh, take heed of daubing in religion! We must hate all for Christ (Luke 14:26). 2. Positively. Let God be a gainer. (1) By your daily praises, and blessing God for His providence, that hath brought you into this relation — "I obtained favour from the Lord."(2) By living to God in this relation, performing the duties thereof so as your converse may be some lively resemblance of the communion between Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:25-30). (3) By being mutual helps to one another in the best things, by the advancement of piety and godliness. The love of Christ doth not only enforce the husband's duty as an argument, but points forth the right manner of it as a pattern. Christ's love is sanctifying love: so should theirs be, such a love as showeth itself by sincere and real endeavours to bring about one another's spiritual and eternal good. Love one another, "as heirs together of the grace of life" (1 Peter 3:7). ( T. Manton, D. D..) Parallel Verses KJV: And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; |
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