Genesis 2

Genesis 2:1

OF them] Namely of the heavens, to which this word of hosts is often attributed to give an inkling of the starres and the Angels, as well in respect of their order, as of their services under Gods command.

Genesis 2:2

He rested] He ceased to shew his vertue and power in creating of new kindes of Creatures, yet ceased not in working of their preservation, sustenance, and increase, by order of nature, and in guiding them with his providence John 5:17.

Genesis 2:3

Blessed] That is, granted unto it this sacred prerogative of being free from bodily Labours; to be imployed by men, in exercises of piety; and the publike service of God Because] That is to say, that he would have a perpetuall remembrance to remaine of this his cessation: to teach man from time to time to with-draw himselfe from the cares of this life, to apply himselfe in freedom and tranquillity, to the meditations and actions of the spirituall life; and by this meanes to dispose himself to the perfect repose of the eternall imitating God, who had ended the worke of Creation on the seventh day: in which he did, (as it were) retire himself within himselfe; to enjoy his owne blessednesse And made] This seems to be added, to shew; that as by this rest God would not proceed in infinitum,in¦creaing, so would he not leave any thing imperfect which he had intended to make.

Genesis 2:5

For] The meaning is, that the first plants were immiately brought forth by God; the order of nature, being as yet not established, and there being yet no raine, nor labour of man, under which two meanes (the one naturall, and the other artificiall) are comprehended all other meanes of the earths yilding.

Genesis 2:6

But there] After the first creation of plants, God did appoynt raine, engendred by vapours from below, and created man to manure the earth, and finally did establish the order of nature, for the preservation, and continuance of the kindes of them.

Genesis 2:7

Of the ground] mingled with the other Elements; yet in such sort, that the earthly part did predominate Breathed] it seemeth it was some created sensible and externall breath: as Ioh. 20. 22. for a signe of the vertue proceeding immediately from God, to create the soule of man, without taking it cut of any other matter, as hee had done the body. See Numbers 16:22. Io 27. 3. Zach. 12. 1. Hebrews 12:9. into his nostrills] to shew the means ordayned by God to preserve the union of the body and the soule, which is continuall breathing Soule] That is a living soule, moving and operating, whereas before the body was but a dead immooveable masse.

Genesis 2:8

Planted] Hee caused a certaine parcell of ground, to bring forth plants, and trees most exquisite, and usefull for man: and enriched that place with more fruitfulnesse, and beauie than any other part of the earth A garden] called by the Hebrewes and Greeks Paradice] a figure of the heavenly one. See Genesis 13:10. Ezekiel 28:13. in Eden] A Countrey of Mespotamia, which was afterwards called Eden; that is to say, a place of pleasures, for its situation, and most happy qualities. See 2 King. 19. 12. Ezekiel 27:23. Amos 1:5. Eastward] in respect of those parts where Moses was when he wrote these things.

Genesis 2:9

The Tree of Life] A certaine Tree in whose fruit God had put this vertue, that it should keep mans body in a perpetuall, and equall state of health, life, and strength; free fom diseases, decaying, and old age. And besides he had set it there for a Sacrament, of the subsistence and spirituall life of man, in the grace and communion of the Lord, so long as he should persevere in Justice, and Obedience. And to it is correspondent Jesus Christ, in the heavenly Paradice Rev. 2. 7. and 22. 2 Of knowledge] Another Tree by which GOD would make proofe of mans obedience or rebellion. By which man might also know by experience, his true happinesse, if he persisted in innocency; or his unhappinesse, if he disobeyed this commandment of tryall, joyned to the perf law of Justice, which God had imprinted in s soule.

Genesis 2:10

A river] It seemes that it cught to beeunderstood of the Channell of two Rivers, Euphrates and Tigris joyned together, which by the confluence of these two Rivers made a great circuit, within which on the East side was the Paradice, and so the word, going out, doth not signifie the head or birth of those Rivers, but the extent of their course, out of the limits of Paradise, above the which those two rivers were distinct like two heads, and below it two more, into which this great channell did branch it selfe.

Genesis 2:11

Pison] It seemeth to be Pasis, or Pastigris, as the ancients called it, which did un through plaine, and low countries: whereupon, according to the signification of the Hebrew name, it was more like a pond than a river Havilah]That Countrie which was afterward inhabied, by the posterity of Havila, of the Generation of Sm, Genesis 10:29. not the other which was inhabited by anotherHvila, which descended from Cam, Genesis 10:7. which is comprehended under the name Cus, or Arabia, spoken of hereafter, and was on the west side of this Channell, See Genesis 25:18.

Genesis 2:12

Bdllum] the Ital.] Pearles] The Hebrew word is so understood by the most learned, though others doe take it for Bdellium, which is a most precious Gum, which thickens into very cleare drops, like pearles. Numbers 11:7.

Genesis 2:13

Gihen] The name of the other branch, which runne along the high Countrey, and swiftly, which is signified by the property of the name of Ethiopia, the Ital. ofCus] one part of Arabia, which bordereth upon Mesopotamia.

Genesis 2:14

Hiddekel] which is the river Tigris, Daniel 10:4 over against] according to the Italian, the English hath it Towards the East] of Assyria.

Genesis 2:15

Keep it] To hinder and keep the beasts from spoyling of it or hurting it, through his Majesticall and awfull presence.

Genesis 2:17

Shall surely dye] That is, thou shalt be guilty of death, and thy body shall from that very houre become mortall, subject to infinite number of chances, diseases, languishments, and old age, continually decaying unto its last destruction: and as for thy soule, thou shalt be deprived of my grace, and shalt in thy conscience feele my wrath and curse, to the finall condemnation of eternall death, and total separation, from me, from my life, and from my glory.

Genesis 2:18

Sayd] It seems that this happened before Adam was lodged in the Garden.Good] nor agreeing with my decree, to multiply man-kind through him by meanes of matrimony; nor pleasing or commodious for him; nor becomming the dominion which I have given him over beasts, which are all coupled; nor fitting for my service, which ordinariy is best performed in holy society, and by vertue of it; nor according to the pleasure and delight, I take in communion.

Genesis 2:19

Unto Adam] This name was given the first man by God himselfe, Genesis 5:2. and signifieth of earth, or earthly. 1 Corinthians 15:47. And although all other earthly creatures were extracted out of the earth, yet was this name appropriate unto man; because that he only was apt to be instructed, and humbled by his name. Ecclesiastes 6:10 To see] being willing by this meanes to establish him so much the more in the dominion which he had granted him: a token or signe of which is to give and change his subjects names as he pleaseth.

Genesis 2:20

Gave] not onely according to his censure, but also with knowledge and reason, for some hidden or apparent property; which we may yet find in many Hebrew names Meet] or correspondent, that is of the same kind, with distinction of Sex, as in other creatures: and by that meanes fitting to bee joyned in Matrimony.

Genesis 2:21

One of his] Eve was formed not out of the head; because the woman ought to be subject to the husband: nor the feet, because she must not be held as a slave, nor trampled upon: nor of the fore-part, because she must not withstand; nor of the hinder part, because she must not be despised, nor forsaken: But from the side, and from the middle of the body, to shew the moderation which the husband ought to use in his superiority, and the faithfull society they owe to one another.

Genesis 2:22

Brought her] as a mediator, to cause her voluntarily to espouse her selfe to Adam; and to confirme and sanctifie that conjunction.

Genesis 2:23

This is now] That is to say, it being known to God and my self that amongst the other creatures, I could not have a fitting companion to live with; God hath now provided me one, of the same nature as my selfe, wih whom I may bee contracted in the most straight bonds of Matrimony. See. Ephes. 5. 30.

Genesis 2:24

Therefore] These doe seeme to be Moses his words, and not Adams Leave]That is, shall become head of a nw family; being severed from his fathers; and shall enter into a nw society with his wife; to which duty the naturall duties towards father and mother must yield; not to be annihilated; but to be brought into an inferior degree One Flesh] as one person, united in body, in soule, in covenant, and indissoluble community.

Genesis 2:25

And were not] Because that the soule being as yet in its originall purity, there did not appeare in the body, especially in the instruments of generation, any spot of sin, nor filthinesse of concpiscence, nor discomposednesse of brutish motions, and thoughts: which are the true causes, and objects of same: And not the body in its pure naturall nakednesse, which is a glorious example of Gods works which being also by Christ re-established in perfect holinesse, may at the happy Resurrection, appeare in glory, without any other ornament, or garment, but that of the image of God: see 2 Corinth. 5. 3. Revelation 3:18.