The sum of the history of the creation of Eve, and of matrimony contracted between her and Adam: and how those things which Moses wrote of the first marriage, may agree with this other marriage, whereof the Apostle speaks more at large.

Touching the first, we must hold this as the foundation which the apostle delivers, Romans 5 and I. Corinthians 15, to wit, that the first Adam, and the second Adam, which is Christ, must be considered of us in this point touching marriage, not as private persons, but as two first principles, out of one of the which all mankind hath proceeded, and still does proceed: out of the other, the Church hath sprung, and still does spring: and the first man was a type and figure of the second, that is, of Christ. Wherefore we must consider not so much historically as mystically those things which were done with Adam before sin. I will therefore divide that history of Eve made of Adam being asleep; and of her brought to Adam waking, that he might take her in marriage to be his wife, in three parts. Whereof

1. The first is touching the counsel of God:

1. Why he would not have Adam be alone.
2. Why he created Eve of Adam, and why particularly of his rib.
3. Why he gave her to him in marriage.

2. The second is, of the creation of Eve herself, and of that manner of creating her.

3. The third is, of the bring of Eve to Adam, and of their marriage.

1. The cause therefore why God would not have Adam to be alone was, because it was not good.
2. It was not good, that is, it was not seemly of itself, or meet, that he, which should be the head of all mankind, should live a sole man alone among all the creature in the world.
3. Neither was it good, that is, delightful and pleasant for Adam himself to lead a solitary life in this vast and great world.
4. Neither was it also good, that is profitable, either for Adam himself, or for all posterity, which yet god could have created and made without the help of man and woman: but then what mutual love and good will would there be amongst them?
5. To conclude, it was not good, because it was the will and purpose of God, that Jesus Christ the second Adam, should be conceived and born of the seed of Adam the first man.

For good cause therefore did he make him a help like unto himself, which should be always subject unto him, and most ready to perform all honest duty and obedience.

6. But why he did not otherwise create Eve then out of Adam, yea and that of his rib, the cause is expressed by the Apostle, Acts 17.26, where he sets it down to be this; that all men might (by propagation) be of one principle, one beginning, and come out of one stock, as members of one head; and so all mankind should be, as it were, one body, and of one and the same nature. "He hath made of one blood" says the Apostle, "all mankind to dwell on the whole face of the earth."
7. Moreover, he framed and made her of the rib, that besides other causes, Adam might love her the better, as being his own flesh, that which he himself expressed, when he said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." Hence the Apostle draws an argument to incite and provoke us to love our wives, because they are our flesh.
8. The wife must not bear rule over the husband, therefore she is not taken out of the head; neither must she be trodden under foot, therefore she is not made of the feet; but must be loved with the heart, and therefore she was made of the rib taken from near the heart.
9. But why he gave her to Adam in marriage to be his wife, Moses renders a reason in these words, "That she might be a help unto him."
10. A help (I say) first that he might lead his life honestly, godly and pleasant.
11. A help also for generation, to beget children and to increase and multiply men upon earth.
12. And also a help to fulfill the decree of god for the engendering and begetting of his Church, and touching Christ the head of this Church, which should come from out of them: and therefore a help to build up, to increase, and to enlarge the kingdom of God.

Thus much the first part, wherein the counsel and purpose of God is declared, bot why he would not have Adam to be alone and why he decreed to make Eve of him, yes and that of his rib, and also why he gave her to him in marriage.

Now if you will apply these things, which we have spoken, to Christ an to the Church his spouse, this counsel of God shall more evidently appear.

13. It was not good that the first Adam should be alone, much less is it meet that the second Adam should be alone. For therefore was he made man, that he might be the new head of the new body which is elected and chosen to eternal life. And that he might be the first begotten amongst many brethren that as by one man sin entered in to the world, and by sin death, so by this second man righteousness and life everlasting might come to many.

That therefore the head should not be alone without the members, it was necessary for him to have this body of the Church, which both might be like him, not only in human nature, but also in holiness, not having spot or wrinkle; and which might also be subject unto him, and a help even to the end of the world, to beget heirs of the kingdom of heaven.

14. god would create Eve of Adam himself, and make her flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones, and by her help derive all mankind from him, first for this cause, that all men might be of one head and of one beginning.
15. So Christ also would out of his own side, out of which, as John expounding as it were this mystery, said that blood and water issued, which is the matter of the salvation and regeneration of the Church: I say, out of that side Christ would have his church spiritually to be created, and so to be made flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones, that the whole church even all, so many as shall be heirs of the kingdom of heaven might be of one head.
16. Again, God would have Eve to be created of Adam, to the end he might love her better.
17. So would Christ have his church to be created and taken out of his own side, that thereby he might be provoked the more to affect and love us as being his own flesh.
18. The first cause is expressed and set down by the author of the epistle to the Hebrews in the second chapter, where he says, "For he that sanctifies [that is Christ] and they which are sanctified [that is the Church] are all of one. Verse 11.

For as Christ according to the nature of his flesh is of Adam alone, no less than all other men: so are we of Christ alone, flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones, by our spiritual regeneration.

19. And we are so flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones, that we have all heavenly good things from him, so that no man can glory and boast that he has nay heavenly good thing in him, which he has not derived into him from Christ himself, as from the head.
20. Of the second cause the Apostle speaks, Ephesians 5.29, "No man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourished and cherished it, even as Christ does his Church, because we are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones."
21. Lastly, the counsel and chief purpose of God, why he brought Eve to Adam, and gave her unto him to be his wife, was, that by her help, as by the means of his own help, Adam might beget sons, and so replenish and fill the world with men.
22. So God the Father gathered his Church and gave her unto Christ, that by the ministry thereof he might daily beget new sons unto himself, with which the kingdom of heaven may at length be filled.

Thus as touching the first part of that history set down, Genesis 2. We see now the counsel and purpose of God, why he would not have Adam to be alone, but gave unto him a help, taken not from any other, but from Adam himself, how it does very well and fitly agree with that his purpose and counsel touching Christ, why he would not have him being made man, to be alone, but would give unto him the Church to be his spouse, begotten and made not of any other but of Christ himself, and that of his flesh and blood by the holy Ghost. It was meet that here should be two heads, one of all mankind according to the flesh; another of the people of God according to the spirit. And this of the first part.

The second part of that history contains the creation of Eve herself, made of the rib of Adam, and that is thus set down: when among all living creatures there could not any be found which might be a help to Adam meet for him: so says Moses, Genesis 2.20, "the Lord god therefore caused a heavy sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept, and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in stead thereof, and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man made he a woman. This is the sum of it.

1. Eve, whom god would have to be the wife of Adam, was created not of any other, than of Adam himself.
2. The manner of her creation was this: the Lord sent a heavy sleep upon Adam, and he took from him sleeping, a rib: the void place he filled with flesh: of the rib he framed and made a woman.
3. The cause why eve was made of the rib of Adam was showed a little before; to wit, because god would not have the beginning whence mankind should come to be of a diverse kind. Therefore would he have Eve to be taken also out of Adam alone, that all men might come from one.
4. Herein Adam was a true type and figure of Christ: because, as out of him Eve and all mankind hath proceeded, and still proceeds: so of this second Adam, which is Christ, as of one only principle and beginning the whole Church was, and even to this day still is begotten. And this is it, that the Apostle interpreting those words of Adam, says, "That we are flesh of the flesh of Christ, and bone of his bones."

Therefore, the spouse has nothing but that which she has received from Christ her husband and head, and she is partaker of his nature.

5. But what does this manner of creating Eve from Adam mean? God indeed could have taken a rib from Adam when he was awake, and made Eve thereof: but he would not for the mystery of things to come, whereof the Apostle says, "this is a great mystery."
6. For sleep, or that deep and heavy sleep which God caused to fall upon Adam himself, was a type or figure of the death of Christ. For if the sleep of David, whereof you may read, Psalm 3.5, was a type of the death of Christ, as Augustine and after him Luther, and others do expound that place of the death and resurrection of Christ, much more shall this heavy sleep of the first Adam be a type of the death of the second Adam.
7. For sleep is the image of death: whereupon they that are dead, are said in the holy scriptures to sleep.
8. Therefore, as the matter whereof Eve was framed and made, was taken out of Adam sleeping, so also there issued and came forth blood and water out of Christ being dead upon the cross, wherewith the Church was washed from her sins, and was conceived and born anew, and was made flesh of the flesh of Christ, and bone of his bones and this new birth is through the bleed of Christ: the washing is by the water.
9. But whereas I say, that the Church is taken and created out of the side of Christ being dead; that has a double meaning: First we may understand, that it is by the way of merit, because then, Christ with his blood did merit and obtain of his father remission of sins, and regeneration unto eternal life for all the elect which ever were or shall be to the end of the world, of whom alone the Church consists.
10. Secondly, we may understand, that it is by the way of communication, which we have in baptism.
11. For baptism is a sacrament of regeneration, and the matter of our regeneration or new birth is the blood of Christ dead for us.
12. Therefore the Apostle says in the sixth chapter to the Romans: "Know ye not that so many of us as are baptized into Christ Jesus, we are baptized into his death?"
13. Therefore, because in true baptism, which is by water and by the spirit, the force and efficacy of the death and blood of Christ is communicated unto us, whereby we put off the old man, and put on the new man, and are made a new creature: therefore every one of us are then said truly and in very deed to be made bone of the bones of Christ, and flesh of the flesh of Christ, when we are regenerate and born anew in baptism.

Behold now the mystery of Eve made of the rib of Adam, which was taken out of his side when he was cast in a heavy sleep.

14. hereto belongs that which Isaiah says, "When he," that is the Messiah, "shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, his long seed."
15. And with this agrees that saying of our savior Christ, "Except the grain of corn, falling into the ground dies, it abides alone: but if it dies, it brings forth fruit."

This much fruit is the Church, which being of the same nature with the dead grain of corn, is by participation of the death and blood of Christ made flesh of his flesh.

16. And it is a mystery, that Eve was made of the rib of Adam which was a hard bone: and that the void place was filled up with flesh.
17. The rib (as also the godly fathers do interpret it) signified the strength and force of the godhead of Christ, and by the flesh is signified the infirmity of his human nature. Christ communicates unto us his divine nature (as Peter says) and makes us strong and on the other side he takes upon him our infirmities.
18. By the bone therefore is signified, the divine nature of Christ: and by the flesh, his humanity. Therefore the Apostle mentions both, in saying, "Bone of his bones, flesh of his flesh" because in regeneration, both we are made partakers of his divine nature, and our flesh, that is, our nature is renewed and sanctified, and is made another flesh that is to say, the flesh of Christ.
19. The word also which Moses uses there of "building", where he says, "And the Lord God built the rib into a woman," hath its mystery: for thereby is signified the building of this most large temple, which is the Church. Of which building the Apostle speaks, Ephesians 2, "In whom ye also are built together to be the habitation of God by the spirit, etc." And I. Corinthians 3, "You are the temple or building of God."
20. The foundation of this building is that most strong rock Christ, whose force and strength was signified (as I said before) by the rib.

And thus much of the second part of that history taken out of the second chapter of Genesis, wherein the creation of Eve is described, and the regeneration of the Church is shadowed out unto us.

The third part follows wherein the marriage itself is described. This part contains:

1. First the affiancing or betrothing of Eve to Adam himself: for, says Moses, "And he brought her," namely Eve, "to Adam himself": for this end, that he might take her in marriage to be his wife.

All these things contain a mystery of that marriage, which was afterwards to be between Christ and the Church.

1. God the Father does not betroth the Church to any other than to him, out of whose side she was taken, that is, to Christ, and he betroths her, who by regeneration was made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones.
2. For it was not meet that she should by marriage grow together more and more into one flesh with any other than with him, of whose flesh and bones she was by regeneration made his flesh and bone.
3. We must note therefore in this marriage:

1. Who betroths.

2. Whom he betroths.

3. To whom he betroths.

4. It is God who betroths: for he brought Eve to Adam, John 6, "No man comes to me, unless the Father shall draw him." And for this he only uses the ministry of men called thereto, such as are the apostles and ministers of the gospel. "I have betrothed you to one husband, to present you a pure virgin to Christ," 2. Corinthians 11.2.
5. But whom does he betroth? He betroths those only, whom he has before chosen in Christ, whom he has redeemed by the blood of Christ, whom he regenerates by the holy Ghost, and whom he buries with Christ in baptism, and quickens again. For he brings Eve made of the rib of Adam, and no other to Adam.
6. None therefore can be truly said to be the spouse of Christ, but such as are born anew by the blood of Christ, and are made flesh of the flesh of Christ.
7. And to whom does he betroth? He betroths them to Christ alone: therefore he alone is the husband of the Church: and the reason is, because out of his side alone issued forth blood and water, with which we are washed from our sins, and being born anew, are made new creatures, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones. Therefore Moses says, "And he [that is, god] brought her [that is to say, Eve now created] to Adam himself." To him (I say) of whose rib she was made.
8. But how does he betroth? By giving faith whereby we may acknowledge Christ, embrace him and subject ourselves unto him. "I will betroth thee unto me in faith." For consent is required also in the spouse herself: and this consent is by faith. Therefore when Moses says, "He brought her," we must understand, that he brought her not against her will, but consenting and agreeing thereto. And this the word vajebiah, that is, "he made her to come," signifies.
9. God betroths us to Christ, not induced thereto by any merits of ours, but only of his own goodness and mercy. Therefore he says, "I will betroth thee unto me in mercy and in compassion." Hosea 2.29.
10. And also that he created Eve of the rib of Adam, and did betroth her when she was created to the same Adam, both proceeded from his goodness and love.
11. Notwithstanding, as I said, he required our consent: but this he himself also gives, having given us faith. For he works in us to will. All these things are to be gathered out of those words, "And he brought her to Adam himself."

And this is that which the third part of that history full of mysteries contains in the first place.

In the second place it contains the consent also of Adam, and therein the celebration and the finishing, or as we commonly say, the upstroke of marriage. For Adam said, "This is now my bone and my flesh" (because she was created of his rib).

12. Adam therefore acknowledged Eve for his wife. For when he saw that God desired this, when also he beheld the consent and will of Eve; he himself also desired the same: And so by the concurring and joint consent of these three wills, that is to say, of the will of God, of Eve, and of Adam, matrimony was contracted. Therefore he cried, "This is now bone of my bones."
13. But this is truly and perfectly fulfilled in Christ and in the Church. The eternal will of god goes before: for he brings us to Christ: he also stirs up in us our will, whereby we may agree and consent unto this spiritual marriage. And Christ our husband cannot but will that, which the Father wills, therefore he takes us unto him as his spouse, and acknowledges us for his flesh and bones, saying, "This is bone of my bones…."
14. Hereto belongs that in the sixth chapter of John: "All that my Father gives me, shall come unto me: and that which comes to me, I cast not forth." First he says, "All that my Father gives me," behold here the will of the Father. Secondly he says, "That which my Father gives, comes to me." See here the will of Christ the husband. In these three wills is perfected and finished the spiritual marriage between us and Christ.
15. Wherefore as Adam acknowledged Eve for his wife, and for his flesh, in saying, "This is now bone of my bones.…" So Christ acknowledges us for his spouse, and his flesh, and loves and cherishes and nourishes us as being so indeed: for the Apostle by the spirit of Christ, plainly says, that we are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones.
16. Therefore he said to Paul when he persecuted the spouse of Christ, the Church of the faithful, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" as if to say, "Thou in persecuting the Church are persecuting me, my flesh and my bones."
17. And it is to be noted, that Adam in that speech, "This is now bone…" would signify that Eve and he were joined and tied together in the most straight and nearest manner that can be because Eve was his flesh by marriage, and was flesh of his flesh by creation, because she was created out of him.
18. And what can be straighter than this double knot? For one may be made your flesh, as your wife, the daughter of another man, and coming of another stock or kindred: but she shall not be of thy flesh: again, one may be of your flesh, as your son or your daughter, but he shall not be your flesh in that sort as your wife is. But for one both to be your flesh in such sort as man and wife are; and to be of your flesh in such sort as your sons are this indeed is the nearest and straightest bond that can be.
19. But none was ever so, except only Eve to Adam alone, and the Church to Christ alone.
20. Therefore when the Apostle referred those words of Adam to Christ, speaking of his Church, he meant to signify, that between Christ and us there is the nearest coupling and knitting that can be, because we are made both of the flesh of Christ by our spiritual marriage with him, and also flesh of his flesh by regeneration.
21. But why? That Faith, Hope and Charity may grow and increase more and more in us. Faith, of the love of Christ towards us, who are flesh of his flesh. Hope, of eternal life, because where the husband is, there the wife; and where the head, there the body, and the flesh must be. Charity, for being all of us flesh of the flesh of Christ, we ought to love both him and ourselves mutually, and to embrace one another with true and sincere love.
22. And hence it appears that we must make some difference between regeneration and betrothing; because regeneration at least in priority of nature goes before betrothing: for Eve was first made of the rib of Adam, and afterwards betrothed and given unto him in marriage.
23. It is sure, that one may be regenerate without consent of his own will going before; but not any one can be married to Christ, and embrace him, as a husband, without faith, and without his own consent. For the consent of both parties is an essential thing in matrimony; and we can not consent unless our will be renewed, and from evil be made good, and from unwilling be made willing.

In the third place, that last part of this mystical history contains the institution of marriage, and shows what the man must do to be joined to his wife. "For this [says he] shall a man leave his father, and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh."

24. This the Apostle chiefly interprets of Christ and of his Church: and says that it is a great mystery.
25. For Christ, for this cause that he might be one flesh with us, and we with him by spiritual marriage, first left God his Father. How? Paul teaches, Philippians 2, "when he was in the form of God, he made himself of no reputation, taking upon him the for of a servant."
26. Hereto belongs that which he says, "I went out from my Father, and came into the world": not by any changing of place, but by the taking of a new, and that a base nature and condition upon him.
27. He left also his mother Mary, when he esteemed more of the whole Church in teaching it, and dying for it, then he did of his mother. Whereupon he said to his mother and to Joseph, "Know ye not that I must go about my fathers business." And again, "Who is my mother? And who are my brethren?"
28. But Christ is joined unto his wife, by joining truly and really his flesh with ours, with the bond and really his flesh with outs, with the bond of his spirit: so that he with us and we with him are made, and may daily more and more be made one flesh.
29. This most near band and coupling between Christ and the Church, Adam did notify and express in those words, when he says, "they shall be [two]" Christ himself being the interpreter lebaschar echad, that is, into one flesh.

This, the Apostle says, is a great mystery; "but I say in Christ and in the Church."

30. It was therefore a prophesy of that most near and indissoluble knot and coupling of Christ with the Church, and of the Church with Christ.
31. There are in the holy Scriptures infinite testimonies, and examples, and similitudes of this true and real conjunction, but yet through the spirit of Christ.
32. This conjunction the Son of God expressed in his own person, when the Word was made flesh.

Nothing can be found out or devised to be more near than this hypostatic union, that is to say, this substantial uniting of our nature with the divine nature, in the person of the Son of God.

33. In this, as in a glass, he has foreshown us what and how great that conjunction should be, whereby he would become one flesh with the whole Church, that is, with all the Elect and faithful.
34. There be two natures in one person; we are many persons, as it were, in one nature and essence, because both Christ has our flesh, and we also are made partakers of his divine nature: and therefore Adam said well, "They shall be two in one flesh."
35. And further (as Paul teaches) we are, as it were, one man, and one body with Christ: Christ is the head, we are the members. And what can be more "one"? Is there not a true and a real union between the body and the head?
36. This union also he expresses, when he says that he himself is the vine, and that we are branches: Is there not a real union between the branches and the vine? Yes surely, so real that the vine and the juice of the vine, flows into the branches.
37. The very same union he would likewise express, when he compared himself to bread which we eat, and the faithful to those that do eat. For meat being eaten is made one flesh with him that eats it. "He that eats my flesh abides in me, and I in him."
38. The same again he expresses when he says, John 17.8, "Keep them, Father, that they be one as we are." Again, v.21, "I pray that all [the believing ones] may be one, as thou, O Father, are in me, and I in thee, even that they may be also one in us."
39. The Father, the Son, and the holy ghost are three persons, but in one essence: we I like sort are many, but in Christ we are one, as it were, in one essence. The persons are really distinguished between themselves, but by reason of their essence, they are also really one and the same, that is to say, one God. Indeed all things agree not in this simile, and yet thereby is plainly shown in what sort, and how great this union is, whereby by reason of our marriage, we are one flesh with Christ our husband.
40. Christ also is god of God, Light of Light; God the Son, of God the Father: we in like manner are flesh of flesh, bone of bones. Flesh, I say, and bone, of the flesh of Christ, and of the bones of Christ. But of this union we have spoken else where more at large.

This therefore is that union, which he would have to be represented in every marriage between man and woman, and whereof Adam especially did speak, when he said, "For this shall every one leave his father, and his mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and the shall be two in one flesh."

In the last place Moses briefly sets down what was the state and condition of Adam and Eve, now coupled together in marriage before sin: "they were [says he] both naked, Adam and his wife, and they were not ashamed." First they were indeed naked, and they went so: secondly, in that he says, "they blushed not, or they were not ashamed," thereby is signified their innocence.

41. This double condition follows the spiritual marriage of Christ with the Church after sin. First, Christ always was, and is naked from all sin. He was also naked, that is to say, poor, and that for our sakes. For "When he was rich," says the Apostle, "he became poor, that we might be rich," to wit, in spiritual good things.
42. His wife is also naked. For first the Church being married to Christ, is made naked and spoiled of the old man, the earthly and carnal man, and that daily more and more, till at length she is crowned with glory and honor as her husband is, and she is presented all glorious to her bridegroom in the heavenly kingdom.
43. Further, she is for the most part left naked of the riches of this world. For this is the lot of the godly, and of the Church of Christ, that as her husband was poor in this world, not having anywhere to lay down his head; so we also are compelled for Christ’s sake to leave the riches of this world, to live in poverty, and to suffer many persecutions and miseries. So many as will live godly in Christ, shall suffer persecutions, says the Apostles. And we read of some of the Apostles that leaving all things they followed him. And except one shall leave his house, his lands, and all that he hath, he is not worthy of me, says our Savior Christ. Therefore both were naked, Adam and his wife; Christ and the Church.

Moses adds, "And they were not ashamed."

44. For neither was Christ ashamed of his nakedness, which he took upon him for our sakes; neither is the church likewise, nor all the faithful ashamed of their nakedness and poverty, which they suffer for Christ their husband. Neither are we ashamed of the cross, and of those miseries which we are compelled to suffer for the Gospel of Christ.
45. The Apostle says in his second epistle to Timothy, the first chapter, "For which cause [that is, for the gospel which he preached] I suffer also these things [to wit, many miseries, yea, and imprisonment] but I am not ashamed, v. 12. And in the same chapter a little after, he commands the family of Onesiphorus, because for the Apostle’s sake he was not ashamed of his chains.
46. This then is the condition that follows them, who by their spiritual marriage with Christ, are truly made one flesh with him. They must be naked in this world, being stripped of all their own righteousness, their merits, and all trust and confidence in flesh; yes, and for the most part also of the riches of this world, but yet they must be so naked, as that they be not ashamed of their nakedness for Christ’s sake.

This is the fourth thing which we observe in that history of the marriage of Christ.

And thus by that history of Moses, touching the creation of Eve, and of her marriage with Adam, we do in some sort perceive and understand what the creation of the Church is, and what manner of marriage hers is with Christ: And so we see also how we are to understand that which Paul says, "that we are made flesh of the flesh of Christ, and bone of his bones." And how by this spiritual marriage , those two, Christ and the Church, are made one flesh, according to that, "For this shall a man leave his father… and they shall be [two] in one flesh." And thus much of the first chapter.

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