needed. Somtimes inheritances, crowns, and dignities are so interested and annext in their common peace and good to such or such lineall descent, that it may prove a great moment both in the affairs of men and of religion, to consider throughly what might be don heerin, notwithstanding the waywardness of our School Doctors.
THis second Chapter is granted to be a Commentary on the first, and these verses granted to be an exposition of that former verse, Male and female created he them, and yet when this male and female is by the explicite words of God himselfe heer declar'd to be not meant other then a fit help, and meet society; som who would ingrosse to themselves the whole trade of interpreting, will not suffer the cleer text of God to doe the office of explaining it self.
[And the Lord God said, It is not good. ] A man would think that the consideration of who spake, should raise up the attention of our minds to enquire better, and obey the purpos of so great a Speaker: for as we order the busines of Mariage, that which he heer speaks is all made vain; and in the decision of matrimony, or not matrimony, nothing at all regarded. Our presumption hath utterly chang'd the state and condition of this ordinance: God ordain'd it in love and helpfulnes to be indissoluble, and we in outward act and formality to be a forc'd bondage; so that being subject to a thousand errors in the best men, if it prove a blessing to any, it is of meer accident, as mans law hath handl'd it, and not of institution.
[It is not good for man to be alone.] Hitherto all things that have bin nam'd, were approv'd of God to be very good: lonelines is the first thing which Gods eye nam'd not good: whether it be a thing, or the want of somthing, I labour not; let it be their tendance, who have the art to be industriously idle. And heer alone is meant alone without woman; otherwise Adam had the company of God himself, and Angels to convers with; all creatures to delight him seriously, or to make him sport. God could have created him out of the same mould a thousand friends and brother Adams to have bin his consorts, yet for all this till Eve was giv'n him, God reckn'd him to be alone.
