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I. MAN'S EMPLOYMENT IN THIS LIFE IS IN WEARISOME AND PAINFUL LABOURS.

1. The curse that is laid upon the earth for sin, by which without hard labour it yields no fruits for the sustaining of man's life.

2. The Lord hath so appointed it for man's good.

(1)  To humble him by leaving him that remembrance of sin.

(2)  To make him long for heaven (Romans 8:22, 23).

(3)  To preserve the body in health (see Ecclesiastes 5:12), and to keep the mind in frame (2 Thessalonians 2:11), which unless it be exercised in useful and profitable things, is filled with vain and evil thoughts.First, this reproves all idle slothful persons living without callings, or idle in their callings, or in unprofitable callings. Secondly, and should stir us up to diligence in such employments as we are called unto.

1. In obedience to God's command.

2. And as therein serving God, and not men (Ephesians 6:7).

3. And being profitable (Proverbs 14:23) to ourselves (Proverbs 10:4) and others (Proverbs 21:5).

4. And thereby procuring us a just title to what we possess (2 Thessalonians 3:12). Only —

(1) Labour that which is good (Ephesians 4:28).

(2) And with a desire to be profitable to community (Psalm 112:5, 9; 1 Timothy 6:18).

(3) In a way of justice (1 Thessalonians 4:6).

(4) Depending on God for His blessing on our labours, which only makes them prosperous (Psalm 127:2). Thirdly, long for heaven, where we shall cease from all our labours (Revelation 14:13).

II. THERE IS PROFIT IN ALL THE DUTIES WHICH GOD ENJOINS US.

1. God who is in Himself all-sufficient and perfectly blessed, neither needs, nor can be profited by any creature.

2. Neither is it for His honour that His service should be unprofitable, as wicked men unjustly slander Him (Job 21:15).

3. Neither could His servants have otherwise any encouragement to go on in His service with cheerfulness, which God requires (Deuteronomy 28:47) and delights in (2 Corinthians 9:7).

III. WHATSOEVER WE UNDERTAKE IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S COMMANDMENT SHALL NOT WANT EFFECT.

1. That God is able to give success, and by His blessing to prosper men's endeavours, no man can deny.

2. That it concerns Him in point of honour to prosper that which He commands, is as clear as the former.

3. It is needful to be so, lest otherwise men should be discouraged in His service, if they should labour therein without bringing anything to effect.

IV. GOD'S SANCTIONS ARE CERTAIN, AS WELL OF JUDGMENT AS OF MERCY.

1. Both the threats of judgment, as well as the promises of mercy, are founded on the same grounds of God's truth, and immutability, and power.

2. And have the same scope, the honouring of God in the manifestation as well of His justice as of His mercy, giving to every man according to his deeds (see Psalm 58:11; Isaiah 59:18, 19).

V. THOUGH GOD HATH FREED HIS CHILDREN FROM ETERNAL DEATH, YET HE HATH LEFT THEM AS WELL AS OTHERS, UNDER THE SENTENCE OF TEMPORAL DEATH.

1. That by it they might be put in mind of sin that brought death upon them (Romans 5:12).

2. They have no harm by death, which is at present but a sleep, wherein they rest from their labours (Isaiah 53:2), and which severs them not from Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:14), through whom it is sanctified to them (see 1 Corinthians 15:55), and is made an entrance into life (Revelation 14:13), and hurts not the body, which shall be raised up in glory (1 Corinthians 15:42, 43).

VI. MEN'S BODIES ARE BASE EVERY WAY, BOTH IN THEIR ORIGINAL, IN THEIR PRESENT CONDITION, AND IN THEIR DISSOLUTION.

1. To humble us (Genesis 18:27).

2. To magnify God's mercy, in abasing Himself to look on such vile wretches (see Psalm 113:6, 7, 8), to give His Son for them, to advance dust and ashes to such a glorious condition, as the apostle describes (Corinthians 1 Corinthians 15:42,43,49).

3. To move us to long for heaven (see 2 Corinthians 5:1, 2).

VII. THE DISPOSING OF MAN'S LIFE IS IN GOD'S HAND. Which God challengeth to Himself (Deuteronomy 32:39). David acknowledgeth (Psalm 31:15). Daniel testifies to Belshazzar (Daniel 5:23), and is clearly manifested by all experience (Psalm 104:29); so that it is not in the power of men to cut it off at their pleasure (1 Kings 19; Daniel 3:27, and Daniel 6:22), though God use them to that end sometimes as His executioners (Psalm 17:13, 14).

VIII. THOUGH DEATH BE CERTAIN TO ALL MEN, YET THE TIME OF DEATH IS UNCERTAIN.

1. That men might not be hardened in sin, as usually they are when judgment is deferred (Ecclesiastes 8:11), but walk in fear, as being not assured of life for one moment of an hour.

2. To be assured of the term of life would not profit us any way.

IX. THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD ARE JUST AND EQUAL, ALL OF THEM IN ALL THINGS.

1. He cannot wrong His own creatures, no more than the potter can the clay; nay, much less.

2. His nature will not suffer Him to do otherwise; He that is God must necessarily do good (Psalm 119:68); out of the Lord's mouth proceed not good and evil (Lamentations 3:38).

3. Nor the respect to His own honour, magnified as well in His justice (Psalm 64:8, 9), as in His mercy and truth.

4. It would otherwise discourage His own servants (see Matthew 25:24, 25), as the opinion of God's favouring of the wicked and afflicting His own servants, had almost discouraged David (Psalm 73:13, 14).

(J. White, M. A.)

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KJV: And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

WEB: To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to your wife's voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.