A Body of Practical Divinity

1. In sorrow shalt thou eat of it, vers. 17. By that word sorrow, is to be understood all the Troubles and Cares of this Life. 2. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, vers. 19. In Innocency Adam did till the ground, (he must not live idly) but it was rather a delight then a labour; that tilling was without toiling. The eating in sorrow, and the sweat of the brow, came in after sin. 3. Thorns also and Thistles shall the ground bring forth, vers. 18.

Quest. Whether in Innocency did not the Earth bear Thorns, because it is threatened as a punishment?

Quest. Whether in Innocency did not the Earth bear Thorns, because it is threatned as a punishment?

Answ. It is likely it did bear Thorns; for when God had done creating, he made no new Species, or Kinds of things: but the meaning is, now after Sin the Earth should bring forth more plenty of Thorns, and now those Thorns should be hurtful, and choke the Corn, which hurtful quality was not in them before. Ever since the Fall, all the Comforts of this Life have a Thorn and a Thistle in them. 4. The fourth fruit of the Curse was the driving Man out of Paradise, vers. 24. So he drove out the Man. God at first brought Adam into Paradise, as into an House ready furnished, or as a King into his Throne, Gen. 1.28. have dominion over every living thing that moveth. Now God's driving Adam out of Paradise, signified his dethroning and banishing him, that he might look after an heavenly and a better Paradise. 5. A fifth fruit of the Curse was Death, verse 19. To dust thou shalt return. Death was not natural to Adam, it came in after sin. Josephus is of opinion, Man should have died though he had continued in Innocency, only he should have had a ⟨p. 68⟩