Bridges on Proverbs 16:26
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 16:26
 
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26. He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him. {He...: Heb. The soul of him that} {craveth...: Heb. boweth unto him}
 
A state of labour is the penal appointment of God. (Genesis 3:19.) It is the law of God in his Church, so that those who are no workers, are counted “disorderly workers.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11.) Yet is mercy mingled with this curse. What if there were no obligation to labour? “Every imagination of the heart” (Genesis 6:5) — unmingled, unceasing “evil” — would, for want of other occupation, be left to its own undisturbed energy. Wise then and gracious is the decree — Rest in heaven; labour on earth. This is the necessary condition of the great mass of mankind. Their mouth craveth it of them (Ecclesiastes 6:7), eager as a suppliant to receive the needful food. This is labouring for ourselves. The harvest is our rich recompence. Only take care that we labour not for vanity,† or for “evil covetousness.”† This is working our own ruin.†
But even where we are exempt from bodily toils, the wide-spreading progress of knowledge fills up daily life with wearisome mental occupation; which, under Christian discipline, brings its own reward, so that he that laboureth, laboureth for himself. Barrow severely handles the popular notion — ‘What is a gentleman, but his pleasure? If this be true,’ — he remarks — ‘if a gentleman be nothing else but this; then surely he is a sad piece, the most despicable, the most pitiable and wretched creature in the world. But’ — he adds — ‘in truth it is far otherwise. To suppose that a gentleman is loose from business is a great mistake. For indeed no man hath more to do; no man lieth under greater obligations to industry than he.’†
And yet all toil, whether bodily or mental, is an evil if it prevents concentration of interest on the only satisfying object of labour. This — need we state it? — is “not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto everlasting life.” (John 6:27.) Ponder the certain harvest — “The Son of man will give it.” Look over the field of labour — the gospel of his grace. Every promise is there to meet thee, to wait on thee, to “perform all things for thee” (Psalm 57:2); and yet of what avail if thou dost not apply and take it to thyself? Happy indeed for us, when the spiritual appetite is created; and our mouth craveth this labour of us for satisfaction. All other objects find their place when the primary object is rightly determined. We do not annihilate our interests in this world, which has its due claims, and will make them good. Our hands and our time are given to the world; our hearts to God. Our activity is in our calling; our affections above it. This is in the highest sense labouring for ourselves — for our best, our most enduring good. All is centered in God. Indeed without him our life is cast away. Whatever be its momentary enjoyments, it is all a gloomy world of emptiness and vanity. Most truly does the Christian's heart respond to Augustine's confession — ‘All other plenty besides my God is mere beggary to me.’†
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Genesis 3:19
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1 Thessalonians 4:11
11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
 
2 Thessalonians 3:11
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Genesis 6:5
5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. {every...: or, the whole imagination: the Hebrew word signifieth not only the imagination, but also the purposes and desires} {continually: Heb. every day}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ecclesiastes 6:7
7 ¶ All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. {appetite: Heb. soul}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 23:4, 5. Isaiah 47:12, 13. Habakkuk 2:18.
 
 
Proverbs 23:4, 5
4 ¶ Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. {set...: Heb. cause thine eyes to fly upon}
 
Isaiah 47:12, 13
12 Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. 13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. {astrologers: Heb. viewers of the heavens} {the monthly...: Heb. that give knowledge concerning the months}
 
Habakkuk 2:18
18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? {maker of...: Heb. fashioner of his fashion}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Habakkuk 2:9. Isaiah 5:8.
 
 
Habakkuk 2:9
9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! {coveteth...: or, gaineth and evil gain} {power...: Heb. palm of the hand}
 
Isaiah 5:8
8 ¶ Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! {they: Heb. ye}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 28:22. 1 Timothy 6:9, 10.
 
 
Proverbs 28:22
22 ¶ He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him. {hasteth...: or, hath and evil eye hasteth to be rich}
 
1 Timothy 6:9, 10
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. {erred: or, been seduced}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Sermon on Industry in our particular Calling as Gentlemen.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John 6:27
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. {Labour not: or, Work not}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 57:2
2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Confess. Lib. xiii. c. 8.