Select Sermons, Sermon 3 – Title page 4

Select Sermons · Sermon 3 – Title page 4

p. 259THE RIGHT EATING AND DIGESTING OF THE WORD.

JER. 15.16.

Thy words were found by mee, and I did eate them, &c.

THE Prophet complaines verſ. 10. of the courſe entertainment that he had amongſt the people; that hee was a man of contention to the whole earth, hee was counted a contentious fellow, and ſo hated and p. 260curſed as a man contentious. That hath alwayes beene the lot of Gods ſervants, and Saints, to have that imputation laid upon them. A man may ſtrive in his Miniſtery to bring men to repentance, Gen. 6. My Spirit ſhall ſtrive no longer with man. Therefore Gods Spirit ſtrives in the Miniſtery of his ſervants whileſt hee ſets them on to make them ſtrive to bring men to God. And men may ſtrive, and contend earneſtly for the faith once given to the Saints, Iude 4. And yet this makes not men, men of contention in an ill ſenſe. Indeed the world counts ſuch contentious men: But who they be that truly deſerve that cenſure wee ſee, Rom. 2.8. But unto them that are contentious, and doe not obey the truth, but obey unrighteouſneſſe, indignation, and wrath. Therefore ſuch as doe not obey the truth, but obey unrighteouſneſſe, they are the contentious perſons. Well, but yet the Prophet muſt goe for a contentious man, and ſo a man odious. What's the matter? It may be hee was an uſurious oppreſſor, p. 261and therefore contentious and curſed. Hee purges himſelfe from that, verſ. 10. I have neither lent on uſury, nor have men lent to mee on uſury. Therefore it muſt be ſome what elſe. Hee therefore layes downe the true cauſe why hee was ſo judged, and ſo hated: And that in theſe words, verſ. 15. latter end, Know that for thy ſake I have ſuffered rebuke. What ever is pretended, yet Lord this is the true cauſe. It is for thy ſake alone that I am thus odious. And that hee opens more particularly, verſ. 16. for thy ſake it is, for thy words were found by mee, and I did eate them. I have beene faithfull when I found what thy word and will was, to diſperſe and practiſe it, and hence is all this adoe, therefore the clamours and curſes are againſt mee. Becauſe I eate thy Word, therefore it is that they are ready to eate up mee, and to devoure mee. That is the dependance of theſe words. And wee may take this by the way from it. That the true ground of all clamours, curſes, reproaches againſt Gods ſervants, is nothing elſe but p. 262this, tbeir conſcientious and cloſe walking with God, and walking by the rule of his Word. Pſal. 69.7, 8, 9. For thy ſake I have borne reproach: ſhame hath covered my face. I am become a ſtranger unto my brethren, and an alient unto my mothers children. For the zeale of thine houſe hath eaten me up: and the reproathes of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon mee. Becauſe the word is eaten by them, or they eaten up with zeale for God and his Word, therefore is the world ready to eat them.

For the words themſelves, and their ſenſe. Thy words were found by mee, that is, thou didſt reveale and make known thy Word and will to mee. And I did eate them. It is a metaphor by which hee expreſſes with what readineſſe and forwardneſſe hee received the Word either to diſperſe it to others, or for his owne practiſe and obedience, viz. with ſuch readineſſe and affection, as an hungry man would doe his meate, I was as willing to diſperſe, and obey thy Word, as if thou hadſt commanded mee to have eaten meat when hungry.

p. 263And ſo the point is.

That the Word of God found by us, Doct. made knowne to us, must be eaten of us. It is not enough to heare the Word, to reade the Word, but wee muſt eate the Word. That which Ezekiel and John did in a ſpeciall caſe peculiar to them, that muſt wee all doe; Eze. 3.1, 2, 3. Moreover, he ſaid unto me, Sonne of man, eat that thou findeſt: eate this roule, and goe, ſpeake unto the houſe of Iſrael. So I opened my mouth, and hee cauſed me to eate that roule. And he ſaid unto me, Sonne of man, cauſe thy belly to eate, and fill thy bowels with this roule that I give thee. Then did I eate it, and it was in my mouth, as hony for ſweetneſſe. So John, Apoc. 10.9. And J went unto the Angel, and ſaid unto him, Give mee the little Booke. And hee ſaid unto mee, Take it and eate it up, and it ſhall make thy belly bitter, but it ſhall be in thy mouth as ſweet as honey. So wee, when we finde the Word muſt eate it. There muſt be a manducation, a comeſtion of the Word.

As the body hath its food, ſo the p. 264ſoule alſo. Now for the body, it is not enough to ſee food, and looke upon it, nor to feele food, and to handle it, nor to ſmell food, but if the body will be nouriſhed and maintained in life, it muſt eate food, and take it in; ſo likewiſe the ſoule having its food, and the Word being its food, it is not enough to heare it, and receive it in at the eare, but it muſt alſo eate it, and take it in at the mouth.

The Word is milk, 1 Pet. 2.2. 1 Cor. 3.2. I have fed you with milke: Therefore not enough for men to have milke amongſt them, but they muſt be fed with it, and they muſt feed upon it. And how can men feed unleſſe they eate?

The Word is bread, Amos 8.11. A famine not of bread, but of the Word, that is, a famine not of bodily, but of ſpirituall bread: Therefore it is ſprituall bread. And what more uſuall then this Scripture phraſe of eating bread. Bread is appointed, and made for that uſe and end to be eaten. Bread may be in the houſe, may be on the table, p. 265may be in a mans hand, and yet if a man eate it not, hee is never the fatter, nor fuller, nothing can ſatisfie a mans hunger, or keep life up, but the eating of bread.

The Word is hony, Pſal. 119.103. And of this hony may it bee ſaid as Prov. 25.16. Haſt thou found Hony? eat ſo much as is ſufficient for thee: or as Prov. 24.13, 14. My ſon, eat thou hony becauſe it is good, and the hony combe, which is ſweet to thy taſte. So ſhall the knowledge of wiſdome be unto thy ſoule: when thou haſt found it, then there ſhall be a reward, and thy expectation ſhall not be cut off. As wee ſee Samſon, Judg. 14.8, 9. When he found hony in the carkeyſe of the Lion, he took thereof in his hands, and he went on eating. So when wee finde this hony, it is not onelyonly to be lookt on, gazed on, wondred at, talkt of, but to be eaten.

Ier. 3.15. That ſhall feed you. Therefore the Word is to be fed upon, and to be eaten, elſe how fed? See Iſa. 55.1, 2. Buy and eate: what is that? verſ. 2. hearken and eat. Therefore the p. 266word muſt be ſo hearkned unto as muſt be eaten. When God gives the Miniſtery of the Word hee makes that good. Hoſ. 11.4. I laid meat unto them. And when hee layes meat to us, hee lookes wee ſhould eate that meate. And that which wiſdome ſpeakes, Prov. 9.5. Come and eate of my bread, may without any great forcing be applyed unto this particular, for that bread there ſpoken of is offered in the Miniſtery of the Word.

Now for the better conceiving of this duty, conſider ſuch particulars as this metaphor implyes. Conſider wherein this eating ſtands. It ſtands in theſe things.

Firſt, in an appetite unto, and a deſire after the word. Unto eating is required an appetite and a ſtomacke, it is mens appetites and hunger that ſets them on eating: A man cares not for eating unleſſe his appetite and ſtomack be up, unleſſe hee be hungry. So this eating of the word implyes an appetite and a ſtomacke to it. When God ſets this food before us, wee ſhould have p. 267our ſpirituall appetite, and come to it with ſharpe ſet ſtomackes, 1 Pet. 2.2. As new borne babes deſire the ſincere milke of the Word. And ſuch an appetite had Iob to the Word, Iob 23.12. I have eſteemed the words of his mouth more then my neceſſary food. Hee had it in ſuch eſteeme that he deſired it more, and had a ſtronger appetite to it then to his neceſſary food, not onelyonly then he had to his dainties and ſuperfluities, but more then to his neceſſary ſubſtantiall food, without which hee could not well live and ſubſiſt. Such was Davids appetite, Pſal. 119.20. Mine heart breakes for the longing, &c. and that not at ſome fits, but at all times. This good cheere never came amiſſe to him, his ſtomacke was ever good, hee could at any time eate, and fall heartily to.

And thus did they eate the Word, Mar. 3.20. when they had ſuch an earneſt appetite to eate the Word that Chriſt and his Diſciples had not leaſure ſo much as to eate bread.

Secondly, In a taſte and reliſhing of p. 2682the Word. Men eate to be nouriſhed, now thoſe things that have no taſte in them they nouriſh not, chaffe, ſtraw, ſtickes have no taſte in them, and therefore wee eate them not, becauſe they will not nouriſh us. Is there any taſte in the white of an egge? Job 6.6. And therefore having no ſavour or taſte in it, of it ſelfe yeelds little nouriſhment. Yea though a man doe eate ſavoury meate, yet if his taſte were gone, would it doe him good? In Philoſophy ſome ſenſes are of commodity, as hearing, ſeeing, ſmelling, a man may be without theſe, but not ſo commodiouſly, ſome are ſenſes of neceſsity, as taſting and feeling, without theſe a man cannot live at all. Indeed in Divinity all ſenſes are ſenſes of neceſsity. Seeing the Word a ſenſe of neceſſity, Jer. 2.31. O generation ſee the Word of the Lord. Hearing a ſenſe of neceſſity, Rom. 10. Faith comes by hearing. And ſpecially taſting, 1 Pet 2.2, 3. As new born babes deſire the ſincere milke of the Word, that yee may grow thereby, if ſo be yee have taſted that the Lord is gracious. p. 269Heb. 6. If they have taſted the good w…rd of God. And this taſting is comprehended under eating, for then doth a man taſte his meate when hee eates it. There is a queſtion, Job 12.11. Doth not the eare try words? and the mouth taſte his meate? And an anſwer to it, Job 34.3. The eare tryeth words, as the mouth taſteth meate. Looke as in eating the mouth taſteth meate, ſo in hearing the word, and in eating of it, the ſoule takes the ſweetneſſe of it. Thus David eates the word, Pſal. 119.103. How ſweet are thy words unto my taste, ſweeter then hony to my mouth. David did eate the word, and in eating taſted the ſweetneſſe of it.

Thirdly, In a delight and pleaſure in it. There is a naturall and lawfull delight and pleaſure that a man takes in eating, which ariſes from the taſte of his meates. The ſweetneſſe and goodneſſe of meate taſted in the eating of it, doth give a man a great deale of contentment and cheering, Nehem. 9.25. They did eate, and delighted themſelves in thy great goodneſſe, viz. that p. 270goodneſſe of Gods which they taſted in the goodneſſe of the creature: That goodneſſe of the creature which cauſed a gladneſſe in their hearts, Act. 17. He fills our hearts with food and gladneſſe. So when wee are commanded to eate the word, it is required that wee heare, receive, and obey it with a delight and gladneſſe of heart. So did the Prophet eate it here, J did eate them, and thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of mine heart. No man takes more joy and delight in eating his food, then I doe in the hearing and doing thy Word.

Fourthly, in chewing the Word by 4meditation, and ſtudy upon it. A man when hee eates, hee firſt chewes his meate before hee lets it downe. If a man gulpe or ſwallow his meat downe whole, hee cannot be ſaid properly to eate. In eating, the teeth muſt doe their office in grinding, and chewing it, and ſo preparing it for the ſtomacke. So this eating implyes the duty of ſerious ſtudy, and meditation upon the Word heard. The beaſts that did not p. 271chew the cud were not cleane. In the eating of the Word, this chewing of it by meditation is a ſpeciall thing required. There is a three-fold uſe of chewing our meate in eating of it.

Firſt, the grinding and chewing of 1the meate with our teeth expreſſes and cruſhes forth the juyce and ſucculency of it, and ſo makes a man taſte and reliſh the ſweetneſſe of it, and makes him take the more delight in eating his meate. A man that ſwallowes his meate whole doth not taſte that ſweetneſſe and ſavourineſſe in it, becauſe the ſucculency of it is not cruſhed forth. So meditation, and chewing the word it wrings and cruſhes forth the ſavory ſucculency of the word. A man that barely heares the Word, and ſwallowes down a whole Sermon at once, and never takes it in pieces, nor chewes it by meditation, feeles nor taſtes not that ſavorous delicacy and ſweetneſſe in the word that others doe that chew it by meditation: And hee is Davids bleſſed man, Pſal. 1, 2. Whoſe delight p. 272is in the Law of the Lord, &c.

2Secondly, grinding and chewing the meate fits it for digeſtion and concoction: Chewing facilitates concoction. Chewed meate is ſooner and eaſilier digeſted then meate ſwallowed whole. Meate ſwallowed whole is unwholſome, it makes the breath unſavoury, it makes concoction the harder and the ſlower. And ſo meditation prepares the word for ſpirituall digeſtion. The word chewed when it is eaten, is the eaſier brought into practiſe.

Thirdly, chewing meate prevents dangers, there may be pinnes, ſtones, yea poyſon in a mans meate, and when a man ſwallowes his meate whole, all theſe may goe downe undiſcerned, but when a man chewes his meate, he preſently findes ſuch offenſive things, and puts them out, and ſo ſaves the choaking and poyſoning. Nay, though neither pinnes nor poyſon in a mans meat, yet the ſwallowing of his meate whole, may choake him, and make him miſcarry. When men after hearing p. 273doe chew the cud by meditation, they come to diſcerne, and finde out many things, which if they were let downe, might choake and poyſon the ſoule.

This then is a maine duty in the eating of the word to chew it. The word is not rightly and kindly eaten when it is not chewed: Therefore is not the ſweetneſſe of the Word taſted, therefore is not the Word ſo kindly digeſted, therefore are many choaked and poyſoned, becauſe it is ſwallowed whole without chewing. One of the Symptomes, or in commoda ſenectutis, Ecclcſ. 12.3.16. The grinders ceaſe becauſe they are few, was the margent rules, the grinders faile becauſe they grinde little. And ſo in this caſe, a great deale of miſcarriage is in this kinde, becauſe men altogether uſe their eares, and not their teeth, the grinders faile, and they grinde little, their is much hearing, but there is little meditation.

Fifthly, In ſwallowing and letting 5,downe the Word. If a man doe take p. 272duplicate page p. 273duplicate page p. 274meat into his mouth, and chew it, yet if hee ſwallow it not downe, but put it forth againe, hee cannot be ſaid to eate. Neither chewing without ſwallowing, nor ſwallowing without chewing is properly eating, but in eating there muſt be both chewing and ſwallowing. So in the eating of the word, it muſt not onelyonly be heard, taſted, chewed, but it muſt be let downe and ſwallowed, Luc. 9.44. Let theſe ſayings ſinke downe into your eares, and ſo downe into your hearts. So muſt the Word be eaten, as Ezekiel was to eate the roule, Ezek. 3.1. Sonne of man eate that thou findeſt, eate this roule. I, but how muſt hee eate it? would it ſerve to take it into his mouth? verſ. 2. So I opened my mouth, and he cauſed me to eate the roule. Well, but would the opening of his mouth, and eating it with his mouth ſerve the turne? No, verſ. 3. Sonne of man cauſe thy belly to eate, fill thy bowels with this roule that I give thee. So in the eating of the Word delivered to us, it is not enough to take it into our mouths, but we muſt p. 275ſwallow it downe, cauſe our belly to eate it, and not onelyonly fill our eares, our heads, & memories, but we muſt fil our bellies, and our bowels with it. This is done when wee not onelyonly heare and meditate upon it, but when it is ſo digeſted, and concocted by us, that wee by obedience and conformity to it even become one vvith it; As vvhen meate is eaten and digeſted, it becomes one vvith the ſubſtance of the body. This point of eating is that, Rom. 6.17. Yee have obeyed from the heart that forme of doctrine whereunto ye were delivered. That looke as meate eaten becomes one with the body, and takes the ſame forme with it; ſo then is the Word eaten when we yeeld ſuch obedience to it, as that we are delivered into the forme of the Word. And this is indeede the maine and principall thing in this eating: And till this be done the Word is not eaten. Many have a conceit that they eate the Word, becauſe they heare, take ſome delight in it, &c. but in the mean while they yeeld not obedience to it, bring p. 276it not into practiſe, it is in their eares, it is in their mouthes, it is in their note Bookes, but it is not in their bellies, and bowels. It is juſt with them as in that caſe with thoſe. Jſa. 29.8. As an hungry man dreames, and behold he eates as in his dreame, hee dreames he eates, but he awakes, and his ſoule is empty. And ſo many, they dreame they eate, becauſe they heare, &c. but yet their ſoule is empty, and their belly is empty, becauſe they never cauſed their belly to eate, they never filled their bowels, the Word never yet ſanke into their hearts to worke them to obedience to it.

And thus in theſe things ſtands this duty of eating, and this is the duty that wee are to doe. And that we may be ſtirred up to it, conſider theſe motives:

1Firſt, eating the Word, it is both the meanes and the ſigne of ſpiritiuall life. It is the meanes of life. Eating maintaines life, let a man give up eating, and hee muſt give up living; no eating, no life. Gen. 47.15. Give us p. 277bread, for why ſhould wee dye in thy preſence? And if they had bread, yet if they did not eate it, if they had kept it in their cupboords, laid it by, and lookt on it, they had dyed nevertheleſſe. It is not the having but the eating of bread that makes men live, Nehem. 5.2. We tooke up corne, that we may eate and live. Men may have meat, and may have bread, and yet if they eate it not they may dye. And when once men leave eating, it is a ſigne they are neere dying, Pſal. 107.18. Their ſoule abhorreth all manner of meate: and they draw neere to the gates of death. It is a ſigne men are in a dying condition when once they are paſt eating, becauſe eating is the meanes of preſervation of life. So it is here, eating the Word is the meanes of ſpirituall life. The Word is called the Word of life. It is called our life, Deut. 32.46, 47. and ſo eating the Word is the eating of that which is life, and eating of life the meanes of life. There was an eating by which death entred into the world, Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou p. 278eateſt thereof ſurely ſhalt thou dye. But this eating is that by which life comes to us, and in the day that we eare the Word living wee doe live, we have hereby the life of grace, and ſhall be aſſured of the life of glory. They that eate of this bread ſh…ll live for ever, and not dye at all: That as Joh 6.48, 49, 50. I am that bread of life. Your Fathers did eate Manna in the Wilderneſſe, and are dead. This is the bread which commeth downe from heaven, that a man may eate thereof, and not dye: So in this caſe. And looke as Chriſt againe ſpeakes of eating himſelfe, Joh. 6.53, 54. Then Jeſus ſaid unto them, Verely, verely, I ſay unto you, Except ye eate the fleſh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his blood ye have no life in you. Whoſo eateth my fleſh and drinketh my blood, hath everlaſting life, and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day. So here alſo, for Chriſt is eaten by eating the Word, Iſa. 55.1. Buy and eate, verſ. 3. Heare and you ſhall live. Bleſſed are they that eate bread in the Kingdome of God. No eating bread in Gods Kingdome, unleſſe fitſt wee p. 279eate the Word here. And ſo bleſſed are they that eate the Word, for they ſhall eate bread in the Kingdome of God; They ſhall eate, and live for ever. And as it is a meanes, ſo a ſpirituall life. When men doe eate the Word, it is a ſigne they are alive, and and in ſpirituall health. A dead man cannot eate, onelyonly living men eate, and when men eate and fall hard to their meate, it is a ſigne that they are alive, and their health good. When men can eate, and fall hard to the Word, it is a ſigne that they are in life and health. Therefore as yee would uſe the meanes, as have a ſigne of ſpirituall life, ſo eate the Word.

Secondly, That which moved Eve to 2eate the forbidden fruit, ſhould move us to eate the commanded fruit, Gen. 3.6. And when the Woman ſaw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleaſant to the eyes, and a tree to be deſired, to make one wiſe, ſhe tooke of the fruit thereof, and did eate, and gave alſo unto her husband with her, and he did eate. So here, the word is good, good for food, p. 280it is that which is to be deſired to make one wiſe, therefore let us take thereof, and eate heartily of it. The goodneſſe of the Word is that which ſhould move to eate. Good meate tempts men to eate, and though men have no great ſtomacke, yet if they heare meat commended for good meate, they will eate of it, Iſa. 55.2. Hearken, and eate that which is good. And it is Salomons argument, Prov. 4.1, 2. Heare yee children the inſtruction of a father: and attend to know underſtanding. For I give good doctrine. Yea and hee preſſes this duty of eating upon this ground, Prov. 24.13, 14. My ſonne, eate thou hony becauſe it is good, and the hony combe, which is ſweet to thy taſte. So ſhall the knowledge of wiſdome be unto thy ſoule: when thou haſt found it, then there ſhall be a reward, and thy expectation ſhall not be cut off. The ſumme is, As when men finde honey, they doe not forbeare, but will fall to and eate, becauſe they know it is ſo ſweet and good: So when thou findeſt the Word, fall to and eate that alſo, for that is good, and that will be p. 281as good and ſweet to thy ſoule when thou ea…eſt it.

Thirdly, Men ſtand much upon the 3taking and eating the Sacramentall bread, and put not a little in the eating of it, but in the meane time make little regard of eating the Word. They would take it very ill if they ſhould be kept from eating Sacramentall bread, and yet in the meane time willingly and voluntarily abſtaine from eating the bread of the Word: Therefore let men know that there is a greater neceſſity of eating the Word then is of eating the Sacrament. A man may be ſaved if hee eate not the Sacramen, but a man cannot be ſaved if hee eate not the Word. It may fall out that a man cannot have the Sacrament, but yet if a man doe eate the Word, in ſuch a caſe the not eating of the Sacrament ſhall be no prejudice to him. And beſides how ever men conceive of their eating bread in the Sacrament, yet the truth is, that a man is never fit, nor prepared to eate the Sacrament, till hee doe firſt eate the Word. The p. 282Word not firſt received, beleeved, and obeyed, a man hath no right to, and ſhall have no benefit by eating the Sacrament, for he that eates not the word cannot eate Chriſt in the Sacrament; and what is a man the better for eating the Sacrament, if hee eate not Chriſt? They did all eate of the ſame ſpirituall meat, and yet with many of them God was not well pleaſed. And why ſo? becauſe though they did eate Manna a Sacramentall bread, yet they did not eate the Word, and yeeld obedience from the heart to that, 1 Cor. 10.3, 5.

4Fourthly, that which David did, wee ought all to doe, Pſal. 119.11. I have hid thy Word in mine heart. It is to be hid and kept ſafe. There is no ſuch way to hide it, and lay it up ſafe indeed, as to eate it. Bodily bread, as Bernard ſayes, when it is in the cupboord, it may bee taken away by theeves, eaten of mice, may mould, and be waſted, but when it is eaten it is ſafe from all ſuch danger: So the Word is never ſo ſafely hid as when once it is eaten. After the miracles of p. 283the loaves, our Saviour bids gather up the fragments, and ſee, ſayes he, that nothing be loſt. The onelyonly way to ſee that nothing of this bread be loſt, is to eate it. It is never loſt that is eaten.

Firſt, for Miniſters. Ʋſe 1

Firſt, if people muſt eate the 1Word, then they muſt give them to eate. How can they eate, that have nothing to eate? Lam. 4.4. The young children aske bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. In ſuch a caſe they might aske bread, but they could not eate bread; where bread was not given, bread could not be eaten. Many would eate bread if they had it. And that people have it not, and eate it not, it is the fault of ſuch Miniſters as give it not, and breake it not. Many keepe their people at ſuch ſhort commons, that they have not to eate, ſo farre from having their bellies full, that they get not ſo much as a mouthfull.

Secondly, if people muſt eate, then 2as Miniſters muſt give them to eate, ſo p. 284ſo they muſt give them ſuch as they may eate. A man may give bread and meate to be eaten, and yet it may be ſuch ſtuffe as cannot be eaten, Luc. 11.11, 12. If a ſon ſhall aske bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a ſtone? That were the way to choake him, and not to feed him: Or if he aske a fiſh, will he for a fiſh give him a Serpent? That were the way to poyſon him, and not to cheriſh him. Men cannot eate ſtones, mens teeth are not able to chew and grinde them, nor their ſtomackes able to digeſt them. A man may preach, and yet preach ſo as people can finde nothing in it that they may eate. Schoole points, and quiddities that tranſcends vulgar capacities are ſtony food, not ſtones turned into bread, as Satan would have Chriſt have done, but rather bread turned into ſtones. Jer. 3.15. That ſhall feed you with underſtanding. Therefort that which muſt be eaten muſt be underſtood. Men dare not eate Serpents and Scorpions, who can blame them if they feare to be poyſoned. See how p. 285Chriſt was uſed, Pſal. 69.21. They gave me alſo gall for my meat, and in my thirſt they gave me vineger to drinke. And therefore when it was tendred unto him, Mar. 15.23. They gave it him, but he received it not. And what wonder if people receive not, and eate not meate mingled with gall, when they are fed with bitter invectives. Hold faſt the forme of ſound, or wholſome words. Now many doe ſet before people ſuch rotten and unwholſome food, ſuch traſh and unſavoury food, and ſuch poyſonous ſtuffe, that it is with people as it was with them, 2 King. 4.40. As they were eating of the pottage, they cryed out, O man of God, Death is in the pot. And they could not eate thereof. So it is here, there is coloquintida and wilde goards in the pot, many times a whole lap full, and when there is death in the pot, what wonder that people cannot eate thereof.

Or if men preach truth, yet it is done with ſuch unbeſeeming levity and vanity, after ſuch a ſtage faſhion, that there is no nouriſhing ſubſtance in p. 286it, Jer. 3.15. ſhall feed you with knowledge, with that which ſhall edifie and build you up in knowledge, not with huskes as the prodigall was fed.

Or if truth propounded, yet it is meate ſo negligently dreſt, ſo ſluttiſhly cooked, that the very ſight of it takes away mens ſtomackes, that as Hophni and Phineas in another caſe made the people abhoorre and loath the Lords offerings; ſo many ſo marre the meate in the dreſſing, that men can have no ſtomacke to eate it. So that it may bee ſaid of many Sermons, as the Prophet ſpeakes of thoſe Figges, Jer. 24.2. And the other basket had very naughty Figges which could not be eaten they were ſo bad. And as your proverbe is, God ſends meat, and the Divell ſends Cookes. So it may be more truely ſaid in this caſe, God ſends meate and gives his Word, but there be many Cookes not of his ſending, that make ſuch rotten meate, ſuch ſlovenly meate, ſuch traſhy meat, ſuch bitter meat, ſuch unſavoury loathſome meat, that it cannot be eaten for badneſſe. Therefore ſince people muſt p. 287eate, let us be carefull to give them to eate, and to give them that they may eate, ſound and ſavoury food, and well and handſomely dreſt.

Secondly, For people. Ʋſe 2

And ſo the uſe is diverſe.

Firſt, to condemne people for the Ʋſe 1 neglect of this duty, that they doe not fall to and eate when it is ſet before them, Mal. 1.12. Yee ſay, as you, the Table of the Lord is polluted, and the fruit thereof, even his meat is contemptible. God hee deales bountifully with men; it may be ſaid here, as Pſal. 68.11. The Lord gave the Word, great was the company of them that publiſhed it. Wee have had preaching, and Preachers, and this ſpirituall food, Gods plenty, wiſdome cryes out to men, as Prov. 9.5. Come eate of my bread. And Chriſt calls upon men, as Cant. 5.1. Eate O friends, and fall to, and take your filles. And yet men ſit and looke on, and regard neither this food, nor theſe invitations, but deale with the Lord as Salomon wiſhes men to deale with a churle, Prov. 23.6, 7. Eate not the p. 288bread of him that hath an evill eye, neither deſire his dainty meates, eate and drinke ſaith he, but his heart is not with thee. Juſt ſo deale men with the Lord, when he calls upon them to eate the Word, as if God had an evill eye, as if his heart were not with them: whereas, as the Word and food is good, ſo alſo is his eye good, and his heart is with us, and it would be meate and drinke to him to ſee us fall to, and eate heartily. Such carriage at our Neighbours Tables would be conſtrued a diſcurteſie, and men would force themſelves to eate againſt their ſtomackes, rather then to give their diſcontent at his Table. And yet wee ſtand not upon giving the Lord ſuch groſſe diſguſts, as not to eate when he layes and ſets meate before us. There is much preaching, and yet but little eating. Many inſtead of eating the Word, could finde in their hearts to eat the Miniſter.

And what thinke we is the reaſon that men eate the word no more then they doe?

p. 289It is from theſe three cauſes.

Firſt, from fulneſſe. The full ſoule 1loathes the honey combe, Prov. 27.7. When a mans belly is full, hee hath not onelyonly no minde to eate, but hee loathes to eate, and that not onelyonly courſe and common foode, but the daintieſt and ſweeteſt food, hee treadeth under foot the honey combe. The Word is honey, and this honey is to be eaten when it is found, Prov. 24.13. And yet when men finde it, they eate it not, but loath it, and tread upon it. And the reaſon is becauſe they are already full. Such a fulneſſe as that, Rom. 1.29. Being filled with all unrighteouſneſſe, fornication, wickedneſſe, covetouſneſſe, maliciouſneſſe, full of envy, murther, debate, deceit, malignity, wh…ſperers. Their hearts are cram'd full of their luſts: And their hearts being already filled with carnall and worldly luſts, they loath theſe honey combes. Some feed ſo full upon that hony, Pro. 5.3. The honey which drops from the lips of a ſtrange woman, that they tread this honey combe under foot. There be a p. 290great many that eate as the Serpent doth, Gen. 3.14. Duſt ſhalt thou eate all the dayes of thy life. All worldly hearts are of the Serpents dyet, they eate duſt, and ſo fill themſelves with the duſt of the earth, that they loath to eate the Word. Becauſe mens hearts are ſtuft with this baggage and baſe food, therefore will not men eate this Angels food, this bread of Heaven.

2Secondly, from lingring and hankring after ſome other food. Such a diſpoſition takes off the ſtomack from wholſome food. The Iſraelites had Angels food, the bread of Heaven, and yet at laſt this food would not down with them, nay they loathed their Manna: And a man will not eate what hee loathes. But what was the cauſe that they cared not to eate manna? See Numb. 11.4. They fell a luſting (or they luſted a luſt) and ſaid, who ſhall give us fleſh to eate? and verſ. 5. fiſh to eate, and they long after the garlicke and onyons of Egypt; and therefore now this Manna will not downe with them. So men, when p. 291once they begin to luſt a luſt after novelties in doctrine, the wholſome ſavoury truth of God they begin to loath, they are weary of it, quite cloyed with it, then no wonder it is not eaten. When once mens lippes hang after Egyptian food, popiſh and corrupt doctrine, then truth will not downe by any meanes, Iſa. 44.20. He feedeth on aſhes. That is but ſtrange food, a mad dyet for a man to live and feed on aſhes. But what makes him feed ſo fondly? A deceived heart hath turned him aſide. So with many. deceived heart hath turned them aſide, and then they fall to eating of aſhes, and therefore, like thoſe that have the greene ſickneſſe, their mindes hang after aſhes, and ſuch traſh, and ſo no mind to the wholſome food of ſound Doctrine. See the caſe cleare, 2 Tim. 4.3, 4. They will not endure it, therefore not eate it, not indure it, as a man cannot indure the meate he loathes. But why not indure it? They have itching eares, that itch after novelties, and therefore ſhall turn away their eares, &c.

p. 292Thirdly, from ſickneſſe, or if yee will from deadneſſe. Sicke men forſake their meate, and refuſe their meat. Men are ſpiritually ſicke, and have ſome diſeaſes upon them that make them eate nothing at all, or elſe they doe but piddle, and trifle, as good never a whit, as never the better. Nay, men are dead, void of the life of God, and that's a maine reaſon that they eat not. Dead men cannot eate.

2Secondly, ſince it is a duty that muſt be done, therefore let people examine themſelves whether they doe it or not, whether the Word be eaten by them or not.

Queſt. How may one know whether he eates the Word or not?

Anſw. By theſe things:

Firſt, By ſpirituall cheerefulneſſe, 1livelineſſe and quickning. When a man hath eaten, it makes him cheerefull and lively, Act. 14.17. He fills our heart with food and gladneſſe. A man when hee hath faſted, and long forborne his meate, his ſpirits waſte and decay; but when hee eates, that repaires p. 293his ſpirits, and renewes them, and ſo makes a man come to himſelfe, and makes him freſh and lively. See Jonathans caſe, 1 Sam. 14.27, 29, 30. Hee was faint and his ſpirits ſpent ſo, that his eyes began to grow dimme through faintneſſe and want of ſpirit, and he doth but eate a little honey, and his ſpirits are refreſht, and repaired, that his eyes were enlightned. And if but a taſte of the honey did ſo much, How much more ſayes Jonathan, if the people had eaten freely, had they beene cheered, and repaired. Wee finde a man, 1 Sam. 30.12. that had eaten nothing in three dayes and three nights, by reaſon of which his ſpirits were quite gone, and hee was even a dead man: But ſee verſ. 11. 12. And when he had eaten, his ſpirit came againe unto him. It was in a manner gone from him before, but now hee had eaten hee was ſo refreſht and cheered, that hee was alive againe, his ſpirit came againe.

So it is in this eating, it fills the ſoule with cheerefulneſſe and livelineſſe. A man that eates the Word indeed findes p. 294his heart finely cheered, filled with ſpirits, Thy words were found by me, and I did eate them. How did that appeare? And it was unto me the joy and rejoycing of mine heart: Oh how mine heart was cheered within mee, oh how my ſpirit was refreſht! Prov. 24. My ſonne, if thou finde honey, as Jonathan did, eate it for it is good. So eate this honey for it is good. Why what good will follow upon it? If thou be faint, lumpiſh, ſpirits downe, dim ſighted, it will enlighten thine eyes, it will ſo cheere thy ſpirits, that it will recover thy deadneſſe, and dimneſſe, it will enlighten and enliven thee. When that man had eaten, his ſpirit came againe: If before thou wert dead, and heavy, and lumpiſh unto good duties, yet if thou doe eate the Word, one good meale of it will recover thee out of that deadneſſe, and make thee lively and cheerefull in duties of worſhip and obedience. By this try thy ſelfe. If thus it be with thee, thou haſt eaten the Word, but the little quickning, refreſhing, the little enſpiriting of men p. 295after the Word heard, argues how little men doe eate it.

Secondly, by ſpirituall ſatisfaction. 2,A man that is hungry his ſtomack is ſtil craving, and he deſiring ſomething that he wants, and let him have this, or that, yet hee is not ſatisfied, unleſſe he may eate. Mirth, muſick, company, pleaſure, let an hungry man have, yet there followes no ſatisfaction, ſtill his ſtomacke craves. But let a man but eate, then there is a ſatisfaction, and that craving is over. Nehem. 9.25. They did eate and they were filled. And ſo in the miracle of the loaves, it is ſaid, they did all eate and were filled, their hunger was allayed and ſatisfied. So it is here: The heart of man is full of cravings, and hungrings after profits, pleaſures, vanities, luſts, and though a man eate of theſe never ſo much, theſe ſatisfie not the hungry cravings of the heart, nay the more they are fed upon, ſtill the heart craves them more: But now when a man eates the Word, all theſe cravings of the heart ceaſe, and are ſatisfied. A man upon eating the p. 296Word findes ſuch ſatisfaction in it, and his heart ſo fitted, that it is at reſt from thoſe troubleſome and inordinate cravings, theſe unnaturall dogged appetites are quenched. The ſoule that eates the Word findes it ſelfe ſo abundantly ſatisfied, that it lingers not after the profits and pleaſures of the world. Hee that eates this Manna lingers not after the fleſh-pots, the onyons and garlicke of Egypt. Iſa. 55.2. Wherefore doe yee ſpend mony for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which ſatisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eate yee that which is good, and let your ſoule delight it ſelfe in fatneſſe: though theſe things then ſatisfie not, yet the Word it ſatisfies, and fills, and feeds, and fattens.

By this may men try themſelves, if they have ſo received the Word, as that their hearts are weaned from their carnall and worldly luſts, thoſe inſatiable cravings are at an end, ſuch ſatisfaction is a ſigne that a man hath eaten: But the contrary ſhewes how few have eaten. Many would ſeeme p. 297to eate, and profeſſe they have eaten, but yet their hunger after the world, their profits and pleaſures, are as keene and as eager as ever. Their hearts doe reſtleſly crave theſe things. Thine heart is not filled, therefore thou haſt not eaten.

Thirdly, by ſpirituall ſtrength, 3fatneſſe, good liking, good complexion: ſo it is in bodily eating, keep men from eating and their ſtrength decayes, they grow feeble, their complexion decayes, and they looke with an ill complexion, pale, wan, and ill coloured. As wee ſee in a ſiege, when men have beene coopt up, and have not had meate to eate, they have come out like ſo many dead carkaiſes out of their graves, ſo weake, ſo poore, ſuch ghoſtly lookes, as it is enough to ſcare a man with the ſight of them. But now eating mends all this, that breeds good blood, health, ſtrength, fatneſſe, and a good habitude of body. Upon eating followes ſtrength, ſtrength to walke, and to worke, 1 King. 19.8. And he aroſe and did eate and drinke, and went in p. 298the ſtrength of that meate forty dayes and forty nights, unto Horeb the mount of God. Upon eating followes fatneſſe, Nehem. 9.25. They did eate, and they were fat. Upon eating followes goodneſſe of complexion, Dan. 1.13. upon the eating of this pulſe, their countenances were faire and fat. And thus is it upon eating the Word, men have ſtrength in their ſoules to walke in the wayes of God, men grow fat, grow up as calves of the ſtall, full of good, Rom. 15.14. they are fat, and flouriſhing, Pſal. 92.14. They have faire and good complexions, their wiſdome and other graces cauſe their faces to ſhine, their lives and carriages are faire and lovely. And by this may men know whether they have eaten the Word or not. If it be thus with them, that they have ſtrength againſt their luſts, if they have ſtrength to walke in obedience, &c. a ſigne they have eaten the Word. But this ſhewes that few have eaten and doe eate the Word.

Many ſay they doe, but how is it they be ſo weake and ſo feeble, that p. 299they cannot walke and worke? How is it that they be ſo leane, that there is ſuch an emptineſſe of grace and goodneſſe? 2 Sam. 13.4. Why art thou, being the Kings ſonne leane, or thin from day to day? ſo how is it that thou eating the Kings dyet, the bread of heaven, art thus thin and leane? How is it that thy life, thy complexion mends not, but thy complexion and converſation is ſo ill? It fares with many as in that caſe, Gen. 41.18.21. When the ſeven leane kine and ill-favoured had eaten up the fat, It could not be knowne that they had eaten them, they were ſtill as hadgeld hildings and carrion-like ſcroyles as before. So here, men ſay they have eaten, but looke on their lives, and it cannot be knowne, as arrant ſcroyles as ever, as very ſwearers, drunkards, as ever, as proud, covetous, looſe as ever. A cleare ſigne that ſuch doe not eate the Word.

Fourthly, they that eate the word 4will ever doe as Eve did when ſhee did eate the forbidden fruit, Gen. 3.6. Who gave alſo to her husband, and hee p. 300did eate; ſo ever here. There is no ſuch good fellowſhip as in this eating, where there is no man that would eate alone, As Job 31.17. where that holy man profeſſeth, That hee had not eaten his morſell himſelfe alone, and the fatherleſſe had not eaten thereof: ſo here, none that eateth the Word of God eateth his morſell himſelfe alone, and giveth not the fatherleſſe and needy ſoule to eate thereof: But as in Samſons Riddle Out of the eater came meate: ſo here out of the eater of the Word commeth meate to feed others, judge by this.

3Thirdly, if the Word muſt be eaten, then it teacheth us to be frequent in hearing, and diligent in taking all opportunities. Some men can content themſelves, if need be, with one Sermon in a yeere, and it is enough a conſcience if well followed: One meale in a yeere were ſhort commons. A man deſires to eate every day twice, ſome thrice a day. There is a neceſſity of eating frequently: ſo here, take all opportunities of hearing and reading the p. 301Word, ſome morſell every day, and miſſe not publike meales. See 1 King. 19.5. & 7. where the Prophet Eliah was by the Angel bidden to eate, and hee did ſo; yea though hee had eaten but juſt before, yet hee goes to it againe the ſecond time, being bidden a ſecond time. If thou have eaten in the morning, yet, if God call to it a ſecond time, eate againe in the afternoone. If thou have eaten on the Sabboth, yet if God give opportunity and liberty, eate alſo on the weeke day. The Word is to be eaten, and eating muſt bee frequent and often.

FINIS.

THE PVRCHASE AND POSSESSION OF THE TRVTH.

By IER. DYKE Miniſter of Epping in Eſſex.

MATTH. 13.45, 46.

The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant man, ſeeking goodly pearles:

Who when he had found one pearle of great price, hee went and ſold all that hee had, and bought it.

Auguſt. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 5. Laudas mercatorem qui vendit plumbum & acquirit aurum: & non laudas mercatorem qui erogat pecuniam, & acquirit juſtitiam?

LONDON: Printed by Tho. Paine for L. Fawne and S. Gellibrand at the brazen Serpent in Paules Church-yard. 1640.