The Christian Mans Calling, Treatise · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII. How a Chriſtian may exerciſe himſelf to Godlineſs in natural actions. And firſt in eating and drinking.
AS thy duty is to make religion thy buſineſs in religious, Secondly,ſo alſo in natural actions. A good Scrivener is not onelyonly careful how he makes his firſt and great letters, his flouriſhes, but alſo the ſmalleſt letters, nay his very ſtops and comma's. A Scribe inſtructed for the Kingdom of heaven, is heedfull not only that the weighteſt actions of Gods immediate worſhip, but alſo that the meaner paſſages of his life be conformable to Gods law. A wiſe builder will make his Kitchin as well as his Parlor, according to rule. A holy perſon turns his natural actions into ſpiritual, and whilſt he is ſerving his body, he is ſerving his God. It is ſaid of a Scotch Divine, That he did eat, Non ſemper ore non ſemper meditor, ſed veſtio dormio, edo, bi bo; haee omnia ſi in fide fiunt, tanquam recte facta, divino judicio approbantur. Luth. in Gen. 33.drink and ſleep eternal life. Luther tels us, that though he did not always pray and meditate, but did ſometimes eat, and ſometimes drink, and ſometimes ſleep, yet all ſhould further his account; the latter as truly, though not ſo abundantly, as the former: And indeed it is our priviledge that natural actions may be adopted into the family of religion, and we may worſhip God as really at our tables as in his temple.
Saints muſt not like brute beaſts, content themſelves with a natural uſe of the creatures, but uſe them as chariots to mount them nearer, and cords to bind them cloſer to God. Piety or Holineſs to the Lord muſt be written upon their pots, Zac. 14.20. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatſoever ye do, do all to the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.…31 Philo obſerveth that the ancient Jews made their feaſts after ſacrifice, in the temple, that the place might mind them of their duty to be pious at them. It is a memorable expreſſion Exod. 18.12. And Aaron came, Sancti manducant et bibunt in conſpectu Dei Origen in loc:and all the elders of Iſrael to eat bread with Moſes father in law before God. In which words we have the greatneſs of their courteſie, and the graciouſneſs of their carriage. For their courteſie, though Jethro were a ſtranger, and no Iſraelite, yet the elders honored him with their company. And Aaron and all the elders came to eat bread with Moſes father in law. But mark the graciouſneſs of their carriage, they came to eat bread with him before God; that is, In gloriam et honorem Dei, to the honor and glory of God, ſaith Calvin. They received their ſuſtenance, as in Gods ſight, and cauſed their proviſion to tend to Gods praiſe.
God takes it ill when we ſit down to table and leave him out, Zach. 7.6. When ye did eat and when ye did drink, did ye not eat for your ſelves, and drink for your ſelves? He ſends us in all our food, we live at his coſt; and therefore our eating may well be to his credit, who is the Maſter of the feaſt.
The Jews according to ſome, had officers at every feaſt, whom they called Praefecti morum; their work was, the inſpection of the gueſts, that none ſhould diſorder themſelves: I muſt tell thee, Gods eye is upon thee every meal, he takes notice whether thy behaviour is as becometh a Saint.
And truly friend, It behoves thee to uſe religion as a bridle in thy mouth, to hold thee in, when thou art eating and drinking. Thy throat is a ſlippery place, and ſin may eaſily ſlip down; Its no hard matter to ſin, whilſt the thing thou art about is not ſinfull. How many feed without fear, and thereby fatten themſelves to the ſlaughter, Jude ver. 12. We read of ſome whoſe tables are ſnares, in which they have been caught by Satan, Pſal. 69.22. Job feared his Sons had ſinned in their eating and drinking, Job. 1.5. There are more gueſts every meal then thou inviteſt to thy table. The devil lyeth in ambuſh behind the lawfull enjoyment, and will certainly ſurpriſe thee before thou art aware, if thou art not watchfull. The fatal wound he gave Adam at firſt was in his throat; By getting him to eat, he brought him, and us all to die. If Adam ſtrengthned with his perfect original purity, was yet caught with this hook; ſure I am, it concerns thee to beware of the bait: Have a care leſt the quinſie in thy throat kill thee. Satan is a ſubtile angler, thou art a poor filly fiſh; be carefull leſt he take thee by the teeth and ſend thee to the fire.
God hath given thee a rule, as for his table, when thou art eating of that body which is meat indeed, and drinking of that blood which is drink indeed, ſo for thy table when thou art feeding on ordinary creatures. He ſends in thy proviſion, and he gives thee direction according to which, and no other, thou mayſt uſe it. A tenant who holds lands of his Lord, may not uſe them, otherwiſe then according to the conditions on which his Lord let them to him, If he do, the premiſes are forfeited. Now the great God, who is Lord of the whole earth, giveth his creatures to thee conditionally that thou make uſe of them according to his will revealed in his word; if thou uſeſt them otherwiſe thou makeſt a forfeiture, and mayeſt expect every moment that he ſhould take poſſeſſion.
For thy direction, I ſhall here ſet down the conditions upon which God giveth thee thy food. That thou uſe it ſacredly, ſoberly, and ſeaſonably.
Firſt, Thy duty is to eat and drink ſacredly. Piety muſt be mingled with all thy proviſion, or elſe twill be poiſon. Grace muſt ſpice every cup, and be ſauce to every diſh, or nothing will relliſh well: Water taken from the fountain quickly corrupts, and becomes unſavoury, but in the fountain its ſweet indeed. Godlineſs will cauſe thee to enjoy the creatures in God, the fountain of them, and thereby they will be pleaſant to thee.
The daily bread which the Iſraelites did eat was made of the ſame corn with the ſhew bread which was always before the Lord; to teach us, B. Babington in loc:that we ſhould be holy as in Gods ſight when we are eating our ordinary bread, Exod. 25.30. Therefore Saints are ſaid to eat to the Lord, Rom. 14.6. As they eat by him, ſo they eat to him.
Thy piety at meales conſiſteth, in begging a bleſſing before thou eateſt; in holy expreſſions and affections when thou art eating; and in thanksgiving after thou haſt eaten.
1. In begging a bleſſing upon thy food. The creatures on thy Table are Gods creatures, and I muſt tell thee that thou art more bold then welcome, if thou makeſt uſe of his goods, without asking his leave; He expecteth though not to be ſatisfied for his mercies, yet to be acknowledged and ſanctified in his mercies. Every creature of God is ſanctified by the Word of God and prayer, 1 Tim. 4.5. By the word: All the creatures were polluted to us by the firſt Adam, but they are purified to us by the ſecond Adam. Pſa 8.The word of promiſe to Chriſt, the heir of all things, is our warrant, and ſpeaks our permiſſion. And prayer; The word gives us leave to uſe them, and prayer brings down a bleſſing upon them. The word ſheweth our right to them through Chriſt, and prayer acknowledgeth Gods right (Gen. 9.3.) to them and us.
Gods bleſſing onelyonly is the ſtaff of bread, Exod. 23.25. Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God, Mat. 4.4. Bread doth not nouriſh us by its own power, but by Gods Word of promiſe; He can eaſily withhold his bleſſing, and then bread will ſtrengthen no more then chips of bords. And when I have broken the ſtaff of your bread, ten women ſhall bake your bread in one Oven, and they ſhall deliver your bread again by weight, and ye ſhall eat and not be ſatisfied, Lev. 26.26.
Even Heathen Princes begun their ſolemn Feaſts with Sacrifices. The Iſraelites would not eat before Samuel came, becauſe he uſed to bleſs the Sacrifice, 1 Sam. 9.13. Our bleſſed Saviour though he were Lord of all, yet would not feed before he had looked up to Heaven and bleſſed the fiſh, Mark 6.41. Paul though amongſt many Infidels, yet before meat, would deſire a bleſſing in preſence of them all, Acts 27.35. He is worſe then an Ox or Aſs, who will not acknowledge his owner, Iſa. 1.5.
Reader, God can give thee ſoure ſauce to thy ſweet meat, if thou doſt baniſh him thy Table; he can make thy meat lye ſo hard and heavy at thy ſtomach, either by ſickneſs, Job 33.20. or ſorrow, Pſa. 107.17. that thou ſhalt never digeſt it whilſt thou liveſt. When thou art at thy merrieſt meeting, he can ſend ſuch a mournful terrible meſſage (as to Belſhazer carouſing in his cups) that ſhall make thine eares to tingle, and every joynt thou haſt to tremble. He can make thy feaſt to end either as Adonijahs in a fright, or as Abſoloms ſheep-ſhearing, in a funeral. When thine heart is merry with Wine, he can ſummon thee as Ammon into the other World; Thy wiſeſt way therefore is to beſeech his company, whomſoever thou wanteſt.
The fruits of trees under the law, were the three firſt years unclean, the forth year offered to God, and after that free for the owners. All thy comforts are by reaſon of ſin unclean and curſed to thee; if thou wouldſt have them clean and bleſſed, they muſt be ſanctified by the Word of God and prayer. The Elephant is ſaid to turn up towards Heaven the firſt Sprig that he feedeth on. O Friend, wilt thou be worſe then a beaſt? For ſhame be not ſo Swiniſh as to feed on the Acorns, and never look up to the tree that bears them.
2. In holy expreſſions and affections when thou art eating. Whilſt thy body is filling, thy ſoul muſt not be forgotten. Though it be not unlawful at meales to talk of other matters, yet its pitty Saints ſhould ever meet to eat earthly bread, and not have ſome diſcourſe of their eternal. Heavenly banquet. How often did our Saviour at ſuch a meeting raiſe the hearts of his company to better meat? Luk. 5.31. As their outward man was feeding, he feaſted their inward man. When the Publican was at much coſt to make him a great feaſt, he entertains him and the reſt too with better chear; The whole neeed not a Phyſitian, but the ſick; I came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance. When one of the chief of the Phariſees invited him to his Table, obſerve how he teacheth the Gueſts humility, and the Maſter of the Feaſt charity, Luk. 14.7, 8, 12, 13. His Lips dropt Honey to ſweeten and make all their Diſhes ſavoury. One of the Fathers writeth that the Primitive Chriſtians were ſo holy in their talk at their Table, that one would have thought they had been at a Sermon, Non tam caenam caenant quam diſciplinam. Tertul. Apologet. cap. 39not at a Supper. Plato gives rules for the writing down the Table Talk of men, thereby to make them more ſerious; Luthers Colloquia Menſalia, Printed in a large Folio, do abundantly prove that he was not idle when he was eating, but that his Table was his Pulpit, where he read many profitable Lectures; There is ſcarce a meeting of ungodly men to eat, but the Devil hath his Diſh among them. Pſa. 35.16.The Drunkards have a ſong of David to ſugar their Liquor. The Gluttons have ſome Taunts to fling at Saints as Sauce to their meat. At Herods Birth-day Banquet, one Diſh ſerved in, was the Baptiſts head.
Should not (friend) God have his diſh at thy Table? When thou art eating bread, let thy meditation and expreſſion be like his who ſat at Table with Jeſus Chriſt, Bleſſed is he that ſhall eat bread in the Kingdom of God, Luk. 14.15.
Conſider Gods bounty and mercy in feeding thee, and cloathing thee, when many hungry bellies and naked backs are abroad in the World; how many would be glad of thy ſcraps! when thou haſt asked God leave for his creatures, thou mayſt taſte his love in the creatures. Mayſt thou not gather and conclude if the Streams are ſo refreſhing and ſatisfying, what refreſhment and ſatiſfaction is there in the well of living waters? If bread be ſo ſavoury to an hungry body; how ſweet, how ſavoury is the bread which came down from heaven to an hungry ſoul! Lord, give me evermore that bread.
Do as the Jews, They did eat and delighted themſelves in thy great goodneſs, Nehem. 9.21. When thou art feeding thy body, delight thy ſoul in Gods great goodneſs; Thus (like Mary when Chriſt was at meat) thou mayſt break thy box of precious Ointment and perfume the whole room with its fragrant ſmell.
3. In returning thanks when thou haſt eaten; Thy duty is to begin thy meales with prayer, and to end them with praiſe. Thou canſt not give God his due price for mercies, but thou mayſt give him his due praiſe. Though thou art never able to buy them of him, yet thou art able to bleſs him for them. If thou didſt Dine at thy Neighbours Table, thou wouldſt think thy ſelf very unmannerly to turn thy back upon him without any acknowledgment of, and thankfulneſs for, his courteſie. Every meal thou makeſt, is at Gods coſt; for ſhame be ſo civil as to thank him for his kindneſs; Saints are compared to Doves, Iſa. 60.8. eſpecially for their eyes, Thou haſt Doves eyes, Cant. 5. Now Doves after every grain they peck, look upward as it were giving thanks. When God opens his hand, thou mayſt well open thy lips; When thou haſt eaten and art full, Joel. 2.26.thou ſhalt bleſs the Lord thy God, Deut. 8.10.
Do not like the fed Hauk forget thy Maſter, or like them that go to the Well, as ſoon as they have fild their Buckets at it, turn their backs upon it; Why ſhouldſt thou forget God, when he remembreth thee? When thou ſhalt have eaten and be full, then beware leaſt thou forget God, Deut. 6.11, 12. Let not thy fulneſs breed forgetfulneſs; you think him a ſurly beggar, who if he receive but a ſmall peice of bread, ſhall fling away from your doors, and give you no thanks.
The Primitive Chriſtians did break bread from houſe to houſe, and did eat their meat with gladneſs and ſingleneſs of heart, prayſing God; Some underſtand it of Sacramental, others of Corporal bread, Acts 2.46, 47. The Lord Jeſus was known by his actions or expreſſions in giving of thanks, Luk. 24.31. Nay the Heathen would acknowledge their Dunghil deities, in thoſe outward mercies, Dan. 5.4. They drank Wine and prayſed the gods of Gold, and of ſilver, and of braſs, of iron, of wood, and of ſtone. Wilt not thou do as much for the true God, as they for their falſe Gods! O let him have all thy praiſe, who ſendeth in all thy proviſion. God takes it very ill when we do not own and honour him as the Author of our Meat and Drink. Becauſe Iſrael was ſo prided with her Pronounces Poſſeſſives, My bread, and my water, my wool, and my flax, mine oyl, and my drink, God turnes them all into privatives; For ſhe did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oyl, therefore will I return and take away my Corn in the time thereof, and my Wine in the ſeaſon thereof, and recover my wool and my flax, Hoſea 2.5.8, 9. Trumpeters love not to ſound in thoſe places where they are not anſwered with a conſiderable Eccho; God delights not to beſtow mercies on thoſe perſons who will not return him ſutable praiſe; thoſe that return things borrowed without thanks, muſt expect the next time they need, to be denyed.
I have read a ſtory (in the writings of an eminently pious Miniſter, who was an eye and ear witneſs of the truth of it) of a young man who lying upon his ſick bed, was always calling for meat, but as ſoon as he ſaw it was brought to him, at the ſight of it he ſhook and trembled dreadfully in every part of his body, and ſo continued till his food was carried away; and thus being not able to eat, he pined away, and before his death acknowledged Gods Juſtice, in that, in his health he had received his meat ordinarily without giving God thanks. The deſpiſers of Gods benificence, have been patterns of his vengeance. He hath remembred them in fury, who have forgotten his favours.
Some write of the Jews, that in the beginning of their Feaſts, the Maſter of the Houſe took a cup of Wine in his hand, and began its conſecration after this manner; Bleſſed be thou O Lord our God, the King of the World, Ex P. Fagi. in Deut. 8.which createſt the fruit of the Vine; this they called Bircath hajaiin, the bleſſing of the cup (poſſibly to this David alludeth in Pſa. 116.13, 14. What ſhall I render to the Lord for all his benefits! I will take the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord) after the cup, the Maſter of the Houſe took the bread and conſecrated it thus, Bleſſed be thou O Lord our God, the King of the World, which bringeſt forth bread out of the Earth; this they called Bircath halechem: At the end of the Feaſt, the Maſter called to his Friends, Let us bleſs him who hath fed us with his own, and of whoſe goodneſs we live; and concluded with a large Thankſgiving, wherein he bleſt God, Firſt, For their preſent Food. Secondly, For their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Thirdly, For the Covenant of Circumciſion. Fourthly, For the Law given by the Miniſtry of Moſes; And then he prayed, that God would have mercy On his people Iſrael. Secondly, On his own City Jeruſalem. Thirdly, On Sion the Tabernacle of his glory. Fourthly, On the Kingdom of the houſe of David his annointed. Fifthly, That he would ſend Elias the Prophet. Sixthly, That he would make them worthy of the days of the Meſſiah, and of the life of the World to come. After this prayer, the Gueſts with ſoft and low voices ſaid unto themſelves, Fear ye the Lord all ye his holy ones, becauſe there is no want to them that fear him. The young Lions want and ſuffer hunger; but they that ſeek the Lord ſhall want no good thing.
Alas, alaſs, how few Gentiles ſpend half that time in devotion at their Tables, which the pious among the Jews did! Many go from their food as the Cow from her fodder, taking no notice of the Author of it, and like the Idolatrous Iſraelites, they ſit down to eat and drink, and riſe up to play, Exod. 32.6. They ſit down to Eat and Drink, and riſe up to play the Beaſt, to play the Atheiſt.
Remember every creature of God is good, if it be received with thanksgiving, 1 Tim. 4.4. but this thankſgiving muſt not be onelyonly in thy words, but alſo in thy works; thy unblameable converſation, and thy charitable contribution, muſt ſpeak thy thankfulneſs. When the Maſter hath fed the Servant, he expects that he ſhould go about his buſineſs, and do the work appointed him. That ſtrength which thou receiveſt from God, muſt be improved for God; Its good to bleſs God with thy lips, but beſt of all to bleſs him with thy hands and in thy life; God will judge of thy thankfulneſs by thy converſation. Think thus with thy ſelf, This is the God that feedeth me, that ſatisfieth me with good things; how ſweet, how comfortable are his mercies! What ſweet refreſhment have I had from the creatures, when ſome better then my ſelf want food, Others have it, but their lives abhor bread, and their ſouls dainty meat. Job 3.20.Why ſhould I not love fear, and truſt, and ſerve this God! I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. O be aſhamed to live at Gods coſt, and to do Satans work; Be not like the young Mulets, which when they have ſucked their fill, turn up their heels and kick at their Dam. Further, thy duty is to manifeſt thy thank fulneſs by ſupplying the wants of the needy. Job would not eat his morſels alone, but the Fatherleſs had a ſhare with him, Job 31.16, 17. The forementioned Author obſerves, that the Heathen were not forgetful (when they were feeding) of their abſent friends. Gods hand is open to thee; why ſhould thy heart and hands be ſhut againſt the hungry bellies and naked backs? Thy goods extend not to Gods Perſon, therefore they muſt to Gods poor, Pſa. 16.2. Have a Monitor within thee, to call upon thee when at meals, Remember the poor, Remember the poor; Remember poor Chriſt, and hungry Chriſt, and naked Chriſt; by this teſt he will try thee for thine eternal eſtate, and upon the neglect of this, he will ſentence thee to the eternal fire, Mat. 25.41.
If thou art a rich perſon, do thou frequently mind this duty. Great Houſe-keepers, muſt be Good Houſe keepers; All muſt contribute (according to their abilities) to the poors neceſſities; but where God gives much, he requires much; he expecteth an harveſt ſutable to the ſeed he ſoweth. It is credibly reported of Mr. Sutton, Founder of Suttons Hoſpital, that he uſed often to repair into a private garden, Fullers Church Hiſt. of Brit.where he poured forth his prayers unto God, and amongſt other paſſages was overheard, frequently to uſe this expreſſion, Lord, thou haſt given me a liberal and large eſtate; give me alſo an heart to make a good uſe it. I am confident an heart to uſe wealth aright, is a greater mercy then the greateſt heap of wealth; I had rather have a little, with an heart to improve it for God, then much, then millions without ſuch an heart. Make thee friends of the unrighteous Mammon, that when that failes thee, thou mayſt be received into the Celeſtial habitation. Iuſtin lib. 51.When Dionyſius the Syracuſian Tyrant, ſaw what heapes of gold and ſilver his Son had hoarded up in his cloſet, he asked him what he meant to let it lie there, and not to make friends with it, to get the Kingdom after his death; O Son, ſaith he, thou haſt not a ſpirit capable of a Kingdom. The ruſt of many a rich mans weal…h will eat his heart with pain and torment in the other World, and the Apoſtle calls upon ſuch to weep and houl for the miſeries that are coming upon them, James 5.1, 2, 3, 4. God findeth fault with them that could fare on the fineſt bread, and fatteſt fleſh themſelves, and yet forget the afflictions of others, Amos 6.5.
How many riotous rich men are there, that though they cannot eat and drink all with ſobriety, will rather ſpoil it by gluttony and drunkenneſs, then let the poor have part with them; like Children who will rather crumble away their food, then impart any to their fellows! O how juſtly was the rich man denyed a drop in the other world, when he denyed a crum in this world; Willet. Hexap. in Levit.How many covetous Muck-worms, like Hogs are nouriſhed onelyonly to be deſtroyed! they are good for nothing whilſt they are alive; the Hog is neither good to draw as the Ox, nor to bear as the Horſe, nor to cloath us as the Sheep, nor to give milk as the Cow, nor to keep the Houſe as the Dog, but good onelyonly to be kild. Such are theſe ſcraping wretches, good for nothing, till they come to the Knife. Like barren trees they do but cumber the ground, and ſerve for no uſe till they are cut down for the unquenchable fire. And truely their hearts will never bewail him dead, whoſe bowels did not bleſs him alive. His life did not deſerve a prayer, nor his death a tear, who laid out that to ſerve his pride, which God laid in to ſerve the poor.
Reader, if God have dealt thee a conſiderable portion of outward good things; conſider that thou art but Gods Factor, he is the Merchant. The Factor knoweth that the goods tranſported to him are his Maſters goods, and he muſt diſpoſe them according to directions from his Maſter. All thine eſtate is Gods; thou art but his ſervant, his Factor; he gives thee order in his word to diſpoſe it thus and thus to ſuch poor members of Chriſt, ſo much to one, and ſo much to another, and he will ſhortly reckon with thee how thou obeyeſt his directions; and if thou forbeareſt charity now, thou wilt then be counted and found as real a theif, before the whole world, as ever ſervant was that put hundreds into his own purſe which his Maſter appointed him to pay to other perſons. Withhold not thy goods from the owners thereof, Pro. 3.27. from them to whom it is due, either by the law of juſtice, or by the law of love, Rom. 13.8. And truly Charity is the beſt way to plenty; He gets moſt that gives moſt; He that ſoweth liberally, ſhall reap liberally.
I have ſometimes conſidered with my ſelf and wondred why Nabal ſhould be ſo exceeding churliſh to David as not to ſpare of his ſuperfluities to ſupply Davids neceſſities, when David had been ſo exceeding civil to him as to preſerve his flocks in ſafety from the rage of hungry Souldiers; But when I marked well the ſtory, I quickly found the cauſe of Nabals covetous carriage; He looked upon himſelf as Maſter of his eſtate, and not as Gods ſervant to improve it for his profit and praiſe; Shall I take my bread, and my water, and my fleſh, and give it to men whom I know not whence they be? 1 Sam. 25.11. Had he but had ſo much grace as to have called it Gods bread, and Gods water, he would have diſpoſed it according to Gods word, and not have denied a poor perſecuted Saint; but becauſe he counted it his own proper wealth, therefore it muſt be diſpoſed according to his own pernicious will.
Reader, look upon thy ſelf in regard of thine eſtate, only as a ſervant in truſt, which thou muſt ſhortly give an account of, and then to do good and to diſtribute thou wilt not forget, as knowing that with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed, Heb. 3.16.
Secondly Thy duty is to eat and drink ſoberly. The grace of God which bringeth ſalvation, hath appeared to us, teaching us to live ſoberly in this preſent evill world, Tit. 2.12. This ſobriety reſpecteth both the quantity and the quality of thy diet.
Firſt, Thy duty is to be temperate as to the quantity of thy diet. Reaſon is content with a little, Religion with leſs. Although no certain proportion of food can be preſcribed to men, for thoſe ſhowers which drown the clay vallies, do hardly quench the thirſt of the ſandy hills? Neither the bodies of men, nor their ſtomacks are all of a ſize; yet this is a certain rule, for a man to eat or drink ſo much as to oppreſs nature, and to unfit himſelf for prayer, is a degree of intemperance. God gave man food to further, not to hinder him in his general, and particular calling; and ſurely they ſin who feed till like fatted horſes, they are unfit for ſervice. Turtull. ſpeaking of the carriage of the Primitive Chriſtians at their meals tells us, Non prius diſcumbitur quam oratio ad deum praeguſtetur; editur quantum eſurientes cupiunt; b…bitur quantum pudicis eſt utile, ita ſaturantur ut qui meminerint eti am per noctem ſibi adorandum deum eſſe. Tertull. Apologet.They do not ſit down before they have prayed; they eat as much as may ſatisfie hunger, they drink ſo much as is ſufficient for temperate men, are filled as they that remember they muſt pray afterwards.
Chriſtians may chear nature, but they muſt not clog it. It is a great prviledge in the charter granted us by the King of Kings, that we ſhould have dominion over the creatures; but it will be a ſorbid bondage if we ſuffer them to have dominion over us, inſtead of being our ſervants to become our Maſters, Pſa. 8.5, 6, 7. God in the very framing of man, intended him for temperance by giving a little mouth, with a narrow throat, and a leſſer belly then other creatures; And in mans charter which ſpeaks his leave to ſlay the beaſts in Gods forreſt, obſerve in what tenure it runs; Every living thing that moveth ſhall be meat for you (There is the general conceſſion) even as the green hearb have I given you all things (here is the ſpecial limitation,) That is, ſaith an Expoſitour, to uſe them ſoberly and moderately, Wilet Hex. in gen.not to gluttony and exceſs.
It is an abominable ſhame to a Saint to be a ſlave to the beaſt in him, his ſenſitive appetite. He that ſtriveth for the maſtery, is temperate in all things. Beaſts ſeldome ſurfet at their food, never ſin. Epicurus who eſteemed mans happineſs to conſiſt in pleaſures, was yet very temperate, as Cicero and others obſerve. Socrates was wont to ſay, That evil men live that they may eat and drink, but good men eat and drink that they may live.
Some of the heathen did very much hate exceſs, either in eating or drinking. The old Gauls were very ſparing in their diet, and fined them that outgrew their girdles. Drunkenneſs, by Solons law, was puniſhed with death, The Spartans brought their children to loath drunkenneſs by cauſing them to behold the beaſtly behaviour of their ſervants when they were drunk.
But how many nominal Chriſtians, in regard of temperance, come ſhort of heathens! Wo to the drunkards of Ephraim, of England (God hath a cup of red wine, of pure wrath, and theſe muſt drink the dregs therof) how doth this iniquity abound! men drink healths ſo long till they drink away their health and their heaven too? Some mariners obſerve that as the waters grow ſhallower (the ſea loſing) about the coaſts of Holland and Zealand, the waters grow deeper (the ſea gaining) about the Engliſh coaſts. Whether drunkenneſs ebb in Holland or no, I know not, I am ſure it floweth in England. We may complain, as Diogenes Laertius of his country men, that when they went to ſacrifice to health, they did then moſt riotouſly abuſe health.
There was a ſtreet in Rome called Sobrius vicus, The ſober ſtreet, becauſe there was never an Alehouſe there: But how few towns have we which may be called ſober towns, becauſe there are no drunkards there!
Reader if thou art one guilty of this ſin, for the Lords ſake bethink thy ſelf ſpeedily; doſt thou know what thou doſt?
Thou wrongeſt. thy body. Vermine abound, as …ats and mice, where there is much corn; and Diſeaſes abound in bodies given to exceſs. Too much wood puts out the fire. Meat kills more then the Musket; The glutton digs his grave with his teeth, and the drunkard drowns himſelf in his cup. Stratonicus ſpake fitly of the Rhodians, They build their houſes as if they were immortal, but feed as if they intended to live but a little while.
Spare diet is the beſt cordial of nature; Moderate faſting is the beſt phyſick. He that riſeth with an appetite, Camb. Brit. Eliz.ſecures his digeſtion: It was ſaid of Queen Elizabeth, That ſhe ever roſe with an appetite, and that Edward the ſixth was wont to call her, his ſweet ſiſter Temperance, and ſhe lived ſeventy years. Gallen lived 140 years, and almoſt all the time without any ſickneſs, and this natural reaſon is given, that he did never eat his fill.
It wrongs thy eſtate: The drunkard and glutton ſhall come to poverty, Pro. 23.21. Their throats are open ſepulchers to bury their eſtates in. Diogenes when he heard of a drunkards houſe to be ſold, cried out, I thought he would ere long vomit up his houſe.
It wrongs thy Soul: After rioting and drunkenneſs, followeth chambering and wantoneſs, Rom. 13.12. and wo, and ſorrow, and wounds without cauſe, look not upon the wine, at laſt it biteth like a Serpent; thine eyes ſhall behold ſtrange women, and thine heart ſhall utter perverſe things, Pro. 23.20. Exceſs turnes men into ſwine; and then they are fit for legions of divels. Intemperance calls off the guard (thy watchfulneſs) and then the enemies may enter thick and threefold. They that are not ſober, cannot be vigilant, 1 Pet. 5.8.
How unfit is a man in his intemperance for any duty. Ambroſe obſerves, Tabulas legis quas accepit abſtinentia, conteri fercit ebriteas Amh. cap 6 de Ebri. Aug. Confeſs: lib 10.As Moſes received the tables faſting, ſo he broke them when the people had been feaſting, judging them at that time very unfit to hear the law.
It may be thou art not a drunkard, but yet uſeſt to exceed in eating. Auſtin avoided the ſin of drunkenneſs, ſed crapula non nunquam ſurrepit ſervo tuo; he ſometimes tranſgreſt in eating; but Lord, ſaith he, thou haſt taught me to uſe my meat as my medicine.
Let thy rational faculty command thy ſenſitive; conſider how contrary to reaſon it is for a man, like a Dolphin, to have his mouth in his maw; and like the Aſs-fiſh, Epicharmus cals the Aſsfiſh foreign ſuch a one as varieth from the ordinary courſe of nature.to have his heart in his belly; and how contrary to Religion it is, to have the Kitchin for thy Church; a Table for thine Altar, and the Belly for thy God, Luke 21.34. Take heed leſt your hearts be overcharged with ſurfeting and drunkenneſs, and ſo that day come upon you unawares. God alloweth us ſometimes a liberal uſe (as in days of Thankſgiving, and at Marriages) but never a luſtful abuſe of his Creatures.
Secondly, Thy duty is to be temperate as to the quality of thy diet. Though here no certain quality of food can be ſet down, God allowing ſomething to the conditions, and much more to the weakly and ſickly conſtitutions of men; yet in general this muſt be obſerved, that we make not proviſion for the fleſh, Rom. 13.12. We may preſerve the fleſh, but we muſt not provide for the fleſh; Our Enemie is ſtrong enough already, we need not put more Weapons into his hands. To live after the fleſh, is the ſign of a ſinner, Rom. 8.13. Its intemperance for a perſon in health to ſtudy and ſtrive how he may gratifie his palate. The Spirit of God cals it a ſowing to the fleſh, Gal. 6.7. The Huſbandman plots, contrives and labours, how he may ſow his ſeed to his beſt advantage. A Fleſhmonger will be meditating in the morning before he riſeth, with what art his dinner may be ſo ſauced and dreſt, that if poſſble he may excell a beaſt in carnal delights; he is ſowing early, that he may reap liberally. The Chriſtian may take his food, but his food muſt not take him. Its ſinful to be given to our appeties. Its not un lawful to eat dainties, but it is unlawful to ſet the mind upon them. We may receive them into our ſtomachs, but not into our hearts: When thou ſitteſt to eat with a Ruler, conſider diligently what is before thee, and put a Knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite; be not deſirous of his dainties, they are deceitful meat, Pro. 23.1, 2, 3. In which words we may take notice. 1. Of a ſuppoſition, If thou be a man given to appetite; For a man to be given to Wine, it notes his extraordinary love to, and likeing of that liquor; For a man to be given to Women, it ſpeaks his exceſſive care and endeavour to enjoy that brutiſh and ungodly pleaſure. For a man to be given to prayer, Pſa. 109.4. it ſpeaks prayer to be his trade, his imployment, the work which he chiefly minds and putſueth. For a man to be given to God, Rom. 12.1. it notes the ſoul to be wholly at Gods ſervice, to go when God bids him go; to come when God bids him come; ſo for a man to be given to his appetite, it implyeth that all his projects are to pleaſe his palate, he is a caterer for the fleſh, wholly ſubject to that ſence, altogether at the devotion of his appetite; our appetites are given to us, but we muſt not be given to our appetites; as Heliogabalus who was ſerved in at on meal with 7000. Fiſh, and 5000. Fowles: And 2. here is an impoſition, Be not beſirous of his dainties; this is a diſſwaſion from the former irregular affection. We may eat and digeſt dainties, but we may not crave and deſire dainties; God made man not for fleſhly dainties, but for ſpiritual delights; It is a beaſtly principle and practice, to be at the command of provender, as Apicius the Roman, who wrote ten books of directions how to ſet forth a feaſt with all ſorts of dainties, and its ſaid the expences of his Kitchin amounted to two millions of Gold. 3. Here is a poſition. For they are deceitful meat. The deſire of dainties is a deadly deſire. There is murder under the meat; Ordinary (nay Manna extraordinary) fare would not ſatisfie the ſweet-tooth'd Iſraelites; they luſted for quailes, but God gave them their deſire, they had fleſh and death together. Some read the former verſe thus, Thou putteſt a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. To pamper the body, is the way to deſtroy ſoul and body too; Dainties entice to exceſs. He that erreth in the quality of his food, will quickly exceed in the quantity. They that plot night and day to pleaſe the fleſh, declare publiquely that they have nothing of the ſpirit; ſenſual, not having the ſpirit, Jude v. 19. The fleſh and the ſpirit are like two Buckets in a Well, as the one mounts up, the other falls down. There is a flat oppoſition between ſowing to the fleſh, and ſowing to the Spirit, Gal. 6.7. Nay the Apoſtle is expreſs in the mention of this kind of intemperate men. They ſerve not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but their own bellies, Rom. 15. All the Servants of Chriſt, are Soveraigns over the fleſh. Ordinances are ineffectual to perſons that are ſenſual; Rain falls off, as it falls on, upon an Oyled poſt. When the waters of the Sanctuary flowed, the Miry places (that is ſenſual hearts) could not be healed, Ezek. 47.11. Behemoth lyeth in the Fens, that is, ſaith an Expoſitour, the Devil in fleſhly men, Job 40.21. Epicurus, ſaith one, whilſt he favoureth his fleſhly palate, doth neglect the heavenly palace.
There is a diſtinction of diet to be conſidered, in regard of bodies, in regard of eſtates, and alſo in regard of times; all which piety and prudence muſt direct the Chriſtian about: But ſure I am it is a duty to keep under the body, foreign I club it down, beat it black and blue.and to bring it into ſubjection, 1 Cor. 9.27. They that acquaint us with the Jewiſh cuſtoms, tell us that their Ordinary meals were neither many in a day, nor coſtly; they were called Arucoth, which ſignifieth ſuch ordinary fare as travellers have in their journey.
The feaſt which Moſes made for his Father in Law, and the Elders of Iſrael, is called bread. Exod 18.11. So alſo the entertainment of Chriſt at the Houſe of one of the chief of the Phariſees, Luk. 14.1, 2. and the daily fare of the Diſciples, Acts 2.46, 47. Elijah could be content with a Raven for his Cook. Daniel ſed and thrived upon Pulſe, he looked fairer by it, then thoſe that did eat of the Kings fare. Brown bread and the Goſpel are good chear, ſaid the Martyr. John the Baptiſt could live upon locuſts and wild hony. The Apoſtles had ſome ears of Corn for a Sabbath days Dinner. Though God is pleaſed out of mercy to afford us better proviſion, yet our work muſt be to mind moderation. O how great a curſe is it for thee like Cham to be a ſervant of ſervants, a ſervant to thy belly, which ſhould be a Servant to thee! Thy ſoul in ſuch a body, is but a bright Candle in a greaſie Lanthorn; How much was that ſpeech below a rational creature, which Philoxenus uttered, I wiſh that I had the throat of a Crane, that the pleaſure of my taſt might laſt the longer! The Spider is little elſe ſave belly, but ſhe is full of poiſon.
Beſides, it will be a poor account which ſuch men can give for their expences this way at the great day. God give thus our wealth for neceſſaries, conveniencies and moderate delight, not for prodigality and luxury; Heliogabalus made whole meals of the tongues of Singing-Birds and Peacocks, and brains of coſtly creatures; He uſed to ſay, That meat is not ſavoury, whoſe ſauce is not coſtly. Many men have ſold all their Lands for their Kitchin.
What a pattern doth the heir of all things give us of providence, Joh. 6.12. Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be loſt.
Some indeed are Debtours to their bellies, they pinch and pine them with penury, not allowing them what nature requires, whoſe Gold is their God. They are worſe then Cannibals, eating their own fleſh. He that is cruel to his fleſh, troubleth his own houſe, Prov. 11.17. But the bellies of moſt, are debtours to them, receiving much more then is fit or due, as if they had been born to bow down to, and worſhip their bellies.
If Eſau had the Title of prophane for ſelling his birth-right for a meſs of pottage when he was hungry, Heb. 12. How prophane then are they that ſell their eſtates, and reaſon, and health, and ſouls, and Saviour and ſalvation, and all for a a moments brutiſh pleaſure, intemperate eating or drinking.
Our Lord Jeſus commandeth his Diſciples not to be curious about their diet; Whatſoever is ſet before you eat, Luk. 9. If it be wholeſome, though it be not toot-ſome, accept it. The Turks will drink no Wine, becauſe Mahomet their falſe Prophet fordids it. Reader, be thou temperate both in regard of the quantity and quality of thy food, becauſe the bleſſed Jeſus; the true Prophet of his Church commandeth it.
Thirdly, thy duty is to eat and drink ſeaſonably; We read of eating in due ſeaſon, Eccleſ. 10.17. As there is a ſeaſon for ſpiritual actions, when they are moſt profitable, ſo there is a ſeaſon for natural actions, when they are moſt proper; Its a foul fault, not to obſerve fit hours for our food. Our diet is unſeaſonable, when we begin the day with it. There is a wo to the Nation whoſe Princes eat in the morning, Eccleſ. 10.17. and a wo to the perſons that riſe up early in the morning to follow ſtrong dring, Iſa. 5.11. It is a bad ſign when men leap out of their Beds into their Butteries; and like Children call for their breakfaſts as ſoon as they are up. The Servant muſt wait on his Maſter till he hath fed; After him is manners. The body muſt wait on the ſoul till that hath broke its faſt, and had ſome ſpiritual refreſhment with the bleſſed God. The bodies place is after, not before the ſoul. The firſt of the day muſt ordinarily be given to the ancient of days; God hopeth to hear from men, before either their Butlers or Cooks hear from them. He expecteth that we ſhould ſerve him before we ſerve our ſelves, though indeed our ſerving of him is the onelyonly ſerving of our ſelves. Moller. pinſal. 5.3.Mollerus obſerveth that David thence pleaded for early protection, becauſe he was early at his petitions. He was early in the morning at his prayer, and therefore he hoped that God would not come late at night with his anſwer.
Food is unſeaſonable when one meal treads upon the heels of another, like Jobs Meſſengers. The Holy Ghoſt ſpeaks of ſome that are early up at it, and continueat it till night, Iſa. 5. Some make but one meal (as it were) all day; If either meat or drink be offered them, they can no more refuſe it, though they were full before, then a Dog his bones. Like Children and Chickens, they are always feeding: Too much Oyl puts out the Lamp.
Men eat and drink unſeaſonably, when they turn the night into day; and when God and nature call them to reſt, they ordinarily like the Roman glutton, ſpend that time in pampering their bodies. I have read of one that boaſted he had not in ſo many years ſeen the Sun.
The Dutch will ſit at a Wedding Feaſt, from eight at night, to four in the morning, riſing in the interim two or three times to eaſe nature, and then to their dainties and Sweet-mea…s again. They are induſtrious on the water, and Gluttonous on the land. Reader, I hope though they are prodigal, yet grace hath taught thee to be more provident of thy time.