s6o THE WORD OF GOD COMPARED TO HONEY. Book IIL THE WORD OF GOD COMPARED TO STRONG-MEAT. But flrong Meat belongeth to them that are of Age, &c. Heb. v. 14. AS the Word of God is called Milk, fo it is alfo called Strong Meat. By Strong Meat, ts meant the more profound, perfeCt and myficnous Dottnne of the Gofper, which is to feed firong Chriflians. METAPHOR. I. STRONG Meat is not meet or convenient Food for Babes; if they could eat ir, yet they want Strength to digefi it. PARALLEL i; THERE is fomerhing contained in the Word taken in) is for them ; Heb. v. 12, '3· of God, that young Chrifiians, who are like new-born Babes, cannot receive it fo as to underfl:and it; it is nor proper for them. The Milk of the Word, (fuch Things as are eaftly firong Meat belongs to firong Chrif\ians, Men of Experience, II. If Children, after they 2re grown up, and arrived to Years of Maturity, refufc lhong Meat, and cannot feed upon any Thing but Milk, there may be Caufe to fear they are fomc ·way defective or difeafed. Ill. StrongMeat yieldeth firong and perfect Nourifhment; fuch as can feed upon, and well digelt it, are more able and C3pable for Bu– finefs, than thofe that only feed o'l: live upon Milk. !I. So if Chrif\ians, who have been a <>rear while converted, and in rhe Profeflion of the Gofpel, and yet cannot take in, nor feed upon any Thing but the Milk of the Word, firong Meat being offenfive to them, it argues fome great Defect in their U nderilanding, or that they are fpiritually diftempered. Ill. So thofe Chrifiians that can feed upon the firong Meat of the vVord, who in their Under– fiandings can in fome meafure relilh and digefi the Myfieries of the Gofpel, or thofe deep Things of God, get inofi fpiritual Strength, and are more fit for BuGnefs than the Weak, who only live upon Milk, 1 Cor. ii. 10. THE w 0 R D OF G 0 D COMPARED TO H 0 N E Y. Sweeter than Honey, and the Iloney-comb to my 'J"afle, Pfal. xix. 10. How fweet are thy Words unto my 'J"ajle' yea, fweeter tban the Hone} unto Ill)' Mouth f Pfal. cxix. 130. · But it jha/1 be in thy Mouth as fweet as Honey, Rev. x. 9· SWEE'I"ER than Hone)', or the Honey-comb; not only the mofi fine arid delicate Honey, but ;JII Things which be delightful and pleafanr to the Tafie, by a S)'nech– doche. Becaufe nothing is fo precious and pleafant as Gold and Honey, thence Com– parifons are taken from thefe rather than other Things, tocxpre[, the very gn;at Worth and Sweetnefs of God's 'vVord. Wiljb11. S I M I LE. 1. HONEY is exceeding fweet to theTaf\e; What is fweeter than Honey? Jude xiv. 18. II. f-Ion•y, if it be added or put into other Things that are bit– ter, it will take away, in a great Meafure, the Bitternefs thereof; and fo caufe a Man to receive it down with kfs Difficulty. PAR ALL EL. I. so the Word of God is very fweet and plea– fant to the Tafie of gracious Souls. \Vhat is more defirable ro a Gncere Believer, than the !Jcred Precepts and Promifes of the Gofpel ? I!. So if the Soul be under Affiittion, Temp– tation, Perfecution for Chrifi's fake, which are bitter Things in themfelves, yet if God be pleafed to add or put into this Bitter, but fome of rhe fweet Promifes of the Word, how wonderfully is the Bitternefs abated, and wirh what eafe can a Chrif\ian bear up under them! Ill. Though
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