growth; he that is still learning to be more in Jesus Christ, and less in himself, to have all his dependence and comfort in him, is doubtless a growing believer.

2. On the other side, a far greater number conclude wrong in their own favour, imagining that they do grow, if they gain in some of those things we mentioned above, namely, more knowledge and more faculty of discoursing; if they find often some present stirrings of joy or sorrow in hearing of the word, if they reform their life, grow more civil and blameless, &c. Yet all these and many such things may be in a natural man, who notwithstanding grows not, for that is impossible; he is not in that state a subject capable of this growth; for he is dead, he hath none, of this new life to which this growth relates. Herod heard gladly, and obeyed many things".

Consider, then, what true delight we might have in this. You find a pleasure, when you see your children grow, when they begin to stand and walk, &c. You love well to perceive your estate or your honour grow, but for the soul to be growing liker God, and nearer Heaven, (if we know it) is a pleasure far beyond them all. To find pride, earthliness and vanity abating, and faith, love and spiritual mindedness increasing, especially if we reflect that this growth is not as our natural life, that is often cut off before it attain full age as we call it; and if it attain that, falls again to move downwards and decays, as the sun, being at its meridian, begins to decline again but this life shall grow on in whomsoever it is, and come certainly to its fulness; after which there is no more need of this word, either for growth or nourishment; no death, no decay, no old age; but perpetual youth, and a perpetual spring, ver æternum, fulness of joy in the presence of God, and everlasting pleasures at his right hand.

Ver. 3. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

OUR natural desire of food arises principally from its necessity, for that end which nature seeks, the growth, or at least the nourishment of our bodies; but besides, there is a present sweetness and pleasantness in the use of it, that serves to sharpen our desire, and is placed in nature for that purpose: thus the children of God, in their spiritual life, are naturally carried to desire the means of their nourishment, and of their growth, being always here in a growing state; but withal, there is a spiritual delight and sweetness in that word, in that which it reveals concerning God, and that adds to their desire, stirs their appetite towards it; the former is in the foregoing verse, the latter in this. Nature addresses the infant to the breast, but when it hath once tasted of it, that is a new superadded attractive, and makes it desire after that the more earnestly. So here,

The word is fully recommended to us by these two, usefulness and pleasantness, like milk (as it is compared here) which is a nourishing food, and withal sweet and delightful to the taste; by it we grow, and in it we taste the graciousness of God, David in that psalm that he dedicates wholly to this subject, gives both these as the reason of his appetite; his love to it he expresses pathetically, Ohow love I thy law? And then he adds, that by it he was made wiser than his enemies, than his teachers, and than the ancients; taught to refrain from every evil way, taught by the Author of that word, the Lord himself; thou hast taught me to grow wiser and warier, and holier in thy ways; and then, v. 103, he adds this other reason, How sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea sweeter than the honey and the honey comb.

We shall speak, 1. of the goodness or graciousness of the Lord; 2. Of this taste; And, 3. Of the inference from both.

P Psal. cxix. 97.

1. We may consider the goodness of God. He is said to be gracious, or of a bountiful kind disposition. The word, whence this is taken, is tob, which signifies, good. The Greek translators there render it by the word used here by our Apostle; both the words signify a benignity and kindness of nature; it is one of love's attributes', xpnevelar, it is kind, ever compassionate, and ready as it can to be helpful in straits and distresses, to forget and pass by evil, and to do good; and in the largest and most comprehensive sense must we take it here, and yet still speak and think infinitely below what his goodness is. He is naturally good, yea goodness is his nature; he is goodness and love itself; he that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love. Primitively good, all goodness is derived from him, and all that is in the creature comes forth from no other but that ocean; and this graciousness is still larger than them all.

There is a common bounty of God, wherein he doth good to all, and so the whole earth is full of his goodness. But the goodness that the gospel is full of, the particular stream that runs in that channel, is his peculiar graciousness and love to his own children; that, by which they are first enlivened and then refreshed, and sustained in their spiritual being. It is this that is here spoken of; he is gracious to them in freely forgiving their sins, and giving no less than himself unto them; he frees them from all evils, and fills them with all good". He satisfies thy mouth, and so it follows with good reason, v. 8. that he is merciful and gracious, and his graciousness is there further expressed in his gentleness, and slowness to anger, bearing with the frailties of his own, and pitying them as a father pitieth his children, v. 8. 13. and 14.

No friend is so kind and friendly (as this word signifies) and none so powerful; a present help in trouble, ready to be found; whereas others may be r 1 Cor. xiii. 4. s 1 John, iv. S. "Psalm ciii. 3, 4, 5.

4 Ps. xxxiv. S.
t Psal. xxxiii. 5.

far off, he is always at hand, and his presence is always comfortable.

They that know God, still find him a real useful good. Some things and persons are useful at one time, and others at another, but God at all times. A well furnished table may please a man, while he hath health and appetite; but offer it to him in the height of a fever, how unpleasant would it be then? though never so richly decked, it is not only then useless, but hateful to him: but the kindness and love of God is then as seasonable and refreshing to him, as in health, and possibly more; he can find sweetness in that, even on his sick bed. The bitter choler abounding in the mouth, in a fever, doth not disrelish his sweetness; it transcends and goes above it. Thus all earthly enjoyments, have but some time (as meats) when they are in season; but the graciousness of God is always sweet, the taste of that is never out of season. See how old age spoils the relish of outward delights, in the example of Barzillaix. But it makes not this distasteful; therefore the psalmist prays, that when other comforts forsake him, and wear out, when they ebb from him, and leave him on the sand, this may not; that still he may feed on the goodness of God', Cast me not off in old age, forsake me not when my strength faileth. It is the continual influence of his graciousness that makes them still grow like cedars in Lebanon', To bring forth fruit in old age, to be still fat and flourishing, to shew that the Lord is upright, as is there added; that he is (as the word imports) still like himself, and his goodness ever the same.

Full chests, or large possessions, may seem sweet to a man, till death present itself; but then, as the Prophet speaks of throwing away their idols of silver and gold to the bats and moles, in the day of calamity", then he is forced to throw all he possesses away with disdain of it, and his former folly in

x 2 Sam. xix. 35.

y Psal. lxxi. 9. Z Psal. xcii. 14. 15.

a Isa. ii. 20.

doating on it; then the kindness of friends, and wife and children, can do nothing but increase his grief and their own: but then indeed is the love of God the good and abiding sweetness. And it best relisheth when all other things are most unsavoury and uncomfortable. God is gracious, but it is God in Christ, otherwise we cannot find him so; therefore this is here spoken in particular of Jesus Christ (as it appears by that which followeth) through whom all the peculiar kindness and love of God is conveyed to the soul, and can come no other way; and the word here mentioned is the gospel, whereof Christ is the subject. Though God is mercy and goodness in himself; yet we cannot find nor apprehend him so to us, but only looking through that medium, the Mediator.

That main point of the goodness of God in the gospel, that is so sweet to a humbled sinner, the forgiveness of sins, we know we cannot taste of, but in Christ, In whom we have redemption. And all the favour that shines on us, all the grace we receive is of his fulness, all our acceptance with God, taking into grace and kindness again, is in him, v. 6, He made us accepted in the beloved. His grace appears in both, as it is there expressed, but it is all in Christ. Let us therefore never leave him out in our desires of tasting the graciousness and love of God: for otherwise, we shall but dishonour him, and disappoint ourselves.

The free grace of God was given to be tasted in the promises, before the coming of Christ in the flesh; but being accomplished in his coming, then was the sweetness of grace made more sensible; then was it more fully broached, and let out to the elect world, when he was pierced on the cross, and his blood poured out for our redemption. Through those holes of his wounds may we draw, and taste that the Lord is gracious, says St. Augustin.

2. We may consider the relish of the goodness of the Lord, expressed by the word, Taste. There is Chap, 1. v. ult. © Eph. 1.7.