Now, taste doth two things ; it doth relish that that is good, and disrelish the contrary. There must be a spiritual taste to discern of differences. There can be no spiritual taste but it must know what is good and profitable for the soul, and what is not. Because God will not have our tastes to be wronged, ye see what course he takes. First, the eye seeth what things we taste on, and if the eye be displeased, so also is the smell. Thus God layeth before us spiritual things, knowledge of good and bad, and giveth us many caveats, and all because he would not have us to taste things hurtful for the soul, nor poison instead of meat. Now, when we have tasted that which is good, let us take heed it be not a taste only, lest we fall into the sin against the Holy Ghost.
Use 4. Again, beside taste, there must be a digesting of what we taste, and that thoroughly, in our understandings. When we apprehend a thing to be true and good, it must be digested thoroughly into the aflections. Love to the best things must be above all other love whatsoever ; yet this must be digested. Men oftentimes have sweet notions, but, alas ! they are but notions ; they do not digest them into their aflections. It is the last digestion that nourisheth ; and when any spiritual truths are understood thoroughly, then comes in spiritual strength ; and hereupon the soul comes and sucks in that virtue which is for the nourishment of it. Thus it is in the soul ; upon digestion there is nourishment.
Again, there must be a faculty to retain what we have received, that it may be digested. Ye have many that love to hear, but they do not digest. If there be nothing in the soul, nothing can be extracted ; and therefore we must learn to retain necessary truths, that so upon occasion they may come from the memory into the heart. Though, indeed, they are not in their proper place when they are in the memory only, yet notwithstanding, if they are there, they may with ease be brought down into the soul.
Use 5. Then %fe must labour to ivaJk in the strength of spiritual things. For what is the use of this feast but to cherish both soul and spirit ? The use of spiritual things which we have through Christ is to cherish and enliven. It conveyeth strength to us, that we may walk in the strength of Christ, as Elias did forty days in the strength of his food, 1 Kings xix. 8. And consider, though in our consciences and conditions we have variety of changes, yet in Christ we have several comforts suitable to all our several conditions. If so be our sins trouble us, we should watch over ourselves, that we be not over much cast down, but feed upon spiritual things in consideration of pardon for sin in the blood of Christ. This is the gi-and issue of all that Christ hath traced out in the forgiveness of sins. He is not, he cannot be
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divided. "Where lie pardons sins, he sanctifieth ; where he sanctifieth, he writes his law in their hearts. So that there is a chain of spiritual favours. Where the first link is, all the rest follow. Where forgiveness of sin is, there is the Spirit, and that Spirit sanctifieth, and comforts, and is an ear- nest of everlasting life. Therefore, feed especially upon the favours of God, and get forgiveness of sins, and then all the rest of the chain of grace and spiritual life will follow.
Sometimes we stand in need of present grace and comfort, and we are undone if comforts and grace are not at hand, never considering the pro- mises that are to come ; as that promise of Christ, ' I will he with thee to the end of the world, fear not,' Mat. xxviii. 20. No temptation shall befall us, but we shall have an issue out of it, and it shall work together for the good of all those that fear God. This is o(]ua vit(P, to the soul of man. Therefore the gracious promises of Christ and his Holy Spirit we should ever remember to get into our souls ; for when all other comforts fail, then Cometh in the comforts of the Spirit, who will be with us and uphold us in all extremities. If we had nothing in this world to comfort our spirits, yet let us rejoice in hope of glory to come. ' Our life is hid with Christ,' Col. iii. 3. We have ' the hidden manna,' Kev. ii. 17. ' In him we rejoice in hope of glory,' Rom. v. 2. And the way to maintain a Christian, holy life, is to make use of all the privileges of Christianity, and of those promises that convey these privileges to our souls.
Now that we may the better do this, observe continually what it is that hinders us, that we cannot feed upon spiritual things as we should do. Whatsoever it is, we must labour constantly to remove it.
Now, what must follow after this feast ? (1.) Whij! spiritual chee) fulness! If we find this in our duties of Christianity, it is a sign we have fed upon spiritual things. The nature of a spiritual feast is to empty the soul of sin, find to fill it full of gracious thoughts and actions. Instead thereof it moderates all things. It makes us use the world as if we used it not. Wlien we can do this, we may certainly know that oui* souls have tasted of abundance of benefit by this feast.