Bridges on Proverbs 27:7
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 27:7
 
 1 
 2 
 3-4 
 5-6 
 7 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 11 
 12 
 13 
 14 
 15-16 
 17 
 18 
 19 
 20 
 21 
 22 
 23-27 
 
7.  The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. {loatheth: Heb. treadeth under foot}
 
This is true, as regards the enjoyments of this life. Abundance, instead of increasing the happiness of the possessor, deprives him of the rest, which often belongs to a more scanty portion. (Ecclesiastes 5:11.) The man, whose appetite is cloyed with indulgence, turns with disgust from the sweetest dainties; while every bitter and distasteful thing is keenly relished by the hungry soul, perhaps just saved from starvation.† This healthful appetite is one of the many counterbalancing advantages of poverty. The stated epicure might well envy the luxury of a homely meal. Israel, after “eating angels’ food to the full,” loathed and trod it under foot as “light bread.”†
And is not this so in spiritual things? The Laodicean professor — “rich and increased in goods, and having need of nothing” — loathes the honeycomb of the gospel.† Christ in his bitter “sorrow is nothing to him, while he passeth by.” (Lamentations 1:12.) His love excites no tenderness; his hope no interest. “The consolations of God are small,” of little account, “with him.” (Job 15:11.) He can spare them without sensible loss. He reads the Bible only to carp at its most precious truths; offensive, as implying a ruin, of which, he has no apprehension, and which he has no heart to contemplate. Thus he nauseates the most nourishing food; having no relish, because he feels no need. Another case presents itself, not less affecting. “Fullness of bread” — richness of spiritual ordinances — does not always bring its corresponding appetite. May not satiety be as great a curse as famine? Is it not fearfully written upon many a Christian professor — The full soul loatheth the honeycomb?
Far more enviable is the hungry soul, feeding upon unpalatable truths; yea — welcoming even bitter dispensations, as medicine for the soul's health. (Psalm 119:67, 71.) And is not the sweet of the gospel known by this bitterness? Does not this bitterness make Christ sweet to the soul. A sinner in all his guilt; a Savior in his perfect merit and love — well does the one answer to the other. Every view of Christ embitters sin. Every view of sin endears Christ. Nor is there any terror in the conviction, that thus endears the Savior. Rather does it prepare the way for a solid confidence in the glad tidings of the gospel.
What then is the pulse of my religion? Am I willing to receive the word in its full completeness — the bitter as well as the sweet? Do I love its humbling spirituality, its self-denying requirements, subordinating every desire to an unreserved obedience to my God; ready to walk in his narrowest path, to have my most secret corruption exposed; to have my conscience laid open to the “sharp piercing of the two-edged sword”? (Hebrews 4:12.) Oh! may my soul be preserved in this vigorous devotedness!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ecclesiastes 5:11
11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Job 6:7. Luke 15:16, 17.
 
‘Jejunus stomachus raro vulgaria temnit.’
 
Hor. lib. ii. Sat. ii. 38.
 
 
Job 6:7
7 The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.
 
Luke 15:16, 17
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 78:25. Numbers 11:4-20; 21:5.
 
 
Psalm 78:25
25 Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full. {Man...: or, Every one did eat the bread of the mighty}
 
Numbers 11:4-20
4 ¶ And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? {fell...: Heb. lusted a lust} {wept...: Heb. returned and wept} 5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. 7 And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. {colour thereof...: Heb. eye of it as the eye of} 8 And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it. 10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. 11 And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? 12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? 13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. 14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. 15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. 16 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. 18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. 19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; 20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? {whole...: Heb. month of days}
 
Numbers 21:5
5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Revelation 3:17, 18. Matthew 9:12. Romans 9:30, 31.
 
 
Revelation 3:17, 18
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
 
Matthew 9:12
12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
 
Romans 9:30, 31
30 ¶ What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lamentations 1:12
12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. {Is it...: or, It is nothing} {pass by: Heb. pass by the way?}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Job 15:11
11 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 119:67, 71
67 ¶ Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. 71 ¶ It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.