1 Peter 2:3
If so be you 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 pleasingness 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 estate; but also, 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 has 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, so like milk (as it is compared here) which is a nourishing food, and also 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 (Psalm 119:97): O how love I your 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, you have taught me to grow wiser and wiser, and holier in your ways, and then (Psalm 119:103) he adds this other reason: How sweet are your words to my taste, indeed sweeter than the honey and the honeycomb.
We shall speak 1. Of the goodness or graciousness of the Lord. 2. Of this taste. And 3. Of the inference from both.
1. Gracious] Or of a bountiful kind disposition, the word (Psalm 34), from where this is taken, is Tob, which signifies good. The Septuagint there renders 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 (1 Corinthians 13), it is kind, ever compassionate, and as it can be helpful in straits and distresses still ready to forget, and pass by evil and to do good, and in the largest most comprehensive sense must we take it here, and yet still speak, and think infinitely below what his goodness is. He is naturally good, indeed goodness in his nature, he is goodness and love itself, he that loves not knows not God, for God is love (1 John 4:8). 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 does 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. This that is here spoken of, gracious to them in freely forgiving their sins, and giving no less than himself to them, frees them from all evils, and fills them with all good (Psalm 103:3-5), satisfies your mouth, and so it follows with good reason, (Psalm 103:8) that he is merciful and gracious, and his graciousness there further expressed in his gentleness, and slowness to anger, bearing with the frailties of his own, and pitying them, as a father pities his children.
No friend 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 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 has 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 does not disrelish his sweetness, it transcends and goes above it. Thus all earthly enjoyments have but some time (as foods) 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 Barzillai (2 Samuel 19:35). But it makes not this distasteful; therefore the Psalmist prays, that when other comforts forsake him, and wear out, ebb from him, and leave him on the sand, this may not. That still he may feed on the goodness of God (Psalm 71:9): Cast me not off in old age, forsake me not when my strength fails. It is the continual influence of his graciousness makes them still grow like cedars in Lebanon (Psalm 92), to bring forth fruit in old age to be still fat, and flourishing, to show that the Lord is upright, as is there added, that he is even (as the word is) still like himself, and his goodness ever the same.
Full chests, or large possessions, may seem sweet to a man, till death presents 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 doting on it, then the kindness of friends and wife and children can do nothing, but increase his grief, and their own. But then is the love of God the good indeed and abiding sweetness. And it best relishes when all other things are most unsavory, and uncomfortable. God is gracious, but it is God in Christ, otherwise, we cannot find him so; therefore here this is spoken particular of Jesus Christ (as it appears by that which follows) 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 (Chapter 1, final verse) 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 (Ephesians 1:7). In whom we have redemption. And all the favor that shines on us, all the grace we receive, is of his fullness, all our acceptance with God, taking into grace, and kindness again, is in him (verse 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 dishonor 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 Saint Augustine.
2. Taste] There is a tasting of temporary believers spoken of (Hebrews 6:4). Their highest sense of spiritual things (and it will be in some far higher than we easily think) yet is but a taste, and is called so in comparison of the truer fuller sense, that true believers have of the grace, and goodness of God which compared with temporary taste, is more than tasting, the former is tasting, rather an imaginary taste than real, but this is a true feeding on the graciousness of God, yet called but a taste in respect of the fullness to come, though it is more than a taste, as you difference it from the hypocrite's sense, yet it is no more but a taste compared with the great marriage feast we look for.
Jesus Christ, being all in all to the soul, faith apprehending him, is all the spiritual senses, it is the eye that beholds his matchless beauty, and so enkindles love in the soul, and can speak of him as having seen him, and taken particular notice of him (Song of Solomon 5:9). It is the ear that discerns his voice (Song of Solomon 2:8). It is faith that smells his name poured forth as an ointment, faith it touches him and draws virtue from him, and faith that tastes him (Song of Solomon 2:3). And here: if you have tasted, etc.
There must be, 1. a firm believing the truth of the promises, wherein the free grace of God is expressed, and exhibited to us. 2. A particular application, or attraction of that grace to ourselves, which is as the drawing those breasts of consolation, namely the promises contained in the old and new Testament. 3. There is a sense of the sweetness of that grace, being applied or drawn in to the soul, and that is properly this taste. No unrenewed man has any of these in truth, not the highest kind of temporary believer, he cannot have so much as a real lively assent to the general truth of the promises, for had he that, the rest would follow, but as he cannot have the least of these in truth, he may have the counterfeit of them all, not only of assent, but application, indeed, and a false spiritual joy arising on it, and all these so drawn to the life, that they may resemble much the truth of them, and to give clear characters of difference is not so easy as most imagine; but doubtless, the true living faith of a Christian, has in itself, such a particular stamp, as brings with it, its own evidence, when the soul is clear, and the light of God's face shines upon it. Indeed in the dark, we cannot read, nor distinguish one mark from another but when a Christian has light, to look upon the work of God in his own soul, although he cannot make another sensible of that by which he knows it, yet he himself is ascertained, and can say confidently in himself, this I know, that this faith and [reconstructed: taste] of God I have is true, the seal of the Spirit of God is upon it, and this is the reading of that new name, in the white stone, that no man knows, but he that has it. There is in a true believer such a constant love to God, for himself, and continual desire after him, simply for his own excellency, and goodness, that no other can have. On the other side, would a hypocrite deal truly and impartially by himself, he would readily find out something that would discover him, more, or less to himself: but the truth is, men are willing to deceive themselves and from there arises the difficulty.
One man cannot make another sensible of the sweetness of divine grace, he may speak to him of it very excellently, but all he says in that kind is an unknown language to a natural man, he has many good words, but he cannot tell what they mean. The natural man tastes not the things of God, for they are spiritually discerned.
A spiritual man himself does not fully conceive this sweetness that he tastes of, it is an infinite goodness, and he has but a taste of it, the peace of God is a main fruit of this his goodness, it passes all understanding, says the apostle, not only all natural understanding as some modify it; but all understanding, even the supernatural understanding of those that enjoy it, and as the godly man cannot conceive it all, so that which he conceives, he cannot express it all, and that which he does express, the carnal mind cannot conceive of it by his expression.
But he that has indeed tasted of this goodness — O how tasteless are those things to him, that the world calls sweet, as when you have tasted somewhat that is very sweet, it disrelishes other things after it. Therefore can a Christian so easily either want, or use with disregard the delights of this earth. His heart is not upon them: for the delight that he finds in it God carries it unspeakably away from all the rest, makes them in comparison seem sapless to his taste.
Solomon tasted of all the delicacies, the choicest dishes that are in such esteem among men, and not only tasted, but ate largely of them, and yet see how he goes over them, to let us know what they are, and passes from one dish to another — this also is vanity, and of the next this also is vanity, and so through all, and of all in general, All is vanity and vexation of spirit, or feeding on the wind, as the word may be rendered.
3. We come in the third place to the inference. If you have tasted, etc. — then lay aside all malice and guile and hypocrisies and envies, and all evil speakings (Verse 1). For it looks back to the whole exhortation; sure if you have tasted of that kindness and sweetness of God in Christ, it will compose your spirits, and conform them to him, it will diffuse such a sweetness through your soul, that there will be no place for malice and guile. There will be nothing but love, and meekness, and singleness of heart, therefore they that have bitter malicious spirits, evidence they have not tasted of the love of God, as the Lord is good, so they that taste it are made like him. "Be you kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32)
Again if you have tasted, then desire more, and this is the truest sign of it; he that is in a continual hunger, and thirst after this graciousness of God, sure he has tasted of it. "My soul thirsts for God," (says David,) he had tasted before (Verse 4), he remembers that he went to the house of God with the voice of joy.
This is that happy circle wherein the soul moves — the more they love it, the more they shall taste of this goodness; and the more they taste, the more they shall still love, and desire it.
But observe, if you have tasted that the Lord is gracious, then desire the milk of the Word. This is the sweetness of the word, that it has in it the Lord's graciousness, gives us the knowledge of his love; this they find in it, that have spiritual life and senses and those senses exercised to discern good and evil; and this engages a Christian to further desire of the Word. These are fantastical deluding tastes that draw men from the written Word, and make them expect other revelations. This graciousness is first conveyed to us, by the Word; there we taste it and therefore there still we are to seek it; to hang upon those breasts that cannot be drawn dry, there the love of God, in Christ, streams forth in the several promises; the heart that cleaves to the word of God, and delights in it, cannot but find in it daily new tastes of his goodness, there it reads his love, and by that stirs up his own to him, and so grows, loves every day more than the former, and thus is tending from tastes to fullness. It is but little we can receive, some drops of joy that enter into us, but there we shall enter into joy, as vessels put into a sea of happiness.
