Publisher's Synopsis
Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1872. Excerpt: ... SERMON CIX. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.--Ver. 103. In this verse you have another evidence of David's affection to the word, and that is the incomparable delight which ho found therein, as being suitable to his taste and spiritual appetite. This pleasure and delight he found in the word is propounded--(1.) By way of interrogation or admiration, 'How sweet are thy words unto my taste!' As if he said, So sweet that I am not able to express it. (2.) By way of comparison, ' Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.' To external sense nothing is sweeter than honey; honey is not so sweet to the mouth and palate as the word of God is to the soul. It is usual to express the affections of the mind by words proper to the bodily senses, as taste is put here for delight, and elsewhere eating is put for believing and digesting the truth: ' Thy word was sweet, and I did eat it, ' Jer. xv. 16. Again, in all kind of writers, both profane and sacred, it is usual to compare the excellency of speech to honey. The poet describes an eloquent man, that his speech flowed from him sweeter than honey. And the like we may observe in scripture: Prov. xvi. 24, 'Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.' He means words of wisdom, such words as come from a pure heart; now these are sweeter than honey. So the spouse; because of her gracious doctrine, it is said, Cant. iv. 11, ' Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb;' and Ps. xix. 10, ' More to be desired are they than gold; yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb. ' For profit, he esteemed them more than gold; for pleasure, more than honey or the honeycomb. And David saith here, 'Thy words are sweet unto my taste.' He doth not say in general, They a...
