God's Word like strong Meat

SOme of God's Children are grown up
To such maturity,
That they on Meat that's strong can sup,
In which great vertues lye.

Young-men and Fathers some there be
Whose senses have been long
In exercise, and therefore they
Are stronger than the young

And little Babes, whose Stomach's weak,
And therefore cannot bear
Nor take in dark mysterious things,
Which elder Saints does chear.

It argues such diseased be
Who unto years are grown,
If such Meat with them don't agree,
By which Christ is made known

More clearly to the Ear and Eye
Than other Doctrins can,
And therefore we say presently
He's a diseased Man.

Some base disease on him has siez'd,
He's under some decay,
His stomach rises at God's Word,
And puts it quite away.

The Second Part.

But like as Meat that's strong doth yield
The better nourishmant,
So such who can strong things take in,
Are not so impotent,

Nor ne're so weak as others be,
But harder work can do,
And unto them continually
Does sweeter comforts flow.

Small things do them not soon offend,
But strengthned be to bear
Such things that others startle at,
And can't abide to hear.

O then ye Saints do you see to't,
Your weakness don't betray,
Who have been long in Jesus's School,
Yet stumbling-blocks do lay

In your own paths, and others too,
And so expose God's Name
To great reproach, but on your selves
Do bring the greatest shame:

But let the strong bear with the weak
In things indifferent,
And let the weak more wisdom seek,
Than from the strong to rent,

It is a blessed truth of God
For which the strong contend,
Tho' you being weak do yet not see't,
But may though in the end.