John Trapp on Isaiah 55:2

Ver. 2. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?] Heb. for not bread, for that which can no more feed you than thoſe huskes could the hungry Prodigal, Luk. 15.16.

Martial.Turpe eſt difficiles habere nugas: Et ſtultus labor eſt ineptiarum.

The ſaying of the Romane General to the Souldier that kept the Tents, when he ſhould have been fighting in the field, Non amo nimium diligentes, I love not thoſe that are over-diligent, will be uſed of God, if when he calleth us to the care of higher things, we buſie our ſelves only about matters of an inferiour alloy. Surely as Domitian the Emperour ſpent his time in catching flyes: and Artaxerxes in making haftes for knives: ſo do moſt men in trifles and lying vanities, neglecting the One thing neceſſary (with Martha) and preferring as thoſe Gergeſites in the Goſpel, haram domeſticam arae Dominicae, a ſwine-ſty before a Sanctuary. Betwixt ſuch and true beleevers there is as much difference as is betwixt ſubſtantial merchants who deale in rich commodities, and thoſe nugivenduli Agyrtae, who ſell gawdes, rattles and trangums: as is betwixt Spiders that catch flyes, and Eagles that hunt after Hares and Hirons; as is betwixt Fowlers that follow after Quailes, and children that run after butter-flyes. Had men but taſted of Gods bread, they would never ſet ſuch a price upon Doves-dung. Had they drunk of Chriſts wine (which is beyond the beſt Nectar or Ambroſia) they would never thirſt again after the worlds delights, Joh. 4.14. which are ſuch as whereof a man may break his neck before his faſt, Eccleſ. 1.8.

Clitorio quicunque ſitim de fonte levarit,Ovit. Metam. lib 15. Vina fugit, gaudetque meris abſtemius undis.

And your labour for that which ſatisfieth not] The world is full of pomp and pleaſure, 1 Joh. 2.15. and yet it ſatisfieth not, becauſe it is full of nothing but of emptineſs: the creature is now ever ſince the fall as the husk without the grain, the ſhell without the kirnel: yea the world paſſeth away and the luſt thereof, ver. 17. for a man cannot make his heart long to delight in the ſame things, but ipſa etiam vota, poſt uſum, faſtidio ſunt, we loath after a while what we greatly luſted after, as Amnon did Tamar. Therefore love not the world, ver. 15. labour not for the meat that periſheth, Joh. 6.27. but haſten heaven-ward, ſaying as that Pilgrim did who travelling to Jeruſalem, and by the way viſiting many brave Cities with their rare-Monuments, and meeting with many friendly entertainments, would ſay eftſoones, I muſt not ſtay here, this is not Jeruſalem.

Harken diligently unto me] Heb. hearing heare, i. e. heare as for life, with utmoſt attention of body, intention of mind, and retention of memory.

And eat ye that which is good] Not only heare the Word of God, but eat it: turn it in ſuccum & ſanguinem, diſgeſt it, incorporate it into your ſouls, Jam. 1.20. for it is the heavenly Manna; that hath all manner of good taſtes in it, and properties with it, 2 Tim. 3.16.

And let your ſoul delight it ſelf in fatneſſe] Talis eſt doctrins & gratia Evangelica qua mentem ſaginat & impinguat. A good ſoul feedeth on the fat and drinketh of the ſweet that is found in the precious promiſes, Pſal. 36.8. and 63.5.