John Trapp on Job 12:11

Verſe 11. Doth not the ear try words &c.] The mind may as eaſily conceive of theſe truths, as the ear judgeth certainly of the variety of ſounds, and the tongue of the diverſity of taſtes: neither may you think that I will, without any examination or diſtinction, allow of your diſcourſes; or that I can take it well that you reject, as void of reaſon, whatſoever I have ſaid, without once weighing it. The ear is one of the two learned ſenſes, it is an inſtrument of diſcipline: only it ſhould be kept clean and free from prejudice or paſſion, which will be as gall in the eare. See Exod. [illegible: 1 letter].9. Demosthenes called oft upon his Athenians to get their eares purged of tholer:Quadam animalia fel in aure geſtant. Ozen. moznajin. and Alexander, when he heard a cauſe, was wont alwaies to keepe [non-Latin text not transcribed] one eare free for the other party: he would not be prepoſſeſſed. Mercer obſerveth, that the Hebrew word for an ear, doth in the duall number ſignifie a pair of balancer, to note, that a judicious Chriſtian taketh not up truth upon truſt, but conſidereth firſt, and afterwards believeth; he tryeth all things, and then holdeth firſt that which is good, but abſtaineth from all appearance of evil, 1 Theſ. 5.21, 22. The ear and the mind are in the Greek tongue very like in ſound: the mind judgeth of the truth of words by the ears, [non-Latin text not transcribed] as the hearn in a pair of balances determineth the juſt weight of things by the two ſcales. He that is ſpiritual diſcerneth all things, 1 Cor. 2.15. he hath ſpiritual ſenſe[illegible: 1 letter]. Philip. 1.9. ſenſes exerciſed, habitually exerciſed, to [illegible: 1 word] good and evil, H[illegible: 1 letter]b 5.14. his ſervice is a rational ſervice, Rom. 12.1 his obedience the obedience of faith, Rom. 16.26. Whereas the natural man is carried away as he is led, 2 Cor. 12.2. pulled away with the errour of the wicked, 2 Pet. 3.17. taken priſoner by ſeducers, 2 Tim. 3.6. and by them made prize of, Col. 2.8. as having either no skil, or no will to examine what is doctrinally propounded to him.

As the mouth taſteth his meat] Heb. the palate, which is the proper inſtrument of taſting: Now the order of nature requireth (ſaith one) that ſeeing our bodily ſenſes, are ſo nimble and able to diſcern what is ſowr, what ſweet, &c.Senſorium. Merlin in loc. our underſtandings alſo ſhould do the ſame by right reaſon: and the contrary is very abſurd and unbecoming a man; neither can there be any good excuſe made for our dulneſſe, if we bend not our minds to the ſearch of the truth, for as much as there is ſo much adoe made to pleaſe the palate, eyes, eares, and other ſenſes: Catullus wiſhed all his body were noſe, that he might-ſpend all his time in ſweet ſmells. Philoxenus, that his neck were as long as a Cranes, that he might take more delight in meats and drinks (it ſeems that he placed taſting not in the mouth, but in the throat.) Boccace the Italian Poet ſaid, that he was born a[illegible: 1 letter] amore delle donne, for the love of women: and of a prodigal pleaſure-monger in London, we read,Theatre of Gods judgm. that to pleaſe all his five ſenſes at once, he allowed to the delight of every ſeveral ſenſe, a ſeverall hundred pound. See the Note on Amos 6.6. There is a ſancta crapula, an holy gluttony, as Luther calleth an hearty feeding on divine viands, a finding fatneſſe and ſweetneſſe beyond that of the hony and hony-comb in Gods Ordinances,Pſalm 63.5, 6. crying to Jeſus Chriſt as the Spouſe doth Cant. 8.13. Cauſe me to hearken to thy voice: and obeying him, thus beſpeaking us, Eat ô friends, drink. yea, drink abundantly ô beloved, till you are even inebriated with loves, Cant. 5.1.