Milk

MILK. A Land flowing with Milk and Honey¹, is a Countrey of extraordinary Fertility. Moses forbids to seeth the Kid in its Exod. xxiii. 19. xxxiv. 16. Deut. xiv. 21.Mother’s Milk; which the Hebrews understand literally, and do not allow themselves to eat Meat and Cheese at the same Meal, one immediately after the other. See what we have observed upon the Article MEATS. Some understand this Prohibition in a metaphorical Sense, as if it was only to Deut. xxii. 6.forbid Cruelty; as in another Place it does not allow to take the old Bird sitting upon her Nest along with the young ones.

The Writers of the Old Testament speak of the Conception of Man in his Mother’s Womb, as of Milk that curdles, and takes the human Form. See Job x. 10, 11. Nonne sicut lac mulsisti me, & sicut caseum me coagulasti. And Wisdom vii. 1, 2. In ventre ventris figuratus sum caro, decem mensium tempore coagulatus sum in sanguine. The Heart of the Wicked is coagulated, or hardened, Psal. cxix. 70. Joel. iii. 18. Isai. lx. 16. 1 Cor. iii. 2. Heb. v. 12.like Milk; but the Hebrew may be translated, Their Heart is as fat as Grease.

In the Prophets the Kingdom of Messiah is represented as a Season of great Abundance, when the Mountains should run down with Milk and Honey. In die illa stillabunt montes dulcedinem, & colles fluent lacte. And Isaiah says; Thou shalt also suck the Milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the Breast of Kings. St. Paul compares his Converts to little Children, who are to be fed with Milk, and not with solid Food; and 1 Pet. ii. 2.St. Peter thus exhorts the Faithful; As new -born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby.

To milk is often said in a figurative Sense, to denote the dangerous Caresses and Enticements Prov. i. 10.of Sinners. My Son, if Sinners entice thee, consent thou not, Heb. Milk thee, or deceive thee, flatter thee, tempt thee by their vain Allurements. The Text reads the same Word in other Passages, where St. Jerome uses the Word Lactare, instead of Seducere, Fallere. In the Song of Songs, iv. 11. Mel & lac sub linguâ tuâ, signifies, Your Words are softer or sweeter than Milk and Honey.

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