This is another point we shall discover—Man having lost the image of God, left the fountain of his bliss and satisfaction; his mind soon became vitiated—a vacancy being in it he seeks to fill the empty space with any thing, and every thing but God. This is the state of every man by nature; this the believer can remember with regret, and can now look back on his former folly in forsaking the fountain and cleaving to the stream of creature satisfaction. Changed by grace, he views his fellow immortals seeking for that which will never satisfy him. The Miser, a poor grovelling Serpent, feeding on white and yellow dust, “Throwing up his interest in both worlds—first starv’d in this, then damn’d in that to come.”—_Blair_. He heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.—_David_. He layeth up silver as the Dust—the pant after the dust of the earth.
Thus such Serpents eat the dust, while their covetous hearts are perpetually crying, “Give! Give!”—_Solomon_. “They grudge, and are not satisfied.”—_David_. All the vain pursuits, carnal gratifications, sensual delights, and that phantom, called Pleasure, which a worldling strives for, is but trying to fill the mind with dust. Hence the Prophet Isaiah represents them as a people dreaming—_They have been eating and drinking_, _and when they awake up_, _behold they are hungry_.—Isaiah xxix. Hence David prays, _And let me not eat of their dainties_. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life—these are not of the Father, but of the world—these are ashes; and the dust they feed on—1 John ii.
Men of a persecuting spirit, whose hearts rise against God, religion, and the dear Saviour, the Work of the Spirit, and all Saints—these are said to feed on the Saints; they are well pleased at every species of persecution; _they eat up my people as they eat bread_, _and call not upon God_. _When my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh_, _they __stumbled and fell_. Hence David prays, _Deliver me from the men who are thy sword_, _O Lord_, _whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasures_. Thus, like Satan, they wait to eat, to devour, to destroy the Lord’s people, who are called dust. “I that am but dust and ashes, have taken upon me to speak to the Lord.”—_Abraham_. “Who can number the dust of Jacob? Thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor the dust thereof.”