Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 5 · Verse 13
Vers. 13.
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt hauehave lost his sauour, &c.
In this verse and the rest, to the 16. Christ propoundeth the second branch of his sermon, touching the office of the Apostles, and in them, of all Ministers; wherein, his intent is to mooue them to diligence in preaching the will of God to all people.
The Coherence of this part with the former standeth thus: Christ had shewed before in diuers precepts, that many are blessed, whervpon some might aske, how they should attaine to this happines, and to those graces of the Spirit, which make them fit for that estate? Christ here answers, that the preaching of the Gospel is the principall meanes to worke in their hearts those graces, to which true happines is promised. And because it is an excellent priuiledge to bring men to this estate, therfore he exciteth his disciples to diligence in this Ministerie by two Reasons, drawne from the properties of this worke, & propounded in two similitudes: The first is taken from salt, in these words: ye are the salt of the earth: & amplified in the words following, to the ende of the verse. The second is drawne from light, ver. 14. 15.
For the first: yee are the salt of the earth: yee, that is, you whom I hauehave called to be Apostles, and set apart for the worke of the Ministry, are salt; not properly, but by resemblance; yet not in regard of their persons, but of their ministerie; because hereby they were to season men for God, and to make them sauourie both in heart and life: Of the earth; not of Iudea only, but of the whole world, as may appeare by their commission, Math. 28. 19. Goe therefore and teach all Nations.
From this description, both Ministers, and people, may learne their dutie. First for Ministers: by this title of salt heare giuen vntounto them, Christ would teach them, first, how they ought to dispence the wordMinisters must seeke to expresse …he properties of salt. of God, both Lawe and Gospell; namely, so as they labour therein to expresse the properties of salt, whereto Christ alludeth in his Title: Now the properties of salt, applied to rawe flesh, or fresh wounds, are principally three; First, it will bite and fret, being of nature hot and drie: Secondly, it makes meats sauourie vntounto our taste: Thirdly, it preserueth meates from putrifaction, by drawing out of them superfluous moistnesse. The Apostles therefore and other Ministers being salt, must not onelyonly in generall deliuer the word of God vntounto the people; but withall applie the same particularly vntounto mens hearts & consciences, as salt is applied vntounto meat: And that for three endes; first the Law must be applied, to rippe vp mens hearts, to make them see their sinns; it must fret and bite them by the curse thereof, to cause them to renounce themselues, and to crie with the Iewes, lAct. 2. 37.Men and brethren what shall we doe? Secondly, the Gospel must be preached, that men feeling their corruption, like rottennes in their soules, may by the blessing of the spirit be thereby seasoned with grace, and so reconciled vntounto God, and made sauourie in his sight. This is the end of the Ministrie, 2. Cor. 5. 20. We are Embassadours for Christ, as though God did beseech you through vsus, we pray you in Christs steed, that you be reconciled vntounto God. Thirdly, both the Law and the Gospel must bee continually dispensed, that thereby sinne and corruption may be daiely mortified and consumed both in heart and life; euen as superfluous humours are dried vp by salt; And this is the right dispensing of Gods word: for eueryevery discourse vponupon a text of Scripture is not preaching, but he that so expoundeth and applyeth the word, that his ministerie may be salt vntounto his hearers, he it is that preacheth the word indeede.
Secondly, Christ calling his Disciples salt, teacheth them and all ministers, that they themselues ought first to be seasoned by the word: for how can they fitly season others by applying this salt vntounto their consciences, who neuer felt the biting of it vponupon their owne? He that is vnseasoned himselfe may speake Gods word, which God may blesse to the good of others: but yet in respect of himselfe, it is a riddle which can not be vnderstood.
Thirdly, this Title giueth good direction to eueryevery Minister for his manner of preaching: for if the word of God alone be that sauory salt, wherewith mans heart is seasoned for the Lord, then it ought to be dispensed purely and sincerely, without the mixture of humane inuentions. This was Pauls care, m1. Cor. 2. … ▪ ….my word & my preaching (saith he) stood not in the entising speach of mans wisedome, but in plaine evidence of the spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisedome of men, but in the power of God. Experience teacheth vsus that salt by mixture with other things looseth of his sauour: and so is it with the word: In deede there is a place for Arts and tongues, and humane learning with eueryevery dispenser of the word, wherein he may vse them with great commendation, to witte, in his priuate preparation: but not in the publique dispensation whereby he seasoneth mens hearts vntounto God; that the word of God alone must doe, for to it alone belongs the promise of the spirit. Isay. 59. 21. And therefore he must vse great discretion in this ministerie, and labour so to speake that the spirit may take delight to accompanie the same.
Fourthly, this Titile teacheth all Gods Ministers by patience to possesse their soules, when the wicked doe fret and fume against them for their ministerie, for this is a testimonie that their ministrcie is salt, and bites their corrupt consciences as it ought to doe: therefore they are to goe on with chearefulnes, endeauouring more and more to season their hearers herewith.
Secondly, the people of God that heare his word, may learne good instruction from this Title: first, hereby eueryevery one may see what he is by nature, namely, like vntounto flesh subiect to corruption, nay, as vnsauory flesh, and stinking cation in the nostrels of God; for els what needed this salt? This therefore must mooue vsus to lay aside all pride of heart, whereby we thinke highly of our selues: yea, we must become base and lowly in our owne eies, in regard of the vnsauourie tast of our naturall corruption, else we shall neuer feele the seasoning vertue of Gods holy Ministerie.
Secondly, eueryevery one must hereby learne to suffer the word of reproofe, whereby his heart and conscience may be ripped vp, and his sores of sinne discouered: when we hauehave a cut or a wound in our flesh, we can be content to put salt vponupon it, to drie vp the noysome humours, that otherwise would corrupt; now can we endure the smart of salt for the health of our bodies, and shall we not much more suffer the word of God to rip vp our sinnes, and to mortifie the same, for the saluation of our soules?
Thirdly, eueryevery one must giuegive all diligence to bee seasoned throughout, with this heauenly salt, that the thoughts of his heart, the words of his mouth, and the actions of his life, may be all sauourie and acceptable vntounto God in Christ; yea, in his conuersation with men, hee must labour to shewe the power of this seasoning: Coloss. 4. 6. Let your speech be gratious alwaies and powdred with salt: that is, seasoned by the word, that it may sauour of grace, to those that heare vsus. If we liue vnderunder the Ministerie of the word, and be not seasoned therewith, our case is dangerous; for therein it is of the nature of salt, which causeth barrennesse, where it seasoneth not: as we may see in the practise of Abimelech, who sowed nIudg. 9. …salt in Shechem, to make the groūd barren, and the place despised.
But if the salt hauehave lost his sauour, wherewith shall it be salted: it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to bee cast out, and troden vnderunder the foote of men. Here Christ amplifieth the former reason, whereby hee mooued his Apostles to sidelitie and diligence in their Ministerie, by the danger of the contrarie infidelitie, which is as vnsauourie salt, incurable and vnprofitable, and so subiect to a fearefull curse; and therefore (saith Christ) you had neede to bee faithfull in seasoning the world by your Ministerie. In this amplification we may obserue foure points: First, the ordinarie sinne that doth accompanie the calling of the Ministerie. Secondly, the danger of this sin. Thirdly, the vnprofitablenes of such a Ministerie. Fourthly, the iudgement of God due vntounto it.
I. Point. As other callings hauehave their seuerall faults, so hath the calling of a Minister, noted in these words; If the salt hauehave lost his sauour, &c. Salt is said to become vnsauourie, when it looseth that vertue and acrimonie which it hath in seasoning that flesh on which it is cast. Now Ministers are as vnsauourie salt, when they become vnprofitable in their Ministerie, and either doe not, or cannot dispense Gods word, for the seasoning of mens soules, that they may be acceptable to God, and reconciled vntounto him in Christ. In this calling, there bee especially foureFoure kinds of vnsauoury Ministers. kinds of vnsauourie salt; First, the blind watch-men that hauehave no knowledge; oIsay 56. 10and dumb dogges that cannot barke: that is, such as either cannot,1 or if they can, will not dispense Gods word, for the saluation of mens soules. Secondly, Hereticall Teachers, who preach false and damnable2 doctrine, such as doth not season, but poison and destroie the soule: such were the false Prophets among the Iewes, who enticed to Idolatrie: Deut. 30. 1, 2. and the false Apostles, and Heretiks in the Primitiue Church, p2. Tim 2. 1…, 1….whose words did fret as a canker, and destroyed the faith of many. And such are the Romish teachers at this day, and the Iesuits and Seminaries among vsus, who though they be qualified with many good gifts of learning, yet by mingling the word of God with their owne inuentions, and humane traditions, they rase the foundation, they become vnsauourie salt, and hereticall Teachers. And here by the way, who cannot but wonder, that students in Diuinitie, should so much affect the Postils and Comments of Friers and Popish writers, as they doe? doubtlesse it argueth that the word of God hath not seasoned their hearts; for where such vnsauourie salt hath relish, the wholesome doctrine of Gods word hath neuer seasoned. Thirdly, they are vnsauourie3 salt, who teach true doctrine, but yet misapplie the same. Many such were in the Church of the Iewes in the daies of qIer. 23. 1…, …7.Ieremie and r…zek. 13. 10. 1….Ezekiel, who much complaine, of sowing pillowes vnderunder the elbowes of the wicked, by preaching peace vntounto them, when they should hauehave called to repentance by the discouerie of their sinnes, and the denunciation of Gods iudgements: as also, for making sad the hearts of those, whom God hath not made sadde: And such are those at this day, who hauehave sinooth tongues, in respect of sinne, and yet are full of bitter inuectiues against the better sort. By this meanes the word of God looseth his acrimonie and sharpnesse, whereby the wicked should be awaked out of their slumber of securitie, and the godly further seasoned, and made more acceptable vntounto God. Fourthly, they are vnsauourie salt, who4 though they teach the truth, and generally applie it well, doe yet lead vngodly and scandalous liues: for an offensiue and vnsauourie conuersation in the Teacher, doth hinder the seasoning vertue of the word of his Ministerie in the hearts of the people; and his doctrine cannot so much edifie, as his course of life destroyeth, because naturall men regard not so much what is said, as what is done. This beeing so, all Gods Ministers, and those also that destinate themselues to this calling, must hauehave speciall care, so to bee qualified for this worke, and so to preach the word of God, that it may be sauourie in the hearts and consciences of them that heare it. This is a matter of great importance, as well in respect of the Minister, as of the people; and thus shall it appeare, that they are not onelyonly no vnsauourie salt, but euen such as doe season others.
II. Point. The danger of this sinne, in beeing vnsauourie salt (that is vnfaithfull in the Ministerie) is very great, noted in these words; wherewith shall it be salted? Some referre this salting to the earth, as if Christ had said, wherewith shall the earth be salted? but it doth more truely belong to the salt it selfe, as Mark. 9. 5. Salt is good, but if the salt be vnsauourie, wherewith shall it, that is, the salt it selfe, be seasoned? Againe, the interrogation wherewith, imports a vehement deniall; as if Christ should say, If salt once loose his naturall propertie of saltnesse, it can neuer be recouered: now vnfaithfull and vnprofitable Ministers, are vnsauourie salt; and therefore their danger is exceeding great. And yet the comparison must not so be vrged, as thereby to prooue the state of Ministers to be incurable, if they once become vnfaithful: but Christs meaning is, to shewe that vnprofitable Ministers are very hardly, or seldome euer made sauourie againe; at least, if formerly they hauehave beene faithfull, & after hauehave fallen from it. That this is the true meaning, may thus appeare; for notes of negation in as no… not neuer: and … terrogations impor…ng deniall.Scripture, doe not alwaies import an absolute deniall, but sometime they are put to expresse great difficultie, and to shewe things that seldome come to passe, Matth. 23. 33. O generation of vipers, how should you escape the damnation of hell? that is, very hardly: And so where it is said, that Dauid did not decline from the way of the Lord, saue in the matter of Vriah: that is, very seldome: for he sinned grieuously in s2. Sa…. …4.numbring the people: so Matth. 13. 57. A Prophet is not without honour (that is, very seldome) saue in his owne countrie; for sometime he may be dishonoured else-where: and sometime also, hauehave honour in his owne countrie: So in this place, this resemblance of incurablenesse in vnfaithfull Ministers, must bee vnderstood, of great hardnesse and difficultie; not of an impossibilitie, as experience also teacheth: for king Salomon was a Prophet of God, who by his adulteries and idolatrie, became wonderfull vnsauourie, and yet no doubt, he afterward recouered, and became sauourie againe by true repentance, whereupon he penned the booke of Ecclesiastes: so Peter by his deniall of Christ, became vnsauoury; but yet by Gods merciemercy, vponupon his repentance, he was seasoned againe.
This then is the danger, that Ministers declining from fidelitie, doe seldom or hardly recouer: the reason is; First, because they want teachers to instruct them, as they instruct the people: Secondly, the word in them is vnsauourie which should season them, and so there is no other meanes to recouer them ordinarily. Goe through all ages, and obserue the examples of false prophets in the olde Testament, of false Apostles in the newe, and of Arch heretickes in the primitiue Church; and hardly shall you find any that repented: yea, marke such Ministers as in our age incline to poperie, and for the most part they become irreuocable. Hereby then eueryevery Minister is taught to learne and practise Pauls lessons to Timothie, To take heed vntounto himselfe, and vntounto learning, continuing therin, fighting a good sight, hauing faith and a good conscience. These things Paul doth notably vrge in that Epistle, giuing good direction to attaine therevnto: 1. Tim. 4. 13. 14. 16. and 6. 11, 12.
III. Point. The vnprofitablenes of vnfaithfull Ministers, expressed in these words; It is thenceforth good for nothing: that is, as vnsauourie salt, becoming vnfit to season meate, is good for nothing; (for cast it on the ground, it makes it barren; nay, cast it on the dung-hill, and it hurts that also, which otherwise serues for good vse:) so it is with Ministers that become vnfaithfull, they are of all other most noysome both to the Church and commonwealth; for Gods curse is vponupon them, and they are good for no societie. This might be declared by many examples, of such as hauing fallen to Poperie, from our Ministerie, hauehave after prooued not only deadly enemies to our Church, and to the truth, but the rankest Rebels & Traitors vntounto our Prince and State, of all others.
Question. Whether may such Ministers as become vnsauourie salt, by making Apostacie from the truth (as if a protestant Minister become a Masse-preist) be restored againe into the Ministerie of Gods Church, vponupon their repentance? Answer. Some be of minde, that they may not be receiued at all into the Ministerie, after such apostacie: but I finde nothing in the Scripture, which should hinder their restitution, if their conuersion vntounto God, and to his truth, may appeare to be true and vnfained. It is alleadged, that the Priests vnderunder the Law, falling to Idolatrie, t…. 44. …2, 13.were for euer debarred from the Priests office? Answer. That was for special cause; for the Priests were types of Christ, and their outward holinesse shadowed out the perfect integritie and holines of our Saiuour Christ; for which cause their was none chosen to the Priests office, who had any blemish in his body. Now by such opē Idolatrie, they disabled thēselues frō being figures of Christ, & therfore were reiected. Again, we find that inferiour officers were not debarred frō their office in the Sanctuarie, though they committed idolatrie, as the Priests did. It is said againe, that a Minister must be vnblameable; but a Masse-priest cannot be vnblameable. Answ. Without true repentance none is vnblameable; but by true repentance, euen a Masse-priest may becom vnblameable. But such as fall away, become vnsauourie salt, which cannot be made sauourie againe? Ans. By the power of God it may; and so may an vnfaithfull Minister through Gods merciemercy be renued by repentance, and become profitable in the Church.
IV. Point. The curse and punishment of vnsauourie salt: It is cast out, and troden vnderunder foote of men: whereby Christ signifieth, that vnfaithfull and vnprofitable Ministers, shall be condemned both of God and man: Hos. 4. 6. Because thou hast despised knowledge, therefore also will I despise thee. Mal. 2. 9. Therefore hauehave I made you to be despised and vile, before all the people; because ye kept not my way, but hauehave beene partiall in the Lawe. See the signe of the Lords contempt, in his fearefull iudgements vponupon them; as on Nadab and Abihu, Leuit. 10. 1, 2. Hophni and Phinehas, 1. Sam. 2. 34. And though they may escape his hand in this life, yet will Christ at his comming, uMatth. 24. 48, 49, 50.cut them off, and giuegive them their portion with Hypocrites, where is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The consideration whereof, must mooue all Ministers to beware of vnfaithfulnesse in their calling, lest the curse of vnsauourie salt light vponupon them. The Carpenters who builded Noahs Arke, were themselues drowned in the flood; because neither Noahs preaching, nor their owne working did mooue them to repentance: And the like iudgement will befall vnfaithfull Ministers; though they hauehave the name of such as should season others, yet because of their vnfaithfulnesse, they become vnsauourie; God himselfe at length will cast them out, and tread them vnderunder foote. If this were laid to heart, as it ought to be, it would driue many from their idlenesse, vanitie, and couetousnes, whereby they become vnsauourie vntounto God.