Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 8 · Part 11
Saints compared to Salt.
Mat. 5.13. Ye are the Salt of the Earth; but if the Salt have lost its Savour, wherewith ſhall it be ſalted? It is henceforth good for nothing, but to be caſt out, and trodden under Foot of Men.
BElievers, as well as Miniſters, are called by our Saviour the Salt of the Earth; for Chriſt preached this Sermon not only to his Apoſtles, but to all the Diſciples; it is not appropriated to Miniſters alone, but to all Believers.
Why the Godly are and may be compared to Salt, is briefly opened in the following Parallel.
| Metaphor. | Parallel. |
| SAlt is very profitable, it keeps and preſerves Meat from putrifying, which would ſoon ſtink, corrupt, and periſh, was it not for it. Salt (as one ſaith) is the Bloſſom of Nature, it is mingled with all mixed Bodies, and preſerves them from Corruption. | SO the Godly are moſt profitable in all the Earth. 1. They keep the World from being totally corrupted by evil and peſtilent Errors and Hereſy. (2.) From being ſpoiled by Prophaneneſs and Helliſh Debauchery. They by their holy Lives, Doctrine, and gracious Deportment, put a check to the over-ſpreading Wickedneſs of thoſe Places where they live. The World would ſoon grow much worſe than it is, were it not for the Saints and People of God; it would ſtink, and be ſo abominable in God's ſight, that he would not endure it any longer. And beſides, God many times ſpares a People, Family, and Nation, for the ſake of the Righteous who dwell among them. The Godly are the Intereſt of People and Nations, (as is elſewhere ſhewed.) Had there been but a little more of this ſpiritual Salt in Sodom, viz. but ten righteous Ones, it might have continued to this day. And he ſaid, O let not the Lord be angry, and I will ſpeak yet but this once, Gen. 18.32 Peradventure Ten ſhall be found there, &c. And He ſaid, I will not deſtroy it for Ten's ſake. Nay, tho there was ſcarce ever a godly Soul in it, but righteous Lot; yet what ſaid the Angel? Haſte thee, eſcape thither, for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Gen. 19.22 As Zoar was ſaved for Lot's ſake, ſo Sodom could not be ſet on fire, till he was out of it. Again, was not Joſeph the Intereſt of Potiphar's Houſe? was not his Maſter bleſſed for his ſake? And was not Laban, and what he had, bleſſed for Jacob's ſake? And was not the whole Houſe of Iſrael and Judah preſerved and ſaved from utter Ruine, for the ſake of a holy Remnant that was amongſt them. …ſa. 1.9. Except the Lord of Hoſts had left us a very ſmall Remnant, we ſhould have been as Sodom, and been like unto Gomorrah. |
| II. Salt draws putrifying Humors out of Meat; it is of a purging and cleanſing quality. | II. So gracious Chriſtians,Blackwood by their Doctrine and holy Example, and in particular, Preachers, draw out Rottenneſs and Filth from the Hearts and Tongues of Men. |
| III. Salt ſeaſons Meat, and makes it ſavoury. | III. The godly Chriſtian by his Wiſdom ſeaſons, the Minds of good Men. Hence Sapientia is derived à Sapore, from Savour. The Latines expreſs wiſe and witty Speeches, pleaſant Diſcourſe, a good Grace in ſpeaking, and Salt, by the ſame Word. This agrees with that of the Apoſtle: Let your Speech be always with Grace, ſeaſoned with Salt, Col. 4.6. that ye may know how to anſwer every Man. |
| IV. Salt is of a hot and fiery Nature; being caſt into the Fire, it ſparkles, and burns furiouſly. | IV. So Chriſt's Diſciples are by the Spirit made hot, fervent, and zealous for God, and his Truth; yet this Heat ſhould be mingled with Diſcretion, leſt they flie out,Luk. 9.33. as thoſe did who called for Fire from Heaven. |
| V. Salt ſtirs up Thirſt. | V. So the good Example of Chriſtians ſtir up others to thirſt after Chriſt, and heavenly Things.Blackwood We ſhould not ſo much look for Examples from others, as give Examples our ſelves. |
| VI. Salt makes Meat fit for Food, and meet to be received by ſuch as want it. | VI. So by the Salt of a holy Converſation, or a good Life, in them that preach and profeſs the Goſpel, the Word becomes fit to be received. This makes it reliſh, and this way a Preacher or Profeſſor may be ſaid to ſeaſon his own Doctrine. And on the other hand, how unſavoury doth that good Doctrine ſeem to be,Rom. 2.21, 22, 23, 24. and what little Reliſh is there in it, that is preached by an unholy and unſanctified Perſon? |
| VII. Salt may loſe its Savour, and become good for nothing, but to be trodden under Feet of Men. It is not fit for the Land, nor yet for the Dunghill, but Men caſt it out. Naturaliſts tell us, that Salt having loſt its Savour, being laid upon Land, it cauſeth Barrenneſs. | VIII. So Profeſſors, if they loſe their Savour, if they become vain, vicious, and carnal in their Converſations, what are they good for? A Chriſtian to turn an Apoſtate; he that ſeemed once ſavoury and ſerious in his Words and Behavior, to become filthy, unclean, proud, ambitious, covetous, &c. is one of the worſt of Men; ſuch are fit for nothing but to be caſt into Hell. Of theſe the Apoſtle ſpeaks, It is impoſſible to renew them again by Repentance, &c. Unſavoury Profeſſors,Heb 6 4, 5, 6. and wicked Apoſtates, tend to make the Church barren; they hinder the Increaſe thereof. |
Inferences.
HOw unſavoury is the World! Sinners by Nature are loathſom and ſtinking in God's Sight: Their Throats are like open Sepulchers.Rom. 3.13
2. It ſhews Saints their Duty, which is to ſeaſon others. They ſhould ſeaſon the Place, Town, Family where they live: (1.) By good Doctrine. (2.) By a good Converſation. (3.) By good Counſel. Jacob told his Sons, Simeon and Levi, Gen. 34.30by their ſlaying the Sichemites, they made him to ſtink among the Inhabitants of the Land. The Speech, as well as the Practice of Chriſtians, ſhould be a ſeaſoning and ſavoury Pattern, that it may adminiſter Grace to the Hearers, and Obſervers thereof.
3. O let it ſtir up every Chriſtian, as well Preachers as others, to be ſavoury!Ezek. 36.20. Rom. 2.24 How can we ſeaſon others, if the Salt hath loſt its Savour? Take heed of ſcandalous Sins. (1.) By theſe the Name of the Lord is blaſphemed. (2.) Religion brought to Contempt and Reproach. (3.) The Hearts of all ſincere Ones greatly grieved. (4.) The Converſion of Sinners hindred. (5.) Mens Damnation furthered. Hence ſaith Chriſt, Wo be to the World becauſe of Offences.
But on the other hand, (1.) A holy and ſavoury Life makes a Man lift up his Head with much Boldneſs, tho reproached: Whoſe Ox have I taken, or whoſe Aſs? Or of whoſe hands have I received a Bribe? (2.) It tends to ſtop the Mouths of the Wicked,1 Sam. 12.3. 1 Pet. 3.16. (3.) It is many times not only a Means of Conviction, but Converſion of others; nay, and of ſuch as will not be won by the Word: 1 Pet. 3.1.
4. If Saints are the Salt of the Earth, and Intereſt of Nations, it ſhews the Folly of thoſe wicked Men, that ſtrive to root them up, and turn them out of the World.
5. Laſtly; It may caution all that profeſs the Goſpel, againſt Apoſtacy. Remember Lot's Wife. She for not being ſavoury, or for looking back,Luk. 17 32 Gen. 19.26 was turned into a Pillar of Salt, nay, and into a ſtanding Pillar, &c. May not one Reaſon of it be this, viz. To ſhew, that that very Example of God's Severity upon her, might ſerve, or be ſufficient to ſeaſon all Chriſtians, to the end of the World, againſt Apoſtacy, or looking back?