The Duty of Gospel Ministers to Preserver a People from Corruption, Title page
The Duty of GOSPEL-MINISTERS TO preſerve a PEOPLE from Corruption. Set forth, in A SERMON Preached at Brookfield, October 16. 1717. Being the Day wherein the CHURCH was Gathered, And Mr. Thomas Cheney, was Ordained PASTOR.
By Solomon Stoddard, A.M. and Paſtor of Northhampton.
BOSTON: in N. E. Printed for Samuel Phillips, on the South ſide of the Town-Houſe, in King-Street. 1713.
The Duty of GOSPEL-MINISTERS to preſerve a People from Corruption.
MATTH. V. 13.
Ye are the Salt of the Earth.
CHRIST JESUS having been Baptized and after that tempted of Satan for Forty days, doth in a more eminent manner enter into the execution of his Prophetical Office, and Preacheth his Sermon in the Mount contained in this and the two following Chapters. He begins his Sermon by teaching them, who are bleſſed Men; and their in this and the next verſe he teaches his Diſciples what is their Office, and the work which they are to do as his Miniſters. Firſt he tells them, they are the Salt of the Earth: Firſt it may be enquired, who he ſpeaks to? Some think that it is ſpoke of profeſſed Chriſtians; but that doth not ſeem proper. Forthen when Countries come to be Chriſtianinized, there would be no difference between the Salt and them that are Salted. Chriſt knew that whole Nations would entertain the Chriſtian Religion; and who then would they be Salt unto? But I judge that he intends the Apoſtles, and it may be the ſeventy Diſciples, if they were at that time preſent; tho' they were not yet called to their Office, yet Chriſt deſigned them to it. We find a diſtinction, ver. 1. between his Auditors and his Diſciples, Seeing the Multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was ſet his Diſciples came unto him. Again we may enquire, Why doth Chriſt compare them to Salt? Anſ. Salt has many uſeful qualities, it has Medicinal vertues in it, applied outwardly or inwardly; but it hath two properties eſpecially, one is, that it ſavours Meats, gives a grateful reliſh to them, makes them more acceptable to the ſtomach, takes away their crudeneſs and is an help to digeſtion. Job. 6.6. Can that which is unſavoury be taken without ſalt. The other is, that it preſerves things from corruption and putrefaction. Fleſh and ſome other Meats are liable in a little time to corrupt and ſpoil: but Salt has vertue to preſerve them; and in this reſpect the Apoſtles are compared to Salt. He doth not ſpeak of what they were de facto, but of what they were de jure, what they were by their Office to be. Again it may be enquired, Who would have the benefit? Anſ. The Earth, or the Land where they dwell; by Earth you are to underſtand the Inhabitants of the Earth. This is amplifyed by their incurableneſs if they looſe their ſavour. Not but that a Miniſter may be recovered, if he looſe his ſavour; but if the Miniſtry ſhould looſe their ſavour, there is none to recover them, 2. by their unprofitableneſs if they grow corrupt & unſavoury. They are unſerviceable and deſerve to be rejected. It is good for nothing but to be caſt out and trodden under foot of men.