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 ⟨p. 2⟩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. For then when Countries come to be Christianized, 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 virtues 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 ⟨p. 3⟩and spoil: but Salt has virtue 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 amplified 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.
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 ⟨p. 2⟩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 ⟨p. 3⟩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.
