what meant by Salt, 617 Firft', .v1/1 Chriflians who have the truth of the Gofpel, who by their lives, and in their wayes, doe Phew forth the truth of the Gofpel, they are the fait of the earth. In an eminenr degree thofe that doe carry the truths of the. Gofpel abto3d into the world, they are the fait ofthe earth. -- What is,thq-, meaning of that ? it is a plaine fimilitude that Chrift ufeth, becaufe that Country delighted much in fimili- tudes. You will find a great deale of excellency in this ex- preflîon of the mind of cod therein. Firft, We find that in Scripture fait is taken for wifdome, Coli. 4.6. Let your fpeech be alirayes with grace, f eafoned with sal eptimam fait, that ye may km)* how you ought to anfwer every man. et titili f mw i ¡then you f peak, let not your fpeeches be with any corrupt cammu -e(f ceberam nication that bath no wifdome in it, but to all your fpeeches let condimentara fir moderate ad. there be wifdome. And in the 9 Chap. of Mark, the 5o. verfe. hibeatur,TTranf.. Salt is ood, but if the fait have loll his faltnefje, wherewith will fenar, alarm you feafon it ? have fait inyour felves, and have peace one with adnfacendara another. Order all your wayes wifely. And this was the coni- at gore n a ni- mon acception of the ordinary language. Salt bath been taken hil eat Homini- almofl by all kind of people to fignifie underfianding,wifdom. óu4 autiat in One faith that the Grecians were the fait of the Nations, and vita Eftius- the reafon was becaufe that Grace had almoft all learnings, and that was the fait of the Nations ; they were wont ordim- rily to expreffe the works pf mans underf+anding by it. I have read that in Italy, if any one doth call fait to anóther,they take it for a difgrace and mockery ; as if fuch a man wanted wit. And fo the Latins faith, One that is foolifh wanteth fait. And the Scripture calls that that is unfavory by want of fait, it calls it folly. In all this fob finned not, nor charged God forali fhly, in Chap. I. zz verfe. Againe in the 6 Chap. and 6. verfe. Can that which is unfavory be eaten without fait; or is. there any tafle in the white of an egge. So that by Scripture and common ac ception of people informer times. And now by fah is meant underftanding and wifdonie. Te are the fait of the earth; The meaning is this, in the firft place, you are thofe that be holding Kkkk forth
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