13 Ye are the salt of the earth : but if the salt have lost his savor, where- with shall it be salted ? it is thenceforth good for notliing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick ; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
IG Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets : I
to destroy, but to
am not come fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you. Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be falfllled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, lie shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven : but whosoever shall do and teach them,, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pha- risees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
36 EXPOSITORY TriOUGHTS.
In these verses the Lord Jesus trCcits of two subjects. One is-the character wliich true Christians must support and maintain in the world. The other is the relation between His doctrines and those of the Old Testament. It is of great importance to have clear views on both these subjects.
True Christians ai^c to he in the world like salt. Now salt has a peculiar taste of its own^ utterly unlike any- thing else. When mingled with other substances, it j)re- serves them from corruption. It imparts a portion of its taste to everything it is mixed with. It is useful so long as it preserves its savor, but no longer. Are we true Chi-istians ? Then behold here our place and its duties I
True Christians are to he in the world like light. Now it is the property of light to be utterly distinct from dark- ness. The least spark in a dark room can be seen at once. Of aU things created light is the most useful. It ferti- lizes. It guides. It cheers. It was the first thing called into being. Without it the world would be a gloomy blank. Are we true Christians ? Then behold again our position and its responsibilities !
Surely, if words mean anything, we are meant to learn from these two figures, that there must be something marked, distinct, and peculiar about our character, if we are true Christians. It will never do to idle through life, thinking and living like others, if we mean to be owned by Christ as His people. Have ^ve grace ? Then it must be seen. Have we the Spirit ? Then there must be fruit. Have we any saving religion ? Then there must be a difference of habits, tastes, and turn of mind, between us and those who think only of the world. Tt
37
is perfectly clear that true Christianity is something more than heing baptized and going to church. " Salt" and " light " evidently imply peculiarity both of heart and Kfe, of faith and practice. We must dare to be singular and unlike the world, if we mean to be saved.
The relation between our Lord's teaching and that of the Old Testament, is cleared np by our Lord in one striking sentence. He says, " Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets : I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." These are remarkable words. They were deeply important when spoken, as satisfying the natural anxiety of the Jews on the point. They will be deeply important as long as the world stands, as a testimony that the religion of the Old ajid New Testament is one harmonious whole.
The Lord Jesus came to fulfil the predictions of the prophets, who had long foretold that a Saviour would one day appear. He came to fulfil the ceremonial laiv, by becoming the great sacrifice for sin, to which all the Mosaic offerings had ever pointed. He came to fulfil the moral laiu, by yielding to it a perfect obedience, which we could never have yielded — and by paying the penalty for our breach of it with His atoning blood, which we could never have paid. In all these ways He exalted the law of God, and made its importance more evident even than it had been before. In a word, ^' He magnified the law and made it honorable." (Isaiah xlii. 21.)
There are deep lessons of wisdom to be learned from these words of our Lord. Let us consider them well, and lay them up in our hearts.
Let us heivare of despising the Old Testament under