Mark IX. 49.] the fifth sermon. 223
2. Here is also an allusion to sacrifices ; for every man that lives in the world must be a sacrifice to God. The wicked are a sacrifice to God's justice ; but the godly are a sacrifice dedicated and offered to him, that they may be capable of his mercy. The first are a sacri- fice against their wills, but the godly are a free-will offering, a sacri- fice not taken but ofieretl. Now, the law of all sacrifices was, tliat they were to be salted with salt: Lev. ii. 13, 'And every oblation of thy meat-offering shalt thou season with salt ; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat- offering ; with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.' Three times it is repeated there, to show that every sacrifice must be salted. That the wicked, the objects of God's vindictive justice, are accounted sacrifices, is evident by scripture. When the destruction of Moab is spoken of : Isa. xxxiv, 6, ' The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, and with the flit of the kidneys of rams ; for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.' So Jer. xlvi. 10, God threatens there that the sword shall devour, and be made drunk with their blood, ' For the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country, by the river Eu[)hrates.' What is in these places called a slaughter is also called a sacrifice. So when God intended a great carnage of his enemies, he calls upon the fowls of heaven, Ezek. xxxix. 17, ' Assemble yourselves, and come to my sacri- fice ; ' with an allusion to the beasts oftered in sacrifice. This may be gathered from the signification of the sacrifices, the burnt-offerings especially, which signified the guilt of the sinner; the death of Christ, which is the propitiation for sin ; and the obedience of the sacrificer, as devoted to God. Now the first signification took place, and had its effect upon them, if they neglected the other two meanings of the sacrifices ; and therefore they were to be looked on as salted with fire ; whereas the other, who were accepted, were salted with salt.
3. The third observation for the opening of this is the two references of these saltings, or the distinct and proper application of them.
[1.] To the wicked : ' For every one shall be salted with fire ; ' that is, every one of them spoken of before, who indulged their corrupt affections, who did not entirely and heartily keep the covenant of God, and renounce their beloved lusts.
[2.] Plere is the application to the godly : ' Every sacrifice shall be salted with salt ; ' that is, every one that is not a sacrifice by con- straint, but voluntarily surrenders and gives up himself to God, to be ordered and disposed of according to his will, he is salted, not Avith fire, but with salt, which every one that is devoted to God is bound to have within himself. So while some are destinated to the wrath of God, and salted with fire to be consumed and destroyed, others are salted with salt, preserved and kept savoury in the profession and practice of godliness. The doctrine is this : —
Doct. The grace of mortification is very necessary for all those who are devoted to God.
I shall prove three things : —
I. That the true notion of a Christian is, that he is a sacrifice, or a thank-offering to God.
224 THE FIFTH SERMON. [MaUK IX. 49.
II. That the <::race of mortification is tlic true salt, whereby this oflVriiif]^ ami saciitice should be sensoned.
III. I shall show you the necessity of this salt, that we may keep rigiit with God in the duties of the covenant.
I. The true notion of a Christian is, that he is a sacrifice to God. This is evident by Rom. xii. 1, ' I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service ; ' that is, the reasonable part, which was figured by the sacrifices and oblations of the law : and so Isa Ixvi. 20, ' They shall bring your brethren for an offering unto the Lord.' Under the law, beasts were offered to God, but in the gospel men are offered to him ; not as beasts were to be destroyed, slain, and burnt in the fire, but to be preserved for God's use and service. In ofi"ering anything to God, two things were of consideration ; there was a separation from a common, and a dedication to a holy use, and they both take place in the present matter.
1. There is a separation of ourselves from a common use. The beast was separated from the flock or herd for this special purpose, to be given to God. Thus we are separated and set apart from the rest of the world, that we may be a people to God. We are ' no more our own,' 1 Cor. vi. 19 ; and we are ' no more to live to ourselves, but to him that died for us,' 2 Cor. v. 15. We are not to live to the world, to the flesh, or to such things as the natural heart craves ; we have no right in ourselves to dispose of ourselves, of our time, of our interest, of our strength, but must wholly give up ourselves to God, to be disposed, ordered, governed by him at his own will and pleasure.