--Ezra 7:22
Salt was used in every offering made by fire unto the Lord, and
from its preserving and purifying properties it was the grateful
emblem of divine grace in the soul. It is worthy of our attentive
regard that, when Artaxerxes gave salt to Ezra the priest, he set no
limit to the quantity, and we may be quite certain that when the King
of kings distributes grace among His royal priesthood, the supply is
not cut short by Him. Often are we straitened in ourselves, but never
in the Lord. He who chooses to gather much manna will find that he
may have as much as he desires. There is no such famine in Jerusalem
that the citizens should eat their bread by weight and drink their
water by measure. Some things in the economy of grace are measured;
for instance our vinegar and gall are given us with such exactness
that we never have a single drop too much, but of the salt of grace
no stint is made, "Ask what thou wilt and it shall be given unto
thee." Parents need to lock up the fruit cupboard, and the sweet
jars, but there is no need to keep the salt-box under lock and key,
for few children will eat too greedily from that. A man may have too
much money, or too much honour, but he cannot have too much grace.
When Jeshurun waxed fat in the flesh, he kicked against God, but
there is no fear of a man's becoming too full of grace: a plethora of
grace is impossible. More wealth brings more care, but more grace
brings more joy. Increased wisdom is increased sorrow, but abundance
of the Spirit is fulness of joy. Believer, go to the throne for a
large supply of heavenly salt. It will season thine afflictions,
which are unsavoury without salt; it will preserve thy heart which
corrupts if salt be absent, and it will kill thy sins even as salt
kills reptiles. Thou needest much; seek much, and have much.
