十二月十三日

鹽不計其數，也要給他。（拉7：22）

每一種獻與耶和華的祭物都得用鹽，鹽具有保存和潔淨的功效，所以真好比神所給人的恩典。亞達薛西王賜鹽給祭司以斯拉的時候幷沒有限定數量，這實在是值得我們注意的；我們也確實知道當萬王之王賜恩給屬他的君尊的祭司時也是如此，他必不减少他的恩典的供應。我們常是自己缺乏，但神是永遠不會缺少什麽的；拾取嗎哪的人可隨意拾取，要拾多少就可以拾多少；耶路撒冷絕無饑荒，它的居民不必按分兩吃餅，不必按制子喝水（參結4：16）。恩典當中也有一些是按分量的。譬如說神把醋和苦膽給我們乃是正合我們所需，絕不會多一點滴的；但是恩典的鹽却沒有限定，“無論求什麽，我必成就。”父母常把糖果鎖在橱裏，但是鹽却用不到鎖起來，因爲沒有一個孩子貪吃鹽的。一個人可以得到很多的金錢或尊榮，但是他却未必能得到很多的恩典。耶書侖漸漸肥胖，就用脚踢造他的神，但是却用不到怕一個人多得恩典：恩典過多是不可能的。金錢多，憂慮也多；但恩典多，快樂也多。信徒啊！要到神的寶座前多祈求天上的鹽。鹽必調和你所受的苦難，因爲若無鹽，就沒有滋味；鹽必保存你的心，如果沒有鹽就必敗壞；幷且鹽也能治死你的罪，正如鹽能殺死巨大的爬蟲和細菌一樣。你的需要很多，因此要多求，就必多得。

“永遠舉起耶穌，贊美主不歇，一切在耶穌裏，主是我一切。”

December 13

"Salt without prescribing how much."—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 honor, 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.