十二月十三日
盐不计其数，也要给他。（拉7：22）
每一种献与耶和华的祭物都得用盐，盐具有保存和洁净的功效，所以真好比神所给人的恩典。亚达薛西王赐盐给祭司以斯拉的时候幷没有限定数量，这实在是值得我们注意的；我们也确实知道当万王之王赐恩给属他的君尊的祭司时也是如此，他必不减少他的恩典的供应。我们常是自己缺乏，但神是永远不会缺少什麽的；拾取吗哪的人可随意拾取，要拾多少就可以拾多少；耶路撒冷绝无饥荒，它的居民不必按分两吃饼，不必按制子喝水（参结4：16）。恩典当中也有一些是按分量的。譬如说神把醋和苦胆给我们乃是正合我们所需，绝不会多一点滴的；但是恩典的盐却没有限定，“无论求什麽，我必成就。”父母常把糖果锁在橱里，但是盐却用不到锁起来，因爲没有一个孩子贪吃盐的。一个人可以得到很多的金钱或尊荣，但是他却未必能得到很多的恩典。耶书仑渐渐肥胖，就用脚踢造他的神，但是却用不到怕一个人多得恩典：恩典过多是不可能的。金钱多，忧虑也多；但恩典多，快乐也多。信徒啊！要到神的宝座前多祈求天上的盐。盐必调和你所受的苦难，因爲若无盐，就没有滋味；盐必保存你的心，如果没有盐就必败坏；幷且盐也能治死你的罪，正如盐能杀死巨大的爬虫和细菌一样。你的需要很多，因此要多求，就必多得。
“永远举起耶稣，赞美主不歇，一切在耶稣里，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.
