Spiritual melody, containing near three hundred sacred hymns. By Benjamin Keach, author of Trhopolgia, pastor of the Church of Christ meeting on Horsly-down, Southwark
Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.
HYMN 98. Grace compared to Salt.
Mark 9.50.
Have Salt in your selves.
1
HOw unsavoury, O Lord, are things,
Unless they salted be!
And so indeed were all our Souls,
Till seasoned by thee
2
With thy most sweet and precious Grace,
That is the Salt whereby
We sav'ry do become, O Lord,
Thy Salt, O then apply.
3
Salt is of such a quality
That it doth search each part
Page 238Of Flesh, that it is laid upon,
So Grace searches the Heart:
4
The Spirit searches all deep things,
Yea, the deep things of God;
It will find out what sin in us
Doth still make its abode;
5
And then (like Salt) doth purge it out,
'Tis Grace which purifies
The heart and life, there is no doubt
But such, like vertue, lyes
6
In that most precious Grace of thine,
O then let's look and see
Whether we search'd and purged are,
And then sing praise to thee.
The second Part.
1
Salt doth preserve, 'tis evident,
Both Meat and other things,
Else they'll corrupt and quickly taint;
Like Vertue also springs
2
From thy good Grace, 'tis that, O Lord,
Which doth preserve from sin
All graceless Sinners odious stink,
So filthy are within,
3
That all their inward parts corrupt,
And they like Carrion lye
Page 239In a vile Ditch, or Common-shore,
In their iniquity.
4
But such in whom Gods Grace is wrought,
Grace does their Souls preserve
From sin, in heart, in life, in thought,
Uprightly God to serve.
5
Most sweet are they and savoury
To God and unto Men,
And all their works they have perform'd
By Grace have season'd been.
The Third Part.
1
Salt is of universal use,
There's nothing Men want more;
Without God's Grace there's none can live,
Let them be rich or poor.
2
Such absolute need have we thereof,
Without it can't live here
A holy life; nor can we stand
When Jesus doth appear.
3
All ranks of Men both high and low,
Both Kings and Peasants too,
Must salted be with Grace on Earth,
Or down to Hell must go;
4
In ev'ry state, where-er'e they be,
By Sea as well as Land,
They Grace do need continually
If sin they would withstand:
Page 2405
Our speech, and all that we do say,
Must season'd be with Salt;
Or else our words and breath will stink,
And all be good for nought.
The Fourth Part.
1
Salt, Naturalists do oft declare,
Is good against the stings
Of Serpents; and does Worms destroy
Which from Corruption springs.
2
Grace is a sovereign remedy
Against the sting within;
And kills the Worm of Conscience too,
The product 'tis of sin:
3
Sin is a thing most venomous,
A sting it is likewise
Of the old Serpent, and 'tis worse
Than what in Poyson lyes:
4
This kills the Soul and Body too,
And poysons ev'ry part;
And doth corrupt each faculty
Of ev'ry Sinners heart.
5
Salt was of use under the Law;
For ev'ry Sacrifice
Must salted be, and so must we
Before All-seeing Eyes:
6
Yea, ev'ry Prayer and Offering
That's offered up on high;
Page 241Your Duties all must season'd be
With Grace continually.
7
But other Salt, if Meat do stink,
It can't it sav'ry make,
But Grace will such recover who
Most filthy ways do take,
8
And in God's Nostrils loathsom are,
Yet Grace will sweeten them;
Nay, they will such a savour bear
He'll highly such esteem.
The Fifth Part.
1
But we, alas, do often see
Salt lose it's savour may;
Or things may over-salted be,
If too much on they lay:
2
But Grace in both these things excells,
Its savour cannot lose;
Nor can we have of it too much,
Most savoury are all those
3
Who most are salted with this Salt,
O therefore loudly cry
For Grace good store, and do not fear,
God will your wants supply.
4
Then sing forth Praises to the Lord
With Grace in all your hearts,
And see that you well-season'd are
In all your inward parts.
