From all which, that which pertains to the business, appears from those three Letters of Sal, making one Syllable; and again, this unfolding it self in those three Letters, shews us, that there is in Sal a certain impress or image of the sacred and Individual Trinity, which we worship, Three in One, and One in Three. Which Trinity we should have had, as an infinite, eternal, and inexpressible thing, commonly unknown, and incomprehensible, and as a most remote Salt, never heretofore put into an humane or Angelick Saltseller, we should have left untouch’d; unless at length the Divine Person of this Trinity, the Word, in taking the Humanity to himself, as it were Salt into a Saltseller, had presented to our taste so much Divinity; for this very Saltseller, both in figure, is covered with the eternal splendour of the Father, as also pointed and illustrated with the embroidered Notes of His Passion and likewise adorned with the Unction of the Holy Spirit is alwaies placed upon the Heavenly Table of the Blessed, to season their Food and solemn Banquets, after an eternal and ineffable manner; for in him all divine, and most sweet relishes and excellent tastes of His eternal Wisdom are season’d anew; for Christ Himself is not only the Heavenly and most Wise seasoner of the most opulent Feast, but also the very seasoning, and thing seasoned, and the Food which is so placed; for by Him his Heavenly Father, the King of kings, and magnificent Lord of lords, who out of His Goodness, and as He loves His good things, gives most liberally to all People a very large measure of Salt, that is, the help of His Grace to seek Him, and ask of Him Heavenly things.
True, that they who are called to the Heavenly Banquet may prepare themselves to come in this measure, and most happily sit down in it; but if (like fools) they refuse to come, the Measure being taken from them, they will be plung’d into eternal punishment. In which respect they may be likened to Flesh and Bones put into a Pot together, and water and salt put to them, hung over the fire to boil, and afterwards brought to the Table: Of which the Bones, which will be neither seasoned by salt, nor softened by water, are thrown under the Table, to be broken by Doggs; but the Flesh, because it is made tender by heat and water, and takes the seasoning, is again sprinkled with a purer salt on the Table, and eaten with the greatest pleasure: For as Bones are to Flesh, so are Evil men mingled with Good: Of which these, when they will neither relish the Salt of Divine Grace, nor be washed nor softened by pure Water, nor warmed by the heat of the Heavenly Word to be willing to divine things, will by the severe Judgment of the great Taster Christ, at his magnificent Table, be reserved to the most exquisite punishments: Which obstinate and unseason’d Fools, He, for their hardness, finding unworthy his heavenly Table, plucks out from among the Righteous, and throws ’em down into Hell, there to be torn in pieces and devoured by those infernal Dogs, to all Eternity.
But the Good, who have been seasoned not only with the former, but also the later Salt, I mean with antecedent (as we say) and consequent Grace, and are not only adorned with Virtue, but have suffer’d all crosses and afflictions of this Life for Christ: These, as Flesh worthy His Table, the divine Taster offering to God the Father, He seasons with the new Salt of Glory; and though Aliens and Strangers, places them among the Angels and Citizens of Heaven, and with these Commands an equal Mansion of Blessedness to be given to them, though nevertheless they both come to the same felicity, by a different way of meriting it. For from what those above Angelical Citizens, from the very beginning of things, and since first a full desire seiz’d them, they have preferred the Heavenly Suppers of Christ to the mid-day Dinners of the most insolent Lucifer; they have deserved to follow those Oppipary, and (as they call ’em) Princely Banquets seasoned with the most sweet Salt of Grace, and made resplendent with the shining light of glory.
But the Inhabitants of the Earth, and Men, strangers of Heaven, opprest by the great weight of a Body, and involved in the thick darkness, have made so long a Journey to the Country, by a far more tedious way of travelling; for the Universal occasion of desert is not to be snatch’d by those in the Journey of Life it self, and those under the terminative moment following the Creation; but they ought rather studiously and laboriously to take this by a continual and daily period of life, even to their death: Besides that, the Journey to the Country is so hard and wearisome, and exposed to so many dangers, brings so many anxieties upon strangers every where, leads them into so much anguish of mind and troublesome solicitudes, that it is plain, that not humane ability, but divine grace must cause, that strangers are not deficient in the way, or that they do not wander from the true scope or end of their Journey: Which would be the fortune of every one in the World, unless Christ, by divine Counsel constituted the Parochian of the whole World, who giveth to his strangers every where Salt and Wood, doth recreate and refresh them, and also lead them into the way that directs to the same Heavenly Country.
This may suffice to be spoken of the signature of Salts, Metals, and Planets, at this time. He that diligently weighs it, will search Nature deeply enough: If God grant me life, I shall publish a Tract of the Signatures of Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals; also in which I shall deliver many things good and profitable for all sorts of Men.
O Eternal, Almighty, Bountiful, and Merciful GOD and Father, the Heat, Light, and Sun of Justice, enlighten and warm the hearts of all men, overwhelmed with a sleepy numbness, shadowed with thick darkness, and made rigid by an horrid coldness, that they may see, know, love, and fear thee, and give thee due Thanks and Praises for all thy Benefits, and at last awakened, they may receive that sight they had before lost.
O Eternal Word of God, most sweet, wholsom, and palatable Salt, Jesus Christ, recreate and refresh our sick and miserable souls, by thy Divine Virtue and Efficacy, that we being corroborated, neither Death nor the Devil may hurt us.
O Holy Ghost, the only Leader to Truth, who proceedest from the Eternal Fire and Heavenly Salt, comfort all the sudden and desarted Sheep, wandering this poison’d Marsh and Valley of Miseries, among devouring Wolves, and corroborate them, that they may patiently endure their Cross; and hereafter separate them from the stinking Goats, and bring all the Elect into the green and heavenly Pastures, that there they may continually behold the eternal Light, taste the heavenly Salt, and enjoy the fulness of Joy, Peace, Grace, and Mercy for ever. Amen.
