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莱尔主教holiness-第102章

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   knowledge; and self…denial。 How; then; shall he describe them in
   sending his message? What words can he use which will not discourage
   the weaker brethren? He chooses a sweeping expression which exactly
   describes all true Christians under one mon name。 All had not
   attained to the same degree; whether in doctrine or practice。 But all
   loved Christ in sincerity。

   Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ Himself says to the Jews; 〃If God were
   your Father; ye would love Me。〃 (John viii。 42。) He saw His misguided
   enemies satisfied with their spiritual condition; on the one single
   ground that they were children of Abraham。 He saw them; like many
   ignorant Christians of our own day; claiming to be God's children for
   no better reasons than this: that they were circumcised and belonged to
   the Jewish Church。 He lays down the broad principle that no man is a
   child of God who does not love God's only begotten Son。 No man has a
   right to call God 〃Father〃 who does not love Christ。 Well would it be
   for many Christians if they were to remember that this mighty principle
   applies to them as well as to the Jews。 No love to Christthen no
   sonship to God I

   Hear once more what our Lord Jesus Christ said to the Apostle Peter
   after He rose from the dead。 Three times He asked him the question;
   〃Simon; son of Jonas; lovest thou Me。〃 (John xxi。 15…17。) The occasion
   was remarkable。 He meant gently to remind His erring disciple of His
   thrice…repeated fall。 He desired to call forth from him a new
   confession of faith before publicly restoring to him his mission to
   feed the Church。 And what was the question that He asked him? He might
   have said:〃Believest thou? Art thou converted? Are thou ready to
   confess Me? Wilt thou obey Me?〃 He uses none of these expressions。 He
   simply says; 〃lovest thou Me?〃 This is the point; He would have us
   know; on which a man's Christianity hinges。 Simple as the question
   sounded; it was most searching。 Plain and easy to be understood by the
   most unlearned poor man; it contains matter which tests the reality of
   the most advanced apostle。 If a man truly loves Christ; all is
   rightif not; all is wrong。

   Would you know the secret of this peculiar feeling towards Christ which
   distinguishes the true Christian? You have it in the words of St。 John;
   〃We love Him because He first loved us。〃 (1 John iv。 19。) That text; no
   doubt; applies specially to God the Father。 But it is no less true of
   God the Son。

   A true Christian loves Christ for all He has done for him。 He has
   suffered in his stead; and died for him on the cross。 He has redeemed
   him from the guilt; the power; and the consequences of sin; by His
   blood。 He has called him by His Spirit to self…knowledge; repentance;
   faith; hope; and holiness。 He has forgiven all his many sins and
   blotted them out。 He has freed him from the captivity of the world; the
   flesh; and the devil。 He has taken him from the brink of hell; placed
   him in the narrow way; and set his face toward heaven。 He has given him
   light instead of darkness; peace of conscience instead of uneasiness;
   hope instead of uncertainty; life instead of death。 Can you wonder that
   the true Christian loves Christ?

   And he loves Him besides; for all that He is still doing。 He feels that
   He is daily washing away his many shortings and infirmities; and
   pleading his soul's cause before God。 He is daily supplying all the
   needs of his soul; and providing him with an hourly provision of mercy
   and grace。 He is daily leading him by His Spirit to a city of
   habitation; bearing with him when he is weak and ignorant; raising him
   up when he stumbles and falls; protecting him against his many enemies;
   preparing an eternal home for him in heaven。 Can you wonder that the
   true Christian loves Christ?

   Does the debtor in jail love the friend who unexpectedly and
   undeservedly pays all his debts; supplies him with fresh capital; and
   takes him into partnership with himself? Does the prisoner in war love
   the man who at the risk of his own life breaks through the enemy's
   lines; rescues him; and sets him free? Does the drowning sailor love
   the man who plunges into the sea; dives after him; catches him by the
   hair of his head; and by a mighty effort saves him from a watery grave?
   A very child can answer such questions as these。 Just in the same way;
   and upon the same principles; a true Christian loves Jesus Christ。

   (a) This love to Christ is the inseparable panion of saving faith。 A
   faith of devils; a mere intellectual faith; a man may have without
   love; but not that faith which saves。 Love cannot usurp the office of
   faith。 It cannot justify。 It does not join the soul to Christ。 It
   cannot bring peace to the conscience。 But where there is real
   justifying faith in Christ; there will always be heart…love to Christ。
   He that is really forgiven is the man who will really love。 (Luke vii。
   47。) If a man has no love to Christ; you may be sure he has no faith。

   (b) Love to Christ is the mainspring of work for Christ。 There is
   little done for His cause on earth from sense of duty; or from
   knowledge of what is right and proper。 The heart must be interested
   before the hands will move and continue moving。 Excitement may
   galvanize the Christian's hands into a fitful and spasmodic activity。
   But there will be no patient continuance in well…doing; no unwearied
   labour in missionary work at home or abroad; without love。 The nurse in
   a hospital may do her duty properly and well; may give the sick man his
   medicine at the right time; may feed him; minister to him; and attend
   to all his wants。 But there is a vast difference between that nurse and
   a wife tending the sick…bed of a beloved husband; or a mother watching
   over a dying child。 The one acts from a sense of dutythe other from
   affection and love。 The one does her duty because she is paid for
   itthe other is what she is because of her heart。 It is just the same
   in the matter of the service of Christ。 The great workers of the
   Churchthe men who have led forlorn hopes in the mission…field and
   turned the world upside down; have all been eminently lovers of Christ。

   Examine the characters of Owen and Baxter; of Rutherford and George
   Herbert; of Leighton and Hervey; of Whitfield and Wesley; of Henry
   Martyn and Judson; of Bickersteth and Simeon; of Hewitson and M'Cheyne;
   of Stowell and M'Neile。 These men have left a mark on the world。 And
   what was the mon feature of their characters? They all loved Christ。
   They not only held a creed。 They loved a Person; even the Lord Jesus
   Christ。

   (c) Love to Christ is the point which we ought specially to dwell upon
   in teaching religion to children。 Election; imputed righteousness;
   original sin; justification; sanctification; and even faith itself; are
   matters which sometimes puzzle a child of tender years。 But love to
   Jesus seems far more within reach of their understanding。 That He loved
   them eve
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