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莱尔主教holiness-第112章

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   blood drink indeed?〃 (John vi。 55。) What have they all been but men who
   lived the life of faith in the Son of God; and drank daily out of the
   fulness there is in Him? (Gal。 ii。 20。) Here; at all events; the truest
   and best Christians; who have made a mark on the world; have been of
   one mind。 Holy Fathers and Reformers; holy Anglican divines and
   Puritans; holy Episcopalians and Nonconformists; have all in their best
   moments borne uniform testimony to the value of the Fountain of life。
   Separated and contentious as they may sometimes have been in their
   lives; in their deaths they have not been divided。 In their last
   struggle with the king of terrors they have simply clung to the cross
   of Christ; and gloried in nothing but the 〃precious blood;〃 and the
   Fountain open for all sin and uncleanness。

   How thankful we ought to be that we live in a land where the great
   remedy for spiritual thirst is knownin a land of open Bibles;
   preached Gospel; and abundant means of gracein a land where the
   efficacy of Christ's sacrifice is still proclaimed; with more or less
   fulness; in 20;000 pulpits every Sunday! We do not realise the value of
   our privileges。 The very familiarity of the manna makes us think of it
   just as Israel loathed 〃the light bread〃 in the wilderness。 (Num。 xxi。
   5。) But turn to the pages of a heathen philosopher like the
   inparable Plato; and see how he groped after light like one
   blindfolded; and wearied himself to find the door。 The humblest peasant
   who grasps the four 〃fortable words〃 of our beautiful munion
   Service in the Prayer…book knows more of the way of peace with God than
   the Athenian sage。Turn to the accounts which trustworthy travellers
   and missionaries give of the state of the heathen who have never heard
   the Gospel。 Read of the human sacrifices in Africa; and the ghastly;
   self…imposed tortures of the devotees of Hindostan; and remember they
   are all the result of an unquenched 〃thirst〃 and a blind and
   unsatisfied desire to get near to God。 And then learn to be thankful
   that your lot is cast in a land like your own。 Alas; I fear God has a
   controversy with us for our unthankfulness! Cold indeed; and dead; must
   that heart be which can study the condition of Africa; China; and
   Hindostan; and not thank God that he lives in Christian England。

   III。 I turn; in the last place; to the promise held out to all who e
   to Christ。 〃He that believeth on Me; as the Scripture hath said; out of
   his belly shall flow rivers of living water。〃

   The subject of Scripture promises is a vast and most interesting one。 I
   doubt whether it receives the attention which it deserves in the
   present day。 〃Clarke's Scripture Promises〃 is an old book which is far
   less studied now; I suspect; than it was in the days of our fathers。
   Few Christians realize the number; and length; and breadth; and depth;
   and height; and variety of the precious 〃shalls〃 and 〃wills〃 laid up in
   the Bible for the special benefit and encouragement of all who will use
   them。

   Yet promise lies at the bottom of nearly all the transactions of man
   with man in the affairs of this life。 The vast majority of Adam's
   children in every civilized country are acting every day on the faith
   of promises。 The labourer on the land works hard from Monday morning to
   Saturday night; because he believes that at the end of the week he
   shall receive his promised wages。 The soldier enlists in the army; and
   the sailor enters his name on the ship's books in the navy; in the full
   confidence that those under whom they serve will at some future time
   give them their promised pay。 The humblest maid…servant in a family
   works on from day to day at her appointed duties; in the belief that
   her mistress will give her the promised wages。 In the business of great
   cities; among merchants; and bankers; and tradesmen; nothing could be
   done without incessant faith in promises。 Every man of sense knows that
   cheques and bills; and promissory notes; are the only means by which
   the immense majority of mercantile affairs can possibly be carried on。
   Men of business are pelled to act by faith and not by sight。 They
   believe promises; and expect to be believed themselves。 In fact;
   promises; and faith in promises; and actions springing from faith in
   promises; are the back…bone of nine…tenths of all the dealings of man
   with his fellow…men throughout Christendom。

   Now promises; in like manner; in the religion of the Bible; are one
   grand means by which God is pleased to approach the soul of man。 The
   careful student of Scripture cannot fail to observe that God is
   continually holding out inducements to man to listen to Him; obey Him;
   and serve Him; and undertaking to do great things; if man will only
   attend and believe。 In short; as St。 Peter says; 〃There are given to us
   exceeding great and precious promises。〃 (2 Pet。 i。 4。) He who has
   mercifully caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning has
   shown His perfect knowledge of human nature; by spreading over the Book
   a perfect wealth of promises; suitable to every kind of experience and
   every condition of life。 He seems to say; 〃Would you know what I
   undertake to do for you? Do you want to hear my terms? 〃〃Take up the
   Bible and read。〃

   But there is one grand difference between the promises of Adam's
   children and the promises of God; which ought never to be forgotten。
   The promises of man are not sure to be fulfilled。 With the best wishes
   and intentions; he cannot always keep his word。 Disease and death may
   step in like an armed man; and take away from this world him that
   promises。 War; or pestilence; or famine; or failure of crops; or
   hurricanes; may strip him of his property; and make it impossible for
   him to fulfil his engagements。 The promises of God; on the contrary;
   are certain to be kept。 He is Almighty: nothing can prevent His doing
   what He has said。 He never changes: He is always 〃of one mind〃: and
   with Him there is 〃no variableness or shadow of turning。〃 (Job xxiii。
   13; James 1。 17。) He will always keep His word。 There is one thing
   which; as a little girl once told her teacher; to her surprise; God
   cannot do: 〃It is impossible for God to lie。〃 (Heb。 vi。 18。) The most
   unlikely and improbable things; when God has once said He will do them;
   have always e to pass。 The destruction of the old world by a flood;
   and the preservation of Noah in the ark; the birth of Isaac; the
   deliverance of Israel from Egypt; the raising of David to the throne of
   Saul; the miraculous birth of Christ; the resurrection of Christ; the
   scattering of the Jews all over the earth; and their continued
   preservation as a distinct peoplewho could imagine events more
   unlikely and improbable than these? Yet God said they should be; and in
   due time they all came to pass。 In truth; with God it is just as easy
   to do a thing as to say it。 Whatever He promises; He is certain to
   perform。

   Concerning the 
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