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莱尔主教holiness-第24章

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   at our hands。 From murder of souls by inconsistency and loose walking;
   good Lord; deliver us! Oh; for the sake of others; if for no other
   reason; let us strive to be holy!

   (g) We must be holy; because our present fort depends much upon it。
   We cannot be too often reminded of this。 We are sadly apt to forget
   that there is a close connection between sin and sorrow; holiness and
   happiness; sanctification and consolation。 God has so wisely ordered
   it; that our well…being and our well…doing are linked together。 He has
   mercifully provided that even in this world it shall be man's interest
   to be holy。 Our justification is not by worksour calling and election
   are not according to our worksbut it is vain for anyone to suppose
   that he will have a lively sense of his justification; or an assurance
   of his calling; so long as he neglects good works; or does not strive
   to live a holy life。 〃Hereby we do know that we know Him; if we keep
   His mandments。〃〃Hereby we know that we are of the truth; and shall
   assure our hearts。〃 (1 John ii。 3; iii。 19。) A believer may as soon
   expect to feel the sun's rays upon a dark and cloudy day; as to feel
   strong consolation in Christ while he does not follow Him fully。 When
   the disciples forsook the Lord and fled; they escaped danger; but they
   were miserable and sad。 When; shortly after; they confessed Him boldly
   before men; they were cast into prison and beaten; but we are told
   〃they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His
   name。〃 (Acts v。 41。) Oh; for our own sakes; if there were no other
   reason; let us strive to be holy! He that follows Jesus most fully will
   always follow Him most fortably。

   (h) Lastly; we must be holy; because without holiness on earth we shall
   never be prepared to enjoy heaven。 Heaven is a holy place。 The Lord of
   heaven is a holy Being。 The angels are holy creatures。 Holiness is
   written on everything in heaven。 The book of Revelation says expressly;
   〃There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth; neither
   whatsoever worketh abomination; or maketh a lie。〃 (Rev。 xxi。 27。)

   I appeal solemnly to everyone who reads these pages; How shall we ever
   be at home and happy in heaven; if we die unholy? Death works no
   change。 The grave makes no alteration。 Each will rise again with the
   same character in which he breathed his last。 Where will our place be
   if we are strangers to holiness now?

   Suppose for a moment that you were allowed to enter heaven without
   holiness。 What would you do? What possible enjoyment could you feel
   there? To which of all the saints would you join yourself; and by whose
   side would you sit down? Their pleasures are not your pleasures; their
   tastes not your tastes; their character not your character。 How could
   you possibly be happy; if you had not been holy on earth?

   Now perhaps you love the pany of the light and the careless; the
   worldly…minded and the covetous; the reveller and the pleasure…seeker;
   the ungodly and the profane。 There will be none such in heaven。

   Now perhaps you think the saints of God too strict and particular; and
   serious。 You rather avoid them。 You have no delight in their society。
   There will be no other pany in heaven。

   Now perhaps you think praying; and Scripture…reading; and hymn singing;
   dull and melancholy; and stupid worka thing to be tolerated now and
   then; but not enjoyed。 You reckon the Sabbath a burden and a weariness;
   you could not possibly spend more than a small part of it in
   worshipping God。 But remember; heaven is a never…ending Sabbath。 The
   inhabitants thereof rest not day or night; saying; 〃Holy; holy; holy;
   Lord God Almighty〃 and singing the praise of the Lamb。 How could an
   unholy man find pleasure in occupation such as this?

   Think you that such an one would delight to meet David; and Paul; and
   John; after a life spent in doing the very things they spoke against?
   Would he take sweet counsel with them; and find that he and they had
   much in mon?Think you; above all; that he would rejoice to meet
   Jesus; the Crucified One; face to face; after cleaving to the sins for
   which He died; after loving His enemies and despising His friends?
   Would he stand before Him with confidence; and join in the cry; 〃This
   is our God; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His
   salvation〃? (Isa。 xxv。 9。) Think you not rather that the tongue of an
   unholy man would cleave to the roof of his mouth with shame; and his
   only desire would be to be cast out! He would feel a stranger in a land
   he knew not; a black sheep amidst Christ's holy flock。 The voice of
   Cherubim and Seraphim; the song of Angels and Archangels and all the
   pany of heaven; would be a language he could not understand。 The
   very air would seem an air he could not breathe。 I know not what others
   may think; but to me it does seem clear that heaven would be a
   miserable place to an unholy man。 It cannot be otherwise。 People may
   say; in a vague way; 〃they hope to go to heaven;〃 but they do not
   consider what they say。 There must be a certain 〃meetness for the
   inheritance of the saints in light。〃 Our hearts must be somewhat in
   tune。 To reach the holiday of glory; we must pass through the training
   school of grace。 We must be heavenly…minded; and have heavenly tastes;
   in the life that now is; or else we shall never find ourselves in
   heaven; in the life to e。

   And now; before I go any further; let me say a few words by way of
   application。

   (1) For one thing; let me ask everyone who may read these pages; Are
   you holy? Listen; I pray you; to the question I put to you this day。 Do
   you know anything of the holiness of which I have been speaking?

   I do not ask whether you attend your church regularlywhether you have
   been baptized; and received the Lord's Supperwhether you have the
   name of ChristianI ask something more than all this: Are you holy; or
   are you not?

   I do not ask whether you approve of holiness in otherswhether you
   like to read the lives of holy people; and to talk of holy things; and
   to have on your table holy bookswhether you mean to be holy; and hope
   you will be holy some dayI ask something further: Are you yourself
   holy this very day; or are you not?

   And why do I ask so straitly; and press the question so strongly? I do
   it because the Scripture says; 〃Without holiness no man shall see the
   Lord。〃 It is written; it is not my fancyit is the Bible; not my
   private opinionit is the word of God; not of man〃Without holiness
   no man shall see the Lord。〃 (Heb。 xii。 14。)

   Alas; what searching; sifting words are these! What thoughts e
   across my mind; as I write them down! I look at the world; and see the
   greater part of it lying in wickedness。 I look at professing
   Christians; and see the vast majority having nothing of Christianity
   but the name。 I turn to the Bible; and I hear the Spirit saying;
   〃Without holiness no man shall see the Lord。〃

 
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