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莱尔主教holiness-第72章

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   addressing the scribes and Pharisees; who hated Him; but Peter; James;
   and John; and many others who loved Him; yet even to them He thinks it
   good to address a caution。 Even to them He says; 〃Remember Lot's wife。〃

   It is a solemn warning; when we consider the manner in which it was
   given。 He does not merely say; 〃Beware of followingtake heed of
   imitatingdo not be like Lot's wife。〃 He uses a different word: He
   says; 〃Remember。〃 He speaks as if we were all in danger of forgetting
   the subject; He stirs up our lazy memories; He bids us keep the case
   before our minds。 He cries; 〃Remember Lot's wife。〃

   I propose to examine the lessons which Lot's wife is meant to teach us。
   I am sure that her history is full of useful instruction to the Church。
   The last days are upon us; the second ing of the Lord Jesus draws
   nigh; the danger of worldliness is yearly increasing in the Church。 Let
   us be provided with safeguards and antidotes against the disease that
   is around us; and; not least; let us bee familiar with the story of
   Lot's wife。

   There are three things which I shall do; in order to bring the subject
   before our minds in order。

   I。 I will speak of the religious privileges which Lot's wife enjoyed。

   II。 I will speak of the sin which Lot's wife mitted。

   III。 I will speak of the judgment which God inflicted upon her。

   I。 I will first speak of the religious privileges which Lot's wife
   enjoyed。

   In the days of Abraham and Lot; true saving religion was scarce upon
   earth: there were no Bibles; no ministers; no churches; no tracts; no
   missionaries。 The knowledge of God was confined to a few favoured
   families; the greater part of the inhabitants of the world were living
   in darkness; ignorance; superstition; and sin。 Not one in a hundred
   perhaps had such good example; such spiritual society; such clear
   knowledge; such plain warnings as Lot's wife。 pared with millions of
   her fellow…creatures in her time; Lot's wife was a favoured woman。

   She had a godly man for her husband: she had Abraham; the father of the
   faithful; for her uncle by marriage。 The faith; the knowledge; and the
   prayers of these two righteous men could have been no secret to her。 It
   is impossible that she could have dwelt in tents with them for any
   length of time; without knowing whose they were and whom they served。
   Religion with them was no mere formal business; it was the ruling
   principle of their lives and the mainspring of all their actions。 All
   this Lot's wife must have seen and known。 This was no small privilege。

   When Abraham first received the promises; it is probable Lot's wife was
   there。 When he built his altar by his tent between Hai and Bethel; it
   is probable she was there。 When her husband was taken captive by
   Chedorlaomer; and delivered by God's interference; she was there。 When
   Melchizedek; king of Salem; came forth to meet Abraham with bread and
   wine; she was there。 When the angels came to Sodom and warned her
   husband to flee; she saw them; when they took them by the hand and led
   them out of the city; she was one of those whom they helped to escape。
   Once more; I say; these were no small privileges。

   Yet what good effect had all these privileges on the heart of Lot's
   wife? None at all。 Notwithstanding all her opportunities and means of
   gracenotwithstanding all her special warnings and messages from
   heaven; she lived and died graceless; godless; impenitent; and
   unbelieving。 The eyes of her understanding were never opened; her
   conscience was never really aroused and quickened; her will was never
   really brought into a state of obedience to God; her affections were
   never really set upon things above。 The form of religion which she had
   was kept up for fashion's sake and not from feeling: it was a cloak
   worn for the sake of pleasing her pany; but not from any sense of
   its value。 She did as others did around her in Lot's house: she
   conformed to her husband's ways: she made no opposition to his
   religion: she allowed herself to be passively towed along in his wake:
   but all this time her heart was wrong in the sight of God。 The world
   was in her heart; and her heart was in the world。 In this state she
   lived; and in this state she died。

   In all this there is much to be learned: I see a lesson here which is
   of the deepest importance in the present day。 You live in times when
   there are many persons just like Lot's wife: e and hear the lesson
   which her case is meant to teach。

   Learn; then; that the mere possession of religious privileges mil save
   no one's soul。 You may have spiritual advantages of every description;
   you may live in the full sunshine of the richest opportunities and
   means of grace; you may enjoy the best of preaching and the choicest
   instruction; you may dwell in the midst of light; knowledge; holiness;
   and good pany。 All this may be; and yet you yourself may remain
   unconverted; and at last be lost for ever。

   I dare say this doctrine sounds hard to some readers。 I know that many
   fancy they want nothing but religious privileges in order to bee
   decided Christians。 They are not what they ought to be at present; they
   allow; but their position is so hard; they plead; and their
   difficulties are so many。 Give them a godly husband; or a godly
   wifegive them godly panions; or a godly mastergive them the
   preaching of the Gospelgive them privileges; and then they would walk
   with God。

   It is all a mistake。 It is an entire delusion。 It requires something
   more than privileges to save souls。 Joab was David's captain; Gehazi
   was Elisha's servant; Demas was Paul's panion; Judas Iscariot was
   Christ's disciple; and Lot had a worldly; unbelieving wife。 These all
   died in their sins。 They went down to the pit in spite of knowledge;
   warnings; and opportunities; and they all teach us that it is not
   privileges alone that men need。 They need the grace of the Holy Ghost。

   Let us value religious privileges; but let us not rest entirely upon
   them。 Let us desire to have the benefit of them in all our movements in
   life; but let us not put them in the place of Christ。 Let us use them
   thankfully; if God grants them to us; but* let us take care that they
   produce some fruit in our heart and life。 If they do not do good; they
   often do positive harm: they sear the conscience; they increase
   responsibility; they aggravate condemnation。 The same fire which melts
   the wax hardens the clay; the same sun which makes the living tree
   grow; dries up the dead tree; and prepares it for burning。 Nothing so
   hardens the heart of man as a barren familiarity with sacred things。
   Once more I say; it is not privileges alone which make people
   Christians; but the grace of the Holy Ghost。 Without that no man will
   ever be saved。

   I ask the members of Evangelical congregations; in the present day; to
   mark well what I am saying。 You go to Mr。 A's; or Mr。 B's church: you
   think him an excellent preacher
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