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莱尔主教holiness-第88章

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   lively frame now; that such a frame will always last。 Say not; because
   your feelings are warm and fervent to…day; 〃to…morrow shall be as
   to…day; and much more abundant。〃 Say not; because your heart is lifted
   up just now with a strong sense of Christ's mercy; 〃I shall never
   forget Him as long as I live。〃 Oh; learn to abate something of this
   flattering estimate of yourself。 You do not know yourself thoroughly。
   There are more things in your inward man than you are at present aware
   of。 The Lord may leave you as He did Hezekiah; to show you all that is
   in your heart。 (2 Chron。 xxxii。 31。) Blessed is he that is 〃clothed
   with humility。〃〃Happy is he that feareth always。〃 〃Let him that
   thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall。〃 (1 Pet。 v。 5; Prov。
   xxviii。 14; 1 Cor。 x。 12。)

   Why do I dwell on this? Do I want to apologize for the corruptions of
   professing Christians; and excuse their sins? God forbid!Do I want to
   lower the standard of sanctification; and countenance anyone in being a
   lazy; idle soldier of Christ? God forbid!Do I want to wipe out the
   broad line of distinction between the converted and the unconverted;
   and to wink at inconsistencies? Once more I say; God forbid!I hold
   strongly that there is a mighty difference between the true Christian
   and the false; between the believer and the unbeliever; between the
   children of God and the children of the world。 I hold strongly that
   this difference is not merely one of faith; but of lifenot only one
   of profession; but of practice。 I hold strongly that the ways of the
   believer should be as distinct from those of the unbeliever; as bitter
   from sweet; light from darkness; heat from cold。

   But I do want young Christians to understand what they must expect to
   find in themselves。 I want to prevent their being stumbled and puzzled
   by the discovery of their own weakness and infirmity。 I want them to
   see that they may have true faith and grace; in spite of all the
   devil's whispers to the contrary; though they feel within doubts and
   fears。 I want them to observe that Peter; and James; and John; and
   their brethren were true disciples; and yet not so spiritual but that
   they could be afraid。 I do not tell them to make the unbelief of the
   disciples an excuse for themselves。 But I do tell them that it shows
   plainly; that so long as they are in the body they must not expect
   faith to be above the reach of fear。

   Above all; I want all Christians to understand what they must expect in
   other believers。 You must not hastily conclude that a man has no grace
   merely because you see in him some corruption…There are spots on the
   face of the sun; and yet the sun shines brightly and enlightens the
   whole world。 There is quartz and dross mixed up with many a lump of
   gold that es from Australia; and yet who thinks the gold on that
   account worth nothing at all? There are flaws in some of the finest
   diamonds in the world; and yet they do not prevent their being rated at
   a priceless value。 Away with this morbid squeamishness which makes many
   ready to exmunicate a man if he only has a few faults! Let us be
   more quick to see grace and more slow to see imperfections! Let us know
   that; if we cannot allow there is grace where there is corruption; we
   shall find no grace in the world。 We are yet in the body。 The devil is
   not dead。 We are not yet like the angels。 Heaven has not yet begun。 The
   leprosy is not out of the walls of the house; however much we may
   scrape them; and never will be till the house is taken down。 Our bodies
   are indeed the temple of the Holy Ghost; but not a perfect temple until
   they are raised or changed。 Grace is indeed a treasure; but a treasure
   in earthen vessels。 It is possible for a man to forsake all for
   Christ's sake; and yet to be overtaken occasionally with doubts and
   fears。

   I beseech every reader of this paper to remember this。 It is a lesson
   worth attention。 The Apostles believed in Christ; loved Christ; and
   gave up all to follow Christ。 And yet you see in this storm the
   Apostles were afraid。 Learn to be charitable in your judgment of them。
   Learn to be moderate in your expectations from your own heart。 Contend
   to the death for the truth that no man is a true Christian who is not
   converted; and is not a holy man。 But allow that a man may be
   converted; have a new heart; and be a holy man; and yet be liable to
   infirmity; doubts and fears。

   IV。 Let us learn; in the fourth place; the power of the Lord Jesus
   Christ。

   You have a striking example of His power in the history upon which I am
   now dwelling。 The waves were breaking into the ship where Jesus was。
   The terrified disciples awoke Him; and cried for help。 〃He arose and
   rebuked the wind; and said unto the sea; Peace; be still。 And the wind
   ceased; and there was a great calm。〃 This was a wonderful miracle。 No
   one could do this but one who was almighty。

   Make the winds cease with a word! Who does not know that it is a mon
   saying; in order to describe an impossibility; 〃You might as well speak
   to the wind!〃 Yet Jesus rebukes the wind and at once it ceases。 This
   was power。

   Calm the waves with a voice! What reader of history does not know that
   a mighty King of England tried in vain to stop the tide rising on the
   shore? Yet here is one who says to raging waves in a storm; 〃Peace; be
   still;〃 and at once there was a calm。 Here was power。

   It is good for all men to have clear views of the Lord Jesus Christ's
   power。 Let the sinner know that the merciful Saviour to whom he is
   urged to flee; and in whom he is invited to trust; is nothing less than
   the Almighty; and has power over all flesh to eternal life。 (Rev。 i。 8;
   John xvii。 2。) Let the anxious inquirer understand that if he will only
   venture on Jesus; and take up the cross; he ventures on One who has all
   power in heaven and earth。 (Matt。 xxviii。 18。) Let the believer
   remember as he journeys through the wilderness; that his Mediator; and
   Advocate; and Physician; and Shepherd; and Redeemer; is Lord of lords;
   and King of kings; and that through Him all things may be done。 (Rev。
   xvii。 14; Phil。 iv。 13。) Let all study the subject; for it deserves to
   be studied。

   (a) Study it in His works of creation。 〃All things were made by Him;
   and without Him was not any thing made that was made。〃 (John i。 3。) The
   heavens and all their glorious host of inhabitantsthe earth and all
   that it containsthe sea and all that is in itall creation; from the
   sun on high to the least worm below; was the work of Christ。 He spake
   and they came into being。 He manded and they began to exist。 That
   very Jesus; who was born of a poor woman at Bethlehem and lived in a
   carpenter's house at Nazareth; had been the Former of all things。 Was
   not this power?

   (b) Study it in His works of providence; and the orderly continuance of
   all things in the world。 〃By Him all things consist。〃 (Col。 i。 17。)
   Sun; moon; and stars roll
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