莱尔主教upper_room-第55章
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（2 Cor。 5：21）。 Though the sins of their lives 〃were as scarlet； they
shall be made white as snow； and though red like crimson； they shall be
as wool。〃 Their sins will be 〃remembered no more；〃 〃sought for； and not
found；〃 〃blotted out as a thick cloud；〃 〃cast behind God's back；〃
〃plunged in the depths of the sea。〃 Believers will need no purgatory
after they die。 It is ignorance and unbelief to think so。 Once joined
to Christ by faith； they are plete in the sight of God the Father；
and even the perfect angels shall see no spot in them。 Surely they may
well sit down； and feel at home！ They may remember all the sins of
their past lives； and be humbled at the recollection of them。 But those
sins will not make them afraid。
The sense of daily failure； weakness； imperfection； and inward
conflict； will no longer mar their peace。 At last their sanctification
will be pleted。 The war within shall e to a perfect end。 Their
old besetting sins and infirmities will have dropped off； and melted
away。 At length they shall be able to serve God without weariness； and
attend on Him without distraction； and not be obliged to cry
continually； 〃Wretched man that I am； who shall deliver me from the
body of this death？〃 （Rom。 7：24）。 Who can tell the blessedness of all
this while we are yet in the body？ Here in this world we do not realize
the pleteness of our justification； and 〃groan； being burdened；〃 by
reason of our imperfect sanctification。 Our best endeavours after
holiness are acpanied by a sorrowful consciousness of daily failure。
But when 〃the old man〃 is at last entirely dead； and the flesh no
longer lusts against the spirit；when there is an end of indwelling
sin； and the world and the devil can no longer tempt us；then at last
we shall understand what God has prepared for them that love Him。 We
shall 〃sit down in the kingdom of heaven。〃
（b） But this is not all。 Sitting down implies rest； and a plete
cessation of work； and toil； and conflict。 There is a rest that
remaineth for the people of God。 Here in this life we are never still。
The Word of God tells us； that the Christian must 〃walk；〃 and 〃run；〃
and 〃work；〃 and 〃labour；〃 and 〃fight；〃 and 〃groan；〃 and 〃carry the
cross；〃 and wear the。〃 armour；〃 and stand like a sentinel on guard in
an enemy's land。 It is not till we enter the kingdom of heaven that we
must expect to 〃sit down。〃 Work for Christ； no doubt； is pleasant； and
even in this life brings a rich reward；…the reward of a happy
conscience； a reward which the mere politician； or merchant； or man of
pleasure can never reap； because they only seek a corruptible crown。
〃They that drink of these waters shall thirst again。〃 But even the
Christian's work is exhausting to flesh and blood； and so long as we
dwell in a mortal body； work and weariness will go together。 The very
sight of sin in others； which we cannot check； is a daffy trial to our
souls。 No doubt the fight of faith is a 〃good fight；〃 but there never
can be fighting without wounds； and pain； and fatigue。 The very armour
the Christian is bid to put on is heavy。 The helmet and the
breastplate； the shield and the sword； without which we cannot overe
the devil； can never be worn without constant exertion。
Surely it will be a blessed time when our enemies will all be slain；
and we can lay aside our armour in safety； and 〃sit down in the kingdom
of heaven。〃
In the meantime let us never forget that the time is short。 Even the
devil knows that； and 〃has great wrath because he has but a short time〃
（Rev。 12：12）。 Let us work on； and fight on； in full assurance of hope；
with the blessed recollection that it shall not be for ever。 When the
great battle of Waterloo was raging； and the event of the day seemed to
tremble in the balance； it is said that the Duke of Wellington kept
calmly turning his eyes to the left； in the confident expectation that
in a little time his Prussian allies would appear； and his victory
would be sure。 Let this kind of hope animate our souls when we are
bearing the labour and heat of the day。 Our King is soon ing； and
when He es we shall 〃sit down；〃 and toil and fight no more。
IV。 The fourth and last thing which the words of our Lord Jesus Christ
contain is； the pany which those who are finally saved shall enjoy
for ever。
Now； pany is one great secret of happiness。 Man is by nature a
social being。 It is a ram exception indeed to find any one who likes to
be always alone。 A palace filled with untold wealth and luxuries； would
at last be little better than a prison if we lived in it entirely
alone。 A cottage with congenial panions is a happier dwelling…place
than a royal castle with no one to speak to； no one to listen to； no
one to exchange mind with； nothing to converse with； but ends own poor
heart。 We all want some one to live with and love； and the dweller in a
solitary island； like Robinson Crusoe； is never satisfied； if he is a
real man。 Our blessed Lord； who formed man out of the dust of the
earth； and made him what he is； knows that perfectly well When；
therefore； He describes the future portion of His believing people； He
takes care to tell us what kind of pany they shall have in the
kingdom of heaven。 He says that the saved shall 〃sit down with Abraham；
Isaac； and Jacob〃 in the world to e。
Now what does that expression mean？ Let us look at it； analyse it； and
see what it contains。
The panions of the saved in the eternal world shall be all the
believers who have ever lived on earth； from the beginning to the end。
The old soldiers； the old pilgrims； the old servants of Christ； the old
members of Christ's family； all； in a word； who have lived by faith and
served Christ； and walked with God； these shall form the pany in
which the saved shall spend an endless existence。
They shall see all the old worthies of whom they read in the Old
Testament；the patriarchs； the prophets； and the holy kings； who
looked forward to the ing of Christ； but died without seeing Him。
They shall see the New Testament saints； the Apostles； and the holy men
and women who saw Christ face to face。 They shall see the early Fathers
who died for the truth； and were thrown to the lions； or beheaded under
the persecution of the Roman emperors。 They shall see the gallant
Reformers who revived the gospel out of the dust on the Continent； and
unstopped the wells of living water which Rome had filled up with
rubbish。 They shall see the blessed martyrs of our own land who brought
about the glorious Protestant Reformation； and gave the Bible to our
countrymen in the English tongue； and cheerfully died at the stake for
the cause of the gospel。 They shall see the holy men of the last
century； Whitefield； and Wesley； Romaine； and their panions； who； in
the face of bitter opposition； revived religion in the Church of
England。 Above all； they shall see their own friends who fell asleep in
Christ； and whom they once followed to their graves； with many tears；
and see them with the fortable thought that they shall part no more。
Surely the thought of such panionship as this should cheer us as we
travel on the narrow way！ It is a good thing yet to e。
There is little happiness in pany unless there is entire sympathy
and congeniality of taste。 It is one of the heaviest trials of a true
Christian upon earth； that he meets so few people who are entirely of
one mind with him about religion。 How often in society he finds himself
obliged to hold his tongue and say nothing； and to hear and see many
things which make his heart ache； and send him back to his own home
heavy and depressed！ It is a rare privilege to meet two or three
occasionally to whom he can open his heart； and with whom he can speak
freely； without fear of giving offence or being misunderstood。 But
there will be an end of this state of things in the kingdom of heaven。
Those who
