莱尔主教upper_room-第83章
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risk when your soul is at stake。 Believe me； the salvation of a soul is
no easy matter。 All need a 〃great〃 salvation； whether young or old； all
need to be born again； all need to be washed in Christ's blood；all
need to be sanctified by the Spirit。 Happy is that man who does not
leave these things uncertain； but never rests till he has the witness
of 。the Spirit within him； that he is a child of God。
Young men； your time is short。 Your days are but a span long；a
shadow； a vapour；a tale that is soon told。 Your bodies are not brass。
〃Even the young men；〃 says Isaiah； 〃shall utterly fall〃 （Isa。 40：30）。
Your health may be taken from you in a moment 。'it only needs a fall；
a fever； an inflammation； a broken blood…vessel；…and the worm would
soon feed upon you。 There is but a step between any one of you and
death。 This night your soul might be required of you。 You are fast
going the way of all the earth；you will soon be gone。 Your life is
all uncertainty；your death and judgment are perfectly sure。 You too
must hear the Archangel's trumpet； and go forth to stand before the
great white throne； you too must obey that summons； which Jerome says
was always fining in his ears： 〃Arise； ye dead； and e to judgment。〃
〃Surely I e quickly；〃 is the language of the Judge Himself。 I
cannot； dare not； will not let you alone。
Oh that you would all lay to heart the words of the Preacher： 〃Rejoice；
O young man； in thy youth； and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of
thy youth； and walk in the ways of thine heart； and in the sight of
thine eyes； but know thou； that for all these things God will bring
thee into judgment〃 （Eccles。 11：9）。 Wonderful； that with such a
prospect； any man can be careless and unconcerned！ Surely none are so
mad as those who are content to live unprepared to die。 Surely the
unbelief of men is the most amazing thing in the world。 Well may the
clearest prophecy in the Bible begin with these words； 〃Who hath
believed our report？ 〃 （Isa。 53：1）。 Well may the Lord Jesus say； 〃When
the Son of man eth； shall He find faith on the earth？〃 （Luke 18：8）。
Young men； I fear lest this be the report of many of you in the courts
above： 〃They will not believe〃 I fear lest you be hurried out of the
world； and awake to find out； too late； that death and judgment are
realities。 I fear all this； and therefore I exhort you。
（3） For another thing； what young men will be； in all probability
depends on what they are now； and they seem to forget this。
Youth is the seed…time of full age；the moulding season in the little
space of human life；the turning…point in the history of man's mind。
By the shoot we judge of the tree；…by the blossoms we judge of the
fruit；by the spring we judge of the harvest；by the morning we judge
of the day；and by the character of the young man； we may generally
judge what he will be when he grows up。
Young men； be not deceived。 Think not you can； at will； serve lusts and
pleasures in your beginning； and then go and serve God with ease at
your latter end。 Think not you can live with Esau； and then die with
Jacob。 It is a mockery to deal with God and your souls in such a
fashion。 It is an awful mockery to suppose you can give the flower of
your strength to the world and the devil； and then put off the King of
kings with the scraps and leavings of your hearts； the wreck and
remnant of your powers。 It is an awful mockery； and you may find to
your cost the thing cannot be done。
I daresay you are reckoning on a late repentance。。 You know not what
you are doing。 You are reckoning without God。 Repentance and faith are
the gifts of God； and gifts that He often withholds； when they have
been long offered in vain。 I grant you true repentance is never too
late； but I warn you at the same time； late repentance is seldom true。
I grant you； one penitent thief was converted in his last hours； that
no man might despair； but I warn you； only one was converted； that no
man might presume。 I grant you it is written； Jesus is 〃able to save
them to the uttermost that e to God by Him〃 （Heb。 7：25）。 But I warn
you； it is also written by the same Spirit； 〃Because I have called； and
ye refused； I also will laugh at your calamity； I will mock when your
fear eth〃 （Prov。 1：24…26）。
Believe me； you will find it no easy matter to turn to God just when
you please。 It is a true saying of good Archbishop Leighton： 〃The way
of sin is down hill； a man cannot stop when he would。〃 Holy desires and
serious convictions are not like the servants of the Centurion； ready
to e and go at your desire； rather are they like the unicorn in Job；
they will not obey your voice； nor attend at your bidding。 It was said
of a famous general ＇22＇ of old； when he could have taken the city ＇23＇
he warred against； he would not； and by and by when he would； he could
not。 Beware； lest the same kind of event befall you in the matter of
eternal life。
Why do I say all this？ I say it because of the force of habit。 I say it
because experience tells me that people's hearts are seldom changed if
they are not changed when young。 Seldom indeed are men converted when
they are old。 Habits have long roots。 Sin once allowed to nestle in
your bosom； will not be turned out at your bidding。 Custom bees
second nature； and its chains are threefold cords not easily broken。
Well says the prophet； 〃 Can the Ethiopian change his skin； or the
leopard his spots？ then may ye also do good； that are accustomed to do
evil〃 （Jer。 13：23）。 Habits are like stones rolling down hill； the
further they roll； the faster and more ungovernable is their course。
Habits； like trees； are strengthened by age。 A boy may bend an oak；
when it is a sapling； a hundred men cannot root it up； when it is a
full…grown tree。 A child can wade over the Thames at its fountain…head；
the largest ship in the world can float in it when it gets near the
sea。 So it is with habits： the older the stronger； the longer they have
held possession； the harder they will be to cast out。 They grow with
our growth； and strengthen with our strength。 Custom is the nurse of
sin。 Every fresh act of sin lessens fear and remorse； hardens our
hearts； blunts the edge of our conscience； and increases our evil
inclination。
Young men； you may fancy I am laying too much stress on this point。 If
you had seen old men； as I have done； on the brink of the grave；
feelingless； seared； callous； dead； cold； hard as the nether
mill…stone； you would not think so。 Believe me； you cannot stand still
in the affairs of your souls。 Habits of good or evil are daily
strengthening in your hearts。 Every day you are either getting nearer
to God； or further off。 Every year that you continue impenitent； the
wall of division between you and heaven bees higher and thicker； and
the gulf to be crossed deeper and broader。 Oh； dread the hardening
effect of constant lingering in sin！ Now is the accepted time。 See that
your flight be not in the winter of your days。 If you seek not the Lord
when young； the strength of habit is such that you will probably never
seek Him at all。
I fear this； and therefore I exhort you。
（4） For another thing； the devil uses special diligence to destroy the
souls of young men； and they seem not to know it。
Satan knows well that you will make up the next generation； and
therefore he employs every art betimes to make you his own。 I would not
have you ignorant of his devices。
You are those on whom he plays off all his choicest temptations。 He
spreads his net with the most watchful carefulness； to entangle your
hearts。 He baits his traps with the sweetest morsels； to get you into
his power。 He displays his wares before your eyes with his utmost
ingenuity； in order to make you buy his sugared poisons； and eat his
accursed dainties。 You are the grand object of his attack。 May the Lord
rebuke him； an
