莱尔主教holiness-第107章
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often a judicious suspense of judgment。〃 He that believeth shall not
make haste： he can afford to wait。
When sceptics and infidels have said all they can； we must not forget
that there are three great broad facts which they have never explained
away； and I am convinced they never can； and never will。 Let me tell
you briefly what they are。 They are very simple facts； and any plain
man can understand them。
（a） The first fact is Jesus Christ Himself。 If Christianity is a mere
invention of man； and the Bible is not from God； how can infidels
explain Jesus Christ？ His existence in history； they cannot deny。 How
is it that without force or bribery； without arms or money； He has made
such an immensely deep mark on the world； as He certainly has？ Who was
He？ What was He？ Where did He e from？ How is it that there never has
been one like Him； neither before nor after； since the beginning of
historical times？ They cannot explain it。 Nothing can explain it but
the great foundation principle of revealed religion； that Jesus Christ
is God； and His Gospel is all true。
（b） The second fact is the Bible itself。 If Christianity is a mere
invention of man； and the Bible is of no more authority than any other
uninspired volume； how is it that the Book is what it is？ How is it
that a Book written by a few Jews in a remote corner of the
earthwritten at distant periods without consort or collusion among
the writerswritten by members of a nation which； pared to Greeks
and Romans； did nothing for literaturehow is it that this Book stands
entirely alone； and there is nothing that even approaches it； for high
views of God； for true views of man； for solemnity of thought； for
grandeur of doctrine； and for purity of morality？ What account can the
infidel give of this Book； so deep； so simple； so wise； so free from
defects？ He cannot explain its existence and nature on his principles。
We only can do that who hold that the Book is Supernatural and of God。
（c） The third fact is the effect which Christianity has produced on the
world。 If Christianity is a mere invention of man； and not a
supernatural； Divine revelation； how is it that it has wrought such a
plete alteration in the state of mankind？ Any well…read man knows
that the moral difference between the condition of the world； before
Christianity was planted and since Christianity took root； is the
difference between night and day； the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom
of the devil。 At this very moment； I defy anyone to look at the map of
the world； and pare the countries where men are Christians with
those where men are not Christians； and to deny that these countries
are as different as light and darkness； black and white。 How can any
infidel explain this on his principles？ He cannot do it。 We only can
who believe that Christianity came down from God； and is the only
Divine religion in the world。
Whenever you are tempted to be alarmed at the progress of infidelity；
look at the three facts I have just mentioned； and cast your fears
away。 Take up your position boldly behind the ramparts of these three
facts； and you may safely defy the utmost efforts of modern sceptics。
They may often ask you a hundred questions you cannot answer； and start
ingenious problems about various readings； or inspiration； or geology；
or the origin of man； or the age of the world； which you cannot solve。
They may vex and irritate you with wild speculations and theories； of
which at the time you cannot prove the fallacy； though you feel it。 But
be calm and fear not。 Remember the three great facts I have named； and
boldly challenge sceptics to explain them。 away。 The difficulties of
Christianity no doubt are great； but； depend on it； they are nothing
pared to the difficulties of infidelity。
II。 In the second place； the times require at our hands distinct and
decided views of Christian doctrine。
I cannot withhold my conviction that the professing Church of the
nineteenth century is as much damaged by laxity and indistinctness
about matters of doctrine within； as it is by sceptics and unbelievers
without。 Myriads of professing Christians nowadays seem utterly unable
to distinguish things that differ。 Like people afflicted with
colour…blindness； they are incapable of discerning what is true and
what is false； what is sound and what is unsound。 If a preacher of
religion is only clever and eloquent and earnest； they appear to think
he is all right； however strange and heterogeneous his sermons may be。
They are destitute of spiritual sense； apparently； and cannot detect
error。 Popery or Protestantism； an atonement or no atonement； a
personal Holy Ghost or no Holy Ghost； future punishment or no future
punishment； High Church or Low Church or Broad Church； Trinitarianism；
Arianism； or Unitarianism； nothing es amiss to them： they can
swallow it all； if they cannot digest it！ Carried away by a fancied
liberality and charity； they seem to think everybody is right and
nobody is wrong； every clergyman is sound and none are unsound；
everybody is going to be saved and nobody going to be lost。 Their
religion is made up of negatives； and the only positive thing about
them is that they dislike distinctness and think all extreme and
decided and positive views are very naughty and very wrong！
These people live in a kind of mist or fog。 They see nothing clearly；
and do not know what they believe。 They have not made up their minds
about any great point in the Gospel； and seem content to be honorary
members of all schools of thought。 For their lives they could not tell
you what they think is truth about justification； or regeneration； or
sanctification； or the Lord's Supper； or baptism； or faith； or
conversion； or inspiration； or the future state。 They are eaten up with
a morbid dread of controversy and an ignorant dislike of party spirit；
and yet they really cannot define what they mean by these phrases。 The
only point you can make out is that they admire earnestness and
cleverness and charity； and cannot believe that any clever； earnest；
charitable man can ever be in the wrong！ And so they live on undecided；
and too often undecided they drift down to the grave； without fort
in their religion； and； I am afraid； often without hope。
The explanation of this boneless； nerveless； jelly…fish condition of
soul is not difficult to find。 To begin with； the heart of man is
naturally in the dark about religionhas no intuitive sense of
truthand really needs instruction and illumination。 Besides this； the
natural heart in most men hates exertion in religion； and cordially
dislikes patient； painstaking inquiry。 Above all； the natural heart
generally likes the praise of others； shrinks from collision； and loves
to be thought charitable and liberal。 The whole result is that a kind
of broad religious 〃agnosticism〃 just suits an immense number of
people； and specially suits young persons。 They are content to shovel
aside all disputed points as rubbish； and if you charge them with
indecision； they will tell you： 〃I do not pretend to understand
controversy； I decline to examine controverted points。 I daresay it is
all the same in the long run。〃Who does not know that such people
swarm and abound everywhere？
Now I do beseech all who read this paper to beware of this undecided
state of mind in religion。 It is a pestilence which walketh in
darkness； and a destruction that killeth in noonday。 It is a lazy； idle
frame of soul which； doubtless； saves men the trouble of thought and
investigation； but it is a frame of soul for which there is no warrant
in the Bible； nor yet in the Articles or Prayer…book of the Church of
England。 For your own soul's sake； dare to make up your mind what you
believe； and dare to have positive； distinct views of truth and error。
Never； never be afraid to hold decided doctrinal
