莱尔主教holiness-第113章
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earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover
the sea。 （Rom。 viii。 22； Acts iii。 21； 2 Pet。 iii。 13； Isa。 xi。 9。）
And where shall Christ be then？ And what shall He do？
Christ Himself shall be King。 He shall return to this earth and make
all things new。 He shall e in the clouds of heaven with power and
great glory； and the kingdoms of the world shall bee His。 The
heathen shall be given to Him for His inheritance； and the uttermost
parts of the earth for His possession。 To Him every knee shall bow； and
every tongue shall confess that He is Lord。 His dominion shall be an
everlasting dominion which shall not pass away； and His kingdom that
which shall not be destroyed。 （Matt。 xxiv。 30； Rev。 xi。 15； Psalm ii。
8； Phil。 ii。 10； 11； Dan。 vii。 14。）
（f） There is a day ing when all men shall be judged。 The sea shall
give up the dead which are in it； and death and hell shall deliver up
the dead which are in them。 All that sleep in the grave shall awake and
e forth； and all shall be judged according to their works。 （Rev。 xx。
13； Dan。 xii。 2。）
And where will Christ be then？
Christ Himself will be the Judge。 〃The Father hath mitted all
judgment unto the Son。〃〃When the Son of man shall e in His glory；
then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory：and before Him shall
be gathered all nations： and He shall separate them one from another；
as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats。〃〃We must all appear
before the judgment seat of Christ： that every one may receive the
things done in his body； according to that he hath done； whether it be
good or bad。〃 （John v。 22； Matt。 xxv。 32； 2 Cor。 v。 10。）
Now if any reader of this paper thinks little of Christ； let him know
this day that he is very unlike God！ You are of one mind； and God is of
another。 You think it enough to give Christ a little honoura little
reverencea little respect。 But in all the eternal counsels of God the
Father； in creation； redemption； restitution； and judgmentin all
these； Christ is 〃all。〃
Surely we shall do well to consider these things。 Surely it is not
written in vain； 〃He that honoureth not the Son； honoureth not the
Father which hath sent Him。〃 （John v。 23。）
II。 In the second place； let us understand that 〃Christ is all〃 in the
inspired books which make up the Bible。
In every part of both Testaments； Christ is to be founddimly and
indistinctly at the beginningmore clearly and plainly in the
middlefully and pletely at the endbut really and substantially
everywhere。
Christ's sacrifice and death for sinners； and Christ's kingdom and
future glory； are the light we must bring to bear on any book of
Scripture we read。 Christ's cross and Christ's crown are the clue we
must hold fast if we would find our way through Scripture difficulties。
Christ is the only key that will unlock many of the dark places of the
Word。 Some people plain that they do not understand the Bible。 And
the reason is very simple。 They do not use the key。 To them the Bible
is like the hieroglyphics in Egypt。 It is a mystery； just because they
do not know and employ the key。
（a） It was Christ crucified who was set forth in every Old Testament
sacrifice。 Every animal slain and offered on an altar was a practical
confession that a Saviour was looked for who would die for sinnersa
Saviour who should take away man's sin； by suffering； as his Substitute
and Sin…bearer； in his stead； （1 Peter iii。 18。） It is absurd to
suppose that an unmeaning slaughter of innocent beasts； without a
distinct object in view； could please the eternal God！
（b） It was Christ to whom Abel looked when he offered a better
sacrifice than Cain。 Not only was the heart of Abel better than that of
his brother； but he showed his knowledge of vicarious sacrifice and his
faith in an atonement。 He offered the firstlings of his flock； with the
blood thereof； and in so doing declared his belief that without
shedding of blood there is no remission。 （Heb。 xi。 4。）
（c） It was Christ of whom Enoch prophesied in the days of abounding
wickedness before the flood。〃Behold；〃 he said； 〃the Lord eth with
ten thousands of His saints； to execute judgment upon all。〃 （Jude 15。）
（d） It was Christ to whom Abraham looked when he dwelt in tents in the
land of promise。 He believed that in his seedin one born of his
familyall the nations of the earth should be blessed。 By faith he saw
Christ's day； and was glad。 （John viii。 56。）
（e） It was Christ of whom Jacob spoke to his sons； as he lay dying。 He
marked out the tribe out of which He would be born； and foretold that
〃gathering together〃 unto Him which is yet to be acplished。 〃The
sceptre shall not depart from Judah； nor the law…giver from between his
feet； until Shiloh e； and unto Him shall the gathering of the people
be。〃 （Gen。 xlix。 10。）
（f） It was Christ who was the substance of the ceremonial law which God
gave to Israel by the hand of Moses。 The morning and evening
sacrificethe continual shedding of bloodthe altarthe
mercy…seatthe high priestthe passoverthe day of atonementthe
scapegoat：all these were so many pictures； types； and emblems of
Christ and His work。 God had passion upon the weakness of His
people。 He taught them 〃Christ〃 line upon line； and； as we teach little
children； by similitudes。 It was in this sense especially that 〃the law
was a schoolmaster to lead〃 the Jews 〃unto Christ。〃 （Gal。 iii。 24。）
（g） It was Christ to whom God directed the attention of Israel by all
the daily miracles which were done before their eyes in the wilderness。
The pillar of cloud and fire which guided themthe manna from heaven
which every morning fed themthe water from the smitten rock which
followed themall and each were figures of Christ。 The brazen serpent；
on that memorable occasion when the plague of fiery serpents was sent
upon them； was an emblem of Christ。 （1 Cor。 x。 4； John iii。 14。）
（h） It was Christ of whom all the Judges were types。 Joshua； and David；
and Gideon； and Jephthah； and Samson； and all the rest whom God raised
up to deliver Israel from captivityall were emblems of Christ。 Weak
and unstable and faulty as some of them were； they were set for example
of better things in the distant future。 All were meant to remind the
tribes of that far higher Deliverer who was yet to e。
（i） It was Christ of whom David the king was a type。 Anointed and
chosen when few gave him honourdespised and rejected by Saul and all
the tribes of Israelpersecuted and obliged to flee for his lifea
man of sorrow all his life； and yet at length a conquerorin all these
things David represented Christ。
（j） It was Christ of whom all the prophets from Isaiah to Malachi
spoke。 They saw through a glass darkly。 They sometimes dwelt on His
sufferings； and sometimes on His glory that should follow。 （1 Peter i。
11。） They did not always mark out for us the distinction between
Christ's first ing and Christ's second ing。 Like two candles in a
straight line； one behind the other； they sometimes saw both the
advents at the same time； and spoke of them in one breath。 They were
sometimes moved by the Holy Ghost to write of the times of Christ
crucified； and sometimes of Christ's kingdom in the latter days。 But
Jesus dying； or Jesus reigning； was the thought you will ever find
uppermost in their minds。
（k） It is Christ； I need hardly say； of whom the whole New Testament is
full。 The Gospels are 〃Christ〃 living； speaking； and moving among men。
The Acts are 〃Christ〃 preached； published； and proclaimed。 The Epistles
are 〃Christ〃 written of； explained； and exalted。 But all through； from
first to last； there is one name above every other； and that is the
name of Christ。
I charge every reader of this paper to ask himself frequently what the
Bible is to him。 Is it a Bible in which you have found nothing more
than good moral
