莱尔主教holiness-第115章
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and learning fresh motives for a closer walk with Godlooking at His
example； and taking Him for your pattern。 Looking at Him； you would
bee like Him。 Looking at Him； your face would shine without your
knowing it。 Look less at yourself and more at Christ； and you will find
besetting sins dropping off and leaving you； and your eyes enlightened
more and more every day。 （Heb。 xii。 2； 2 Cor。 iii。 18。）
The true secret of ing up out of the wilderness is to e up
〃leaning on the Beloved。〃 （Cant。 viii。 5。） The true way to be strong is
to realize our weakness and to feel that Christ must be all。 The true
way to grow in grace is to make use of Christ as a fountain for every
minute's necessities。 We ought to employ Him as the prophet's wife
employed the oilnot only to pay our debts； but to live on also。 We
should strive to be able to say； 〃The life that I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God； who loved me； and gave Himself
for me。〃 （2 Kings iv。 7； Gal。 ii。 20。）
I pity those who try to be holy without Christ！ Your labour is all in
vain。 You are putting money in a bag with holes。 You are pouring water
into a sieve。 You are rolling a huge round stone uphill。 You are
building up a wall with untempered mortar。 Believe me； you are
beginning at the wrong end。 You must e to Christ first； and He shall
give you His sanctifying Spirit。 You must learn to say with Paul； 〃I
can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me。〃 （Phil。 iv。
13。）
（c） But again； Christ is not only all in the sanctification of a true
Christian； but all in his fort in time present。
A saved soul has many sorrows。 He has a body like other menweak and
frail。 He has a heart like other menand often a more sensitive one；
too。 He has trials and losses to bear like othersand often more。 He
has his share of bereavements； deaths； disappointments； crosses。 He has
the world to opposea place in life to fill blamelesslyunconverted
relatives to bear with patientlypersecutions to endureand a death
to die。
And who is sufficient for these things？ What shall enable a believer to
bear all this？ Nothing but 〃the consolation there is in Christ。〃 （Phil。
ii。 1。）
Jesus is indeed the brother born for adversity。 He is the friend that
sticketh closer than a brother； and He alone can fort His people。 He
can be touched with the feeling of their infirmities； for He suffered
Himself。 （Heb。 iv。 15。） He knows what sorrow is； for He was a Man of
sorrows。 He knows what an aching body is； for His body was racked with
pain。 He cried； 〃All my bones are out of joint。〃 （Ps。 xxii。 14。） He
knows what poverty and weariness are； for He was often wearied and had
not where to lay His head。 He knows what family unkindness is； for even
His brethren did not believe Him。 He had no honour in His own house。
And Jesus knows exactly how to fort His afflicted people。 He knows
how to pour in oil and wine into the wounds of the spirithow to fill
up gaps in empty heartshow to speak a word in season to the
wearyhow to heal the broken hearthow to make all our bed in
sicknesshow to draw nigh when we are faint； and say； 〃Fear not： I am
thy salvation。〃 （Lam。 iii。 57。）
We talk of sympathy being pleasant。 There is no sympathy like that of
Christ。 In all our afflictions He is afflicted。 He knows our sorrows。
In all our pain He is pained； and like the good Physician； He will not
measure out to us one drop of sorrow too much。 David once said； 〃In the
multitude of my thoughts within me； Thy forts delight my soul。〃 （Ps。
xciv。 19。） Many a believer； I am sure； could say as much。 〃If the Lord
Himself had not stood by me； the deep waters would have gone over my
soul；〃 （Ps。 cxxiv。 5。）
How a believer gets through all his troubles appears wonderful。 How he
is carried through the fire and water he passes through seems past
prehension。 But the true account of it is just thisthat Christ is
not only justification and sanctification； but consolation also。
Oh； you who want unfailing fort； I mend you to Christ！ In Him
alone there is no failure。 Rich men are disappointed in their
treasures。 Learned men are disappointed in their books。 Husbands are
disappointed in their wives。 Wives are disappointed in their husbands。
Parents are disappointed in their children。 Statesmen are disappointed
when； after many a struggle； they attain place and power。 They find
out； to their cost； that it is more pain than pleasurethat it is
disappointment； annoyance； incessant trouble； worry； vanity； and
vexation of spirit。 But no man was ever disappointed in Christ。
（d） But as Christ is all in the forts of a true Christian in time
present； so Christ is all in his hopes for time to e。
Few men and women； I suppose； are to be found who do not indulge in
hopes of some kind about their souls。 But the hopes of the vast
majority are nothing but vain fancies。 They are built on no solid
foundation。 No living man but the real child of Godthe sincere；
thoroughgoing Christiancan give a reasonable account of the hope that
is in him。 No hope is reasonable which is not Scriptural。
A true Christian has a good hope when he looks forward： the worldly man
has none。 A true Christian sees light in the distance： the worldly man
sees nothing but darkness。 And what is the hope of a true Christian？ It
is just thisthat Jesus Christ is ing again； ing without
sining with all His people； ing to wipe away every tearing
to raise His sleeping saints from the graveing to gather together
all His family； that they may be for ever with Him。
Why is a believer patient？ because he looks for the ing of the Lord。
He can bear hard things without murmuring。 He knows the time is short。
He waits quietly for the King。
Why is he moderate in all things？ Because he expects his Lord soon to
return。 His treasure is in heaven； his good things are yet to e。 The
world is not his rest； but an inn； and an inn is not home。 He knows
that 〃He that shall e will soon e； and will not tarry。〃 Christ is
ing； and that is enough。 （Heb。 x。 37。）
This is indeed a 〃blessed hope！〃 （Titus ii。 13。） Now is the
school…timethen the eternal holiday。 Now is the tossing on the waves
of a troublesome worldthen the quiet harbour。 Now is the
scatteringthen the gathering。 Now is the time of sowingthen the
harvest。 Now is the working seasonthen the wages。 Now is the
crossthen the crown。
People talk of their 〃expectations〃 and hopes from this world。 None
have such solid expectations as a saved soul。 He can say； 〃My soul；
wait thou only upon God； my expectation is from Him。〃 （Ps。 lxii。 5。）
In all true saving religion Christ is all： all in justificationall in
fortall in hope。 Blessed is that mother's child that knows it； and
far more blessed is he that feels it too。 Oh that men would prove
themselves； and see what they know of it for their own souls！
IV。 One thing more I will add； and then I have done。 Let us understand
that Christ will be all in heaven。
I cannot dwell long on this point。 I have not power； if I had space and
room。 I can ill describe things unseen and a world unknown。 But this I
know； that all men and women who reach heaven will find that even there
also 〃Christ is all。〃
Like the altar in Solomon's temple； Christ crucified will be the grand
object in heaven。 That altar struck the eye of every one who entered
the temple gates。 It was a great brazen altar； twenty cubits broadas
broad as the front of the temple itself。 （2 Chron。 iii。 4； iv。 1。） So
in like manner will Jesus fill the eyes of all who enter glory。 In the
midst of the throne and surrounded by adoring angels and saints； there
will be 〃the Lamb that was slain。〃 And 〃the Lamb shall be the light〃 of
the place。 （Rev。 v。 6； xxi。 23。）
The praise of the Lord Jesus will be the eternal song of all the
inhabitants of heaven。 They will say with a loud voice； 〃Wor
