莱尔主教upper_room-第88章
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Believe me； it is a great thing to be able to say 〃No！〃 Here was good
King Jehoshaphat's weak point；he was too easy and yielding in his
dealings with Ahab； and hence many of his troubles （1 Kings 22：4）。
Learn to say 〃No！〃 Let not the fear of not seeming good…natured make
you unable to do it。 When sinners entice you； be able to say decidedly；
〃I will not consent〃 （Prov。 1：10）。
Consider only how unreasonable this fear of man is。 How short…lived is
man's enmity； and how little harm he can do you！〃 Who art thou； that
thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die； and of the son of
man； which shall be as grass： and forgettest the Lord thy Maker； that
hath stretched forth the heavens； and laid the foundations of the
earth？〃 （Isa。 51：12…13）。 And how thankless is this fear！ None will
really think better of you for it。 The world always respects those most
who act boldly for God。 Oh； break these bonds； and cast these chains
from you！ Never be ashamed of letting men see you want to go to heaven。
Think it no disgrace to show yourself a servant of God。 Never be afraid
of doing what is right。
Remember the words of the Lord Jesus： 〃Fear not them which kill the
body； but are not able to kill the soul： but rather fear Him which is
able to destroy both soul and body in hell〃 （Matt。 10：28）。 Only try to
please God； and He can soon make others pleased with you。 〃When a man's
ways please the Lord； he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with
him〃 （Prov。 16：7）。
Young men； be of good courage。Care not for what the world says or
thinks： you will not be with the world always。 Can man save your soul？
No。 Will man be your judge in the great and dreadful day of
account？…No。 Can man give you a good conscience in life； a good hope in
death； a good answer in the morning of resurrection？ No！ no！ no！ Man
can do nothing of the sort。 Then 〃fear not the reproach of men； neither
be afraid of their revilings： for the moth shall eat them up like a
garment； and the worm shall eat them like wool〃 （Isa。 51：7…8）。 Call to
mind the saying of good Colonel Gardiner： 〃I fear God； and therefore I
have none else to fear。〃 Go and be like him。
Such are the warning I give you。 Lay them to heart。 They are worth
thinking over。 I am much mistaken if they are not greatly needed。 The
Lord grant they may not have been given you in vain。
III。 General Counsels to Young Men。
3。 In the third place； I wish to give some general counsels
to young men。
（1） For one thing； try to get a clear view of the evil of sin。
Young men； if you did but know what sin is； and what sin has done； you
would not think it strange that I exhort you as I do。 You do not see it
in its true colours。 Your eyes are naturally blind to its guilt and
danger； and hence you cannot understand what makes me so anxious about
you。 Oh； let not the devil succeed in persuading you that sin is a
small matter！
Think for a moment what the Bible says about sin；…how it dwells
naturally in the heart of every man and woman alive （Eccles。 7：20； Rom。
3：23）；how it defiles our thoughts； words； and actions； and that
continually （Gen。 6：5； Matt。 15：19）；how it renders us all guilty and
abominable in the sight of a holy God （Isa。 64：6； Hab。 1：13）；how it
leaves us utterly without hope of salvation； if we look to ourselves
（Ps。 143：2； Rom。 3：20）；how its fruit in this world is shame； and its
wages in the world to e； death （Rom。 6：21…23）。 Think calmly of all
this。 I tell you this day； it is not more sad to be dying of
consumption； and not to know it； than it is to be a living man； and not
know it。
Think what an awful change sin has worked on all our natures。 Man is no
longer what he was when God formed him out of the dust of the ground。
He came out of God's hand upright and sinless （Eccles。 7：29）。 In the
day of his creation he was； like everything else； 〃very good〃 （Gen。
1：31）。 And what is man now？A fallen creature； a ruin； a being that
shows the marks of corruption all over； his heart like Nebuchadnezzar；
degraded and earthly； looking down and not up；his affections like a
household in disorder； calling no man master； all extravagance and
confusion；his understanding like a lamp flickering in the socket；
impotent to guide him； not knowing good from evil；his will like a
rudderless ship； tossed to and fro by every desire； and constant only
in choosing any way rather than God's。 Alas； what a wreck is man；
pared to what he might have been！ Well may we understand such
figures being used as blindness； deafness； disease； sleep； death； when
the Spirit has to give us a picture of man as he is。 And mail as he is；
remember； was so made by sin。
Think； too； what it has cost to make atonement for sin； and to provide
a pardon and forgiveness for sinners。 God's own Son must e into the
world； and take upon Him our nature； in order to pay the price of our
redemption； and deliver us from the curse of a broken law。 He who was
in the beginning with the Father； and by whom all things were made；
must suffer for sin the just for the unjust；must die the death of a
malefactor； before the way to heaven can be laid open to any soul。 See
the Lord Jesus Christ despised and rejected of men； scourged； mocked；
and insulted；behold Him bleeding on the cross of Calvary；hear Him
crying in agony； 〃My God； My God； why hast Thou forsaken Me？〃 mark how
the sun was darkened； and the rocks rent at the sight；…and then
consider； young men； what must be the evil and guilt of sin。
Think； also； what sin has done already upon the earth。 Think how it
cast Adam and Eve out of Eden；brought the flood upon the old world；
caused fire to e down on Sodom and Gomorrah； drowned Pharaoh and his
host in the Red Sea； destroyed the seven wicked nations of Canaan；
scattered the twelve tribes of Israel over the face of the globe。 Sin
alone did all this。
Think； moreover； of all the misery and sorrow that sin has caused； and
is causing at this very day。 Pain； disease； and death； strifes；
quarrels； and divisions； envy； jealousy； and malice； deceit； fraud； and
cheating； violence； oppression； and robbery； selfishness； unkindness；
and ingratitude； all these are the fruits of sin。 Sin is the parent of
them all。 Sin it is that has so marred and spoiled the face of God's
creation。
Young men； consider these things； and you will not wonder that we
preach as we do。 Surely； if you did but think of them； you would break
with sin for ever。 Will you play with poison？ Will you sport with hell？
Will you take fire in your hand？ Will you harbour your deadliest enemy
in your bosom？ Will you go on living as if it mattered nothing whether
your own sins were forgiven or not； whether sin had dominion over you；
or you over sin？ Oh； awake to a sense of sin's sinfulness and danger！
Remember the words of Solomon： 〃Fools；〃 none but fools； 〃make a mock at
sin〃 （Prov。 14：9）。
Hear； then； the request that I make of you this day；pray that God
would teach you〃 the real evil of sin。 As you would have your soul
saved； arise and pray。
（2） For another thing； seek to bee acquainted with our Lord Jesus
Christ。
This is； indeed； the principal thing in religion。 This is the
corner…stone of Christianity。 Till you know this； my warnings and
advice will be useless； and your endeavours； whatever they may be； will
be in vain。 A watch without a mainspring is not more unserviceable than
is religion without Christ。
But let me not be misunderstood。 It is not the mere knowing Christ's
name that I mean；it is the knowing His mercy； grace； and power； the
knowing Him not by the hearing of the ear； but by the experience of
your hearts。 I want you to know Him by faith；I want you； as Paul
says； to know 〃the power of His resurrection； being made conformable
unto His death〃 （Phil。 3：10）。 I want you to be able to say of Him； He
is my peace and my strength； my
