莱尔主教holiness-第117章
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to Christ teaches you wrong。
I care not what it is that you add to Christ。 Whether it be the
necessity of joining the Church of Rome； or of being an Episcopalian；
or of being a Free Churchman； or of giving up the Liturgy； or of
being dippedwhatever you may practically add to Christ in the matter
of salvation； you do Christ an injury。
Take heed what you are doing。 Beware of giving to Christ's servants the
honour due to none but Christ。 Beware of giving the Lord's ordinances
the honour due unto the Lord。 Beware of resting the burden of your soul
on anything but Christ； and Christ alone。
（3） Let me say another thing。 Is Christ all？ Then LET ALL WHO WANT TO
BE SAVED； APPLY DIRECT TO CHRIST。
There are many who hear of Christ with the ear and believe all they are
told about Him。 They allow that there is no salvation excepting in
Christ。 They acknowledge that Jesus alone can deliver them from hell
and present them faultless before God。
But they seem never to get beyond this general acknowledgment。 They
never fairly lay hold on Christ for their own souls。 They stick fast in
a state of wishing； and wanting； and feeling； and intending； and never
get any further。 They see what we mean： they know it is all true。 They
hope one day to get full benefit of it： but at present they get no
benefit whatever。 The world is their 〃all。〃 Politics are their 〃all。〃
Pleasure is their 〃all。〃 Business is their 〃all。〃 But Christ is not
their all。
If any reader of this paper is a man of this kind； I warn him also
plainly； he is in a bad state of soul。 You are as truly in the way to
hell in your present condition； as Judas Iscariot； or Ahab； or Cain。
Believe me； there must be actual faith in Christ； or else Christ died
in vain so far as you are concerned。 It is not looking at the bread
that feeds the hungry man but the actual eating of it。 It is not gazing
on the lifeboat that saves the shipwrecked sailor； but actually getting
into it。 It is not knowing and believing that Christ is a Saviour that
can save your soul； unless there are actual transactions between you
and Christ。 You must be able to say； 〃Christ is my Saviour； because I
have e to Him by faith； and taken Him for my own。〃〃Much of
religion；〃 said Luther； 〃turns on being able to use possessive
pronouns。 Take from me the word my。' and you take from me God！〃
Hear the advice I give you this day； and act upon it at once。 Stand
still no longer； waiting for some imaginary frames and feelings which
will never e。 Hesitate no longer under the idea that you must first
of all obtain the Spirit and then e to Christ。 Arise and e to
Christ just as you are。 He waits for you； and is as willing to save as
He is mighty。 He is the appointed Physician for sin…sick souls。 Deal
with Him as you would with your doctor about the cure of a disease of
your body。 Make a direct application to Him and tell Him all your
wants。 Take with you words this day； and cry mightily to the Lord Jesus
for pardon and peace； as the thief did on the cross。 Do as that man
did： cry； 〃Lord； remember me。〃 （Luke xxiii。 42。） Tell Him you have
heard that He receives sinners； and that you are such。 Tell Him you
want to be saved and ask Him to save you。 Rest not till you have
actually tasted for yourself that the Lord is gracious。 Do this and you
shall find； sooner or later； if you are really in earnest； that 〃Christ
is all。〃
（4） One more thing let me add。 Is Christ all？ Then LET ALL HIS
CONVERTED PEOPLE DEAL WITH HIM AS IF THEY REALLY BELIEVED IT。 LET THEM
LEAN ON HlM AND TRUST HIM FAR MORE THAN THEY HAVE EVER DONE YET。
Alas； there are many of the Lord's people who live far below their
privileges！ There are many truly Christian souls who rob themselves of
their own peace； and forsake their own mercies。 There are many who
insensibly join their own faith； or the work of the Spirit in their own
hearts； to Christ； and so miss the fullness of Gospel peace。 There are
many who make little progress in their pursuit of holiness； and shine
with a very dim light。 And why is all this？ Simply because in nineteen
cases out of twenty men do not make Christ all in all。
Now I call on every reader of this paper who is a believer； I beseech
him for his own sake； to make sure that Christ is really and thoroughly
his all in all。 Beware of allowing yourself to mingle anything of your
own with Christ。
Have you faith？ It is a priceless blessing。 Happy indeed are they who
are willing and ready to trust Jesus。 But take heed you do not make a
Christ of your faith。 Rest not on your own faith； but on Christ。
Is the work of the Spirit in your soul？ Thank God for it。 It is a work
that shall never be overthrown。 But oh； beware； lest； unaware to
yourself； you make a Christ of the work of the Spirit！ Rest not on the
work of the Spirit； but on Christ。
Have you any inward feelings of religion and experience of grace。 Thank
God for it。 Thousands have no more religious feeling than a cat or dog。
But oh； beware lest you make a Christ of your feelings and sensations！
They are poor； uncertain things and sadly dependent on our bodies and
outward circumstances。 Rest only on Christ。
Learn； I entreat you； to look more and more at the great object of
faith； Jesus Christ； and to keep your mind dwelling on Him。 So doing
you would find faith； and all the other graces； grow； though the growth
at the time might be imperceptible to yourself。 He that would prove a
skilful archer must not look at the arrow； but at the mark。
Alas； I fear there is a great piece of pride and unbelief still
sticking in the hearts of many believers！ Few seem to realize how much
they need a Saviour。 Few seem to understand how thoroughly they are
indebted to Him。 Few seem to prehend how much they need Him every
day。 Few seem to feel how simply and like a child they ought to hang
their souls on Him。 Few seem to be aware how full of love He is to His
poor； weak people； and how ready to help them！ And few therefore seem
to know the peace； and joy； and strength； and power to live a godly
life； which is to be had in Christ。
Change you plan； reader； if your conscience tells you you are guilty：
change your plan； and learn to trust Christ more。 Physicians love to
see patients ing to consult them： it is their office to receive the
sickly and； if possible； to effect cures。 The advocate loves to be
employed： it is his calling。 The husband loves his wife to trust him
and lean upon him： it is his delight to cherish her and promote her
fort。 And Christ loves His people to lean on Him； to rest in Him； to
call on Him； to abide in Him。
Let us all learn and strive to do so more and more。 Let us live on
Christ。 Let us live in Christ。 Let us live with Christ。 Let us live to
Christ。 So doing； we shall prove that we fully realize that 〃Christ is
all。〃 So doing； we shall feel great peace； and attain more of that
〃holiness without which no man shall see the Lord。〃 （Heb。 xii。 14。）
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XXI
EXTRACTS FROM OLD WRITERS
THE passages I append from Traill and Brooks on the subject of Holiness
appear to me so valuable that I make no apology for introducing them。
They are the product of an age when； I am obliged to say； experimental
religion was more deeply studied and far better understood than it is
now。
（I。） Reverend Robert Trail； sometime Minister of Cranbrook； Kent。 1696。
〃Concerning sanctification； there are three things that I would speak
to。
〃I。 What sanctification is。
〃II。 Wherein it agrees with justification。
〃III。 Wherein it differs from justification。
〃I。 What is sanctification？ It is a great deal better to feel it than
to express it；
〃Sanctification is the same with regeneration； the same with the
renovation of the whole man。 Sanctification is the forming a
