莱尔主教holiness-第78章
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all things in the world。 〃By Him all things consist。〃 （Col。 i。 17。）
Sun； moon； and stars roll round in a perfect system。 Spring； summer；
autumn； and winter follow one another in regular order。 They continue
to this day and fail not； according to the ordinance of Him who died on
Calvary。 （Psalm cxix。 91。） The kingdoms of this world rise and
increase； and decline and pass away。 The rulers of the earth plan； and
scheme； and make laws； and change laws； and war； and pull down one and
raise up another。 But they little think that they rule only by the will
of Jesus and that nothing happens without the permission of the Lamb of
God。 They do not know that they and their subjects are all as a drop or
water in the hand of the crucified One； and that He increaseth the
nations and diminishes the nations； just according to His mind。 Is not
this power？
（c） Study the subject not least in the miracles worked by our Lord
Jesus Christ during the three years of His ministry upon earth。 Learn
from the mighty works which He did； that the things which are
impossible with man are possible with Christ。 Regard every one of His
miracles as an emblem and figure of spiritual things。 See in it a
lovely picture of what He is able to do for your soul。 He that could
raise the dead with a word can just as easily raise man from the death
of sin。 He that could give sight to the blind； hearing to the deaf； and
speech to the dumb； can also make sinners to see the kingdom of God；
hear the joyful sound of the Gospel； and speak forth the praise of
redeeming love。 He that could heal leprosy with a touch； can heal any
disease of heart。 He that could cast out devils can bid every besetting
sin yield to His grace。 Oh； begin to read Christ's miracles in this
light！ Wicked； and bad； and corrupt as you may feel； take fort in
the thought that you are not beyond Christ's power to heal。 Remember
that in Christ there is not only a fulness of mercy； but a fulness of
power。
（d） Study the subject in particular as placed before you this day。 I
dare be sure your heart has sometimes been tossed to and fro like the
waves in a storm。 You have found it agitated like the waters of the
troubled sea when it cannot rest。 e and hear this day that there is
One who can give you rest。 Jesus can say to your heart； whatever may be
its ailment； 〃Peace； be still I 〃
What though your conscience within be lashed by the recollection of
countless transgressions； and torn by every gust of temptation？ What
though the remembrance of past hideous profligacy be grievous unto you；
and the burden intolerable？ What though your heart seems full of evil；
and sin appears to drag you whither it will like a slave？ What though
the devil rides to and fro over your soul like a conqueror； and tells
you it is vain to struggle against him； there is no hope for you？ I
tell you there is One who can give even you pardon and peace。 My Lord
and Master Jesus Christ can rebuke the devil's raging； can calm even
your soul's misery； and say even to you； 〃Peace； be still！〃 He can
scatter that cloud of guilt which now weighs you down。 He can bid
despair depart。 He can drive fear away。 He can remove the spirit of
bondage and fill you with the spirit of adoption。 Satan may hold your
soul like a strong man armed； but Jesus is stronger than he； and when
He mands； the prisoners must go free。 Oh； if any troubled reader
wants a calm within； let him go this day to Jesus Christ and all shall
yet be well！
But what if your heart be right with God； and yet you are pressed down
with a load of earthly trouble？ What if the fear of poverty is tossing
you to and fro and seems likely to overwhelm you？ What if pain of body
be racking you to distraction day after day？ What if you are suddenly
laid aside from active usefulness； and pelled by infirmity to sit
still and do nothing？ What if death has e into your home and taken
away your Rachael； or Joseph； or Benjamin and left you alone； crushed
to the ground with sorrow？ What if all this has happened？ Still there
is fort in Christ。 He can speak peace to wounded hearts as easily as
calm troubled seas。 He can rebuke rebellious wills as powerfully as
raging winds。 He can make storms of sorrow abate and silence tumultuous
passions as surely as He stopped the Galilean storm。 He can say to the
heaviest anxiety； 〃Peace； be still！〃 The floods of care and tribulation
may be mighty； but Jesus sits upon the waterfloods and is mightier than
the waves of the sea。 （Psalm xciii。 4。） The winds of trouble may howl
fiercely round you； but Jesus holds them in His hand and can stay them
when He lists。 Oh； if any reader of this paper is broken…hearted； and
care…worn； and sorrowful； let him go to Jesus Christ and cry to Him；
and he shall be refreshed。 〃e unto Me；〃 He says； 〃all ye that labour
and are heavy laden； and I will give you rest。〃 （Matt。 xi。 28。）
I invite all who profess and call themselves Chris dans； to take large
views of Christ's power。 Doubt anything else if you will； but never
doubt Christ's power。 Whether you do not secretly love sin； may be
doubtful。 Whether you are not privately clinging to the world； may be
doubtful。 Whether the pride of your nature is not rising against the
idea of being saved as a poor sinner by grace； may be doubtful。 But one
thing is not doubtful； and that is that Christ is 〃able to save to the
uttermost；〃 and will save you； if you will let Him。 （Heb。 vii。 25。）
V。 Let us learn； in the last place； how tenderly and patiently the Lord
Jesus deals with weak believers。
We see this truth brought out in His words to His disciples； when the
wind ceased and there was a calm。 He might well have rebuked them
sharply。 He might well have reminded them of all the great things He
had done for them and reproved them for their cowardice and mistrust。
But there is nothing of anger in the Lord's words。 He simply asks two
questions。 〃Why are ye so fearful？ How is it that ye have no faith？〃
The whole of our Lord's conduct towards His disciples on earth deserves
close consideration； it throws a beautiful light on the passion and
longsuffering that there is in Him。 No master surely ever had scholars
so slow to learn their lessons as Jesus had in the Apostles。 No
scholars surely ever had so patient and forbearing a teacher as the
Apostles had in Christ。 Gather up all the evidence on this subject that
lies scattered through the Gospels； and see the truth of what I say。
At no time of our Lord's ministry did the disciples seem to prehend
fully the object of His ing into the world。 The humiliation； the
atonement； the crucifixion； were hidden things to them。 The plainest
words and clearest warnings from their Master of what was going to
befall Him seemed to have had no effect on their minds。 They understood
not。 They perceived not。 It was hid from their eyes。 Once Peter even
tried to dissuade our Lord from suffering。 〃Be it far from Thee； Lord；〃
he said； 〃this shall not be unto Thee。〃 （Matt。 xvi。 22； Luke xviii。 34；
ix。 45。）
Frequently you will see things in their spirit and demeanour which are
not at all to be mended。 One day we are told they disputed among
themselves who should be greatest。 （Mark ix。 34。） Another day they
considered not His miracles and their hearts were hardened。 （Mark vi。
52。） Once two of them wished to call down fire from heaven upon a
village； because it did not receive them。 （Luke ix。 54。） In the garden
of Gethsemane the three best of them slept when they should have
watched and prayed。 In the hour of His betrayal they all forsook Him
and fled； and worst of all； Peter； the most forward of the twelve；
denied his Master three times with an oath。
Even after the resurrection； you see the same unbelief and hardness of
heart cling to them； though they saw their Lord with their eyes； and
touched Him with their hands； even t
