莱尔主教holiness-第9章
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Christ the righteous； perfect God and perfect Man in one Personin the
work that He did by dying for our sins and rising again for our
justificationin the offices that He fills as our Priest； Substitute；
Physician； Shepherd； and Advocatein the precious blood He shed which
can cleanse from all sinin the everlasting righteousness that He
brought inin the perpetual intercession that He carries on as our
Representative at God's right handin His power to save to the
uttermost the chief of sinners； His willingness to receive and pardon
the vilest； His readiness to bear with the weakestin the grace of the
Holy Spirit which He plants in the hearts of all His people； renewing；
sanctifying and causing old things to pass away and all things to
bee newin all thisand oh； what a brief sketch it is！in all
this； I say； there is a full； perfect； and plete medicine for the
hideous disease of sin。 Awful and tremendous as the right view of sin
undoubtedly is； no one need faint and despair if he will take a right
view of Jesus Christ at the same time。 No wonder that old Flavel ends
many a chapter of his admirable 〃Fountain of Life〃 with the touching
words； 〃Blessed be God for Jesus Christ。〃
In bringing this mighty subject to a close； I feel that I have only
touched the surface of it。 It is one which cannot be thoroughly handled
in a paper like this。 He that would see it treated fully and
exhaustively must turn to such masters of experimental theology as
Owen； and Burgess； and Manton； and Charnock； and the other giants of
the Puritan school。 On subjects like this there are no writers to be
pared to the Puritans。 It only remains for me to point out some
practical uses to which the whole doctrine of sin may be profitably
turned in the present day。
（a） I say； then； in the first place； that a Scriptural view of sin is
one of the best antidotes to that vague； dim； misty； hazy kind of
theology which is so painfully current in the present age。 It is vain
to shut our eyes to the fact that there is a vast quantity of so…called
Christianity now…a…days which you cannot declare positively unsound；
but which； nevertheless； is not full measure； good weight； and sixteen
ounces to the pound。 It is a Christianity in which there is undeniably
〃something about Christ； and something about grace； and something about
faith； and something about repentance； and something about holiness〃；
but it is not the real 〃thing as it is〃 in the Bible。 Things are out of
place； and out of proportion。 As old Latimer would have said； it is a
kind of 〃mingle…mangle；〃 and does no good。 It neither exercises
influence on daily conduct； nor forts in life； nor gives peace in
death； and those who hold it often awake too late to find that they
have got nothing solid under their feet。 Now I believe the likeliest
way to cure and mend this defective kind of religion is to bring
forward more prominently the old Scriptural truth about the sinfulness
of sin。 People will never set their faces decidedly towards heaven； and
live like pilgrims； until they really feel that they are in danger of
hell。 Let us all try to revive the old teaching about sin； in
nurseries； in schools； in training colleges； in Universities。 Let us
not forget that 〃the law is good if we use it lawfully；〃 and that *' by
the law is the knowledge of sin。〃 （1 Tim。 i。 8； Rom。 iii。 20； vii。 7。）
Let us bring the law to the front and press it on men's attention。 Let
us expound and beat out the Ten mandments； and show the length； and
breadth； and depth； and height of their requirements。 This is the way
of our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount。 We cannot do better than follow
His plan。 We may depend upon it； men will never e to Jesus； and stay
with Jesus； and live for Jesus； unless they really know why they are to
e； and what is their need。 Those whom the Spirit draws to Jesus are
those whom the Spirit has convinced of sin。 Without thorough conviction
of sin； men may seem to e to Jesus and follow Him for a season； but
they will soon fall away and return to the world。
（b） In the next place； a Scriptural view of sin is one of the best
antidotes to the extravagantly broad and liberal theology which is so
much in vogue at the present time。 The tendency of modern thought is to
reject dogmas； creeds； and every kind of bounds in religion。 It is
thought grand and wise to condemn no opinion whatsoever； and to
pronounce all earnest and clever teachers to be trustworthy； however
heterogeneous and mutually destructive their opinions may
be。Everything forsooth is true； and nothing is false！ Everybody is
right； and nobody is wrong！ Everybody is likely to be saved； and nobody
is to be lost！The Atonement and Substitution of Christ； the
personality of the devil； the miraculous element in Scripture； the
reality and eternity of future punishment； all these mighty
foundation…stones are coolly tossed overboard； like lumber； in order to
lighten the ship of Christianity； and enable it to keep pace with
modern science。Stand up for these great verities； and you are called
narrow； illiberal； old…fashioned； and a theological fossil！ Quote a
text； and you are told that all truth is not confined to the pages of
an ancient Jewish Book； and that free inquiry has found out many things
since the Book was pleted！Now； I know nothing so likely to
counteract this modern plague as constant clear statements about the
nature； reality； vileness； power； and guilt of sin。 We must charge home
into the consciences of these men of broad views； and demand a plain
answer to some plain questions。 We must ask them to lay their hands on
their hearts； and tell us whether their favourite opinions fort them
in the day of sickness； in the hour of death； by the bedside of dying
parents； by the grave of beloved wife or child。 We must ask them
whether a vague earnestness； without definite doctrine； gives them
peace at seasons like these。 We must challenge them to tell us whether
they do not sometimes feel a gnawing 〃something〃 within； which all the
free inquiry and philosophy and science in the world cannot satisfy。
And then we must tell them that this gnawing 〃something〃 is the sense
of sin； guilt； and corruption； which they are leaving out in their
calculations。 And； above all； we must tell them that nothing will ever
make them feel rest； but submission to the old doctrines of man's ruin
and Christ's redemption； and simple childlike faith in Jesus。
（c） In the next place； a right view of sin is the best antidote to that
sensuous； ceremonial； formal kind of Christianity； which has swept over
England like a flood in the last twenty…five years； and carried away so
many before it。 I can well believe that there is much that is
attractive in this system of religion； to a certain order of minds； so
long as the conscience is not fully enlightened。 But when that
wonderful part of our constitution called conscience is really awake
and alive； I find it hard to believe that a sensuous ceremonial
Christianity will thoroughly satisfy us。 A little child is easily
quieted and amused with gaudy toys； and dolls； and rattles； so long as
it is not hungry； but once let it feel the cravings of nature within；
and we know that nothing will satisfy it but food。 Just so it is with
man in the matter of his soul。 Music； and flowers； and candles； and
incense； and banners； and processions； and beautiful vestments； and
confessionals； and man…made ceremonies of a semi…Romish character； may
do well enough for him under certain conditions。 But once let him
〃awake and arise from the dead；〃 and he will not rest content with
these things。 They will seem to him mere solemn triflings； and a waste
of time。 Once let him see his sin； and he must see his Saviour。 He
feels stricken with a deadly disease； and nothing will satisfy him but
the great Physician。 He hungers and thirsts； and he
