莱尔主教holiness-第104部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of ceremonies； and bodily exercises； and gestures； and postures； our
position would be paratively light。 But this is not all。 We have got
to deliver our Master's messageto keep back nothing that is
profitable…to declare all the counsel of God。 If we tell our
congregations less than the truth or more than the truth； we may ruin
for ever immortal souls。 Life and death are in the power of the
preacher's tongue。 〃Woe is unto us if we preach not the Gospel！〃 （1
Cor。 ix。 16。）
Once more I say； Pray for us。 Who is sufficient for these things？
Remember the old saying of the Fathers： 〃None are in more spiritual
danger than ministers。〃 It is easy to criticise and find fault with us。
We have a treasure in earthen vessels。 We are men of like passions with
yourselves； and not infallible。 Pray for us in these trying； tempting；
controversial days； that our Church may never lack bishops； priests；
and deacons who are sound in the faith； bold as lions； 〃wise as
serpents； and yet harmless as doves。〃 （Matt。 x。 16。） The very man who
said 〃Grace is given me to preach；〃 is the same man who said； in
another place； 〃Pray for us； that the word of the Lord may have free
course； and be glorified； and that we may be delivered from
unreasonable and wicked men： for all men have not faith。〃 （2 Thess。
iii。 1； 2。）
III。 Let us now notice； in the last place； what St。 Paul says of the
great subject of his preaching。 He calls it 〃the unsearchable riches of
Christ。〃
That the converted man of Tarsus should preach 〃Christ〃 is no more than
we might expect from his antecedents。 Having found peace through the
blood of the cross himself； we may be sure he would always tell the
story of the cross to others。 He never wasted precious time in exalting
a mere rootless morality； in descanting on vague abstractions and empty
platitudessuch as 〃the true；〃 and 〃the noble；〃 and 〃the earnest；〃 and
〃the beautiful；〃 and 〃the germs of goodness in human nature；〃 and the
like。 He always went to the root of the matter； and showed men their
great family disease； their desperate state as sinners； and the Great
Physician needed by a sin…sick world。
That he should preach Christ among 〃the Gentiles〃 again； is in keeping
with all we know of his line of action in all places and among all
people。 Wherever he travelled and stood up to preach at Antioch； at
Lystra； at Philippi； at Athens； at Corinth； at Ephesus； among Greeks or
Romans； among learned or unlearned； among Stoics and Epicureans； before
rich or poor； barbarians； Scythians； bond； or freeJesus and His
vicarious death； Jesus and His resurrection； was the keynote of his
sermons。 Varying his mode of address according to his audience； as he
wisely did； the pith and heart of his preaching was Christ crucified。
But in the text before us； you will observe； he uses a very peculiar
expression； an expression which unquestionably stands alone in his
writings〃the unsearchable riches of Christ〃 It is the strong； burning
language of one who always remembered his debt to Christ's mercy and
grace； and loved to show how intensely he felt it by his words。 St。
Paul was not a man to act or speak by halves。 （Quicquid fecit vald�
fecit。） He never forgot the road to Damascus； the house of Judas in the
street called Strait； the visit of good Ananias； the scales falling
from his eyes； and his own marvellous passage from death to life。 These
things are always fresh and green before his mind； and so he is not
content to say； 〃Grace is given me to preach Christ。〃 No： he amplifies
his subject。 He calls it 〃the unsearchable riches of Christ。〃
But what did the Apostle mean when he spoke of 〃unsearchable riches〃？
This is a hard question to answer。 No doubt he saw in Christ such a
boundless provision for all the wants of man's soul that he knew no
other phrase to convey his meaning。 From whatever standpoint he beheld
Jesus； he saw in Him far more than mind could conceive； or tongue could
tell。 What he precisely intended must necessarily be matter of
conjecture。 But it may be useful to set down in detail some of the
things which most probably were in his mind。 It may； it must； it ought
to be useful。 For after all； let us remember； these 〃riches of Christ〃
are riches which you and I need in England just as much as St。 Paul；
and； best of all； these 〃riches〃 are treasured up in Christ for you and
me as much as they were 1900 years ago。 They are still there。 They are
still offered freely to all who are willing to have them。 They are
still the property of everyone who repents and believes。 Let us glance
briefly at some of them。
（a） Set down； first and foremost； in your minds that there are
unsearchable riches in Christ's person。 That miraculous union of
perfect Man and perfect God in our Lord Jesus Christ is a great
mystery； no doubt； which we have no line to fathom。 It is a high thing；
and we cannot attain to it。 But； mysterious as that union may be； it is
a mine of fort and consolation to all who can rightly regard it。
Infinite power and infinite sympathy are met together and bined m
our Saviour。 If He had been only Man He could not have saved us。 If He
had been only God （I speak with reverence） He could not have been
〃touched with the feeling of our infirmities；〃 nor 〃suffered Himself
being tempted。〃 （Heb。 ii。 18； iv。 15。） As God； He is mighty to save；
and as Man； He is exactly suited to be our Head； Representative； and
Friend。 Let those who never think deeply； taunt us； if they will； with
squabbling about creeds and dogmatic theology。 But let thoughtful
Christians never be ashamed to believe and hold fast the neglected
doctrine of the Incarnation； and the union of two natures in our
Saviour。 It is a rich and precious truth that our Lord Jesus Christ is
both 〃God and Man。〃
（b） Set down； next； in your minds that there are unsearchable riches in
the work which Christ acplished for us； when He lived on earth；
died； and rose again。 Truly and indeed； 〃He finished the work which His
Father gave Him to do。〃 （John xvii。 4）the work of atonement for sin；
the work of reconciliation； the work of redemption； the work of
satisfaction； the work of substitution as 〃the just for the unjust。〃 It
pleases some men； I know； to call these short phrases 〃man…made
theological terms； human dogmas；〃 and the like。 But they will find it
hard to prove that each of these much…abused phrases does not honestly
contain the substance of plain texts of Scripture； which； for
convenience sake； like the word Trinity； divines have packed into a
single word。 And each phrase is very rich。
（c） Set down； next； in your minds that there are unsearchable riches in
the offices which Christ at this moment fills； as He lives for us at
the right hand of God。 He is at once our Mediator； our Advocate； our
Priest； our Intercessor； our Shepherd； our Bishop； our Physician； our
Captain； our King； our Master； our Head； our Forerunner； our Elder
Brother； the Bridegroom of our souls。 No doubt these offices are
worthless to those who know nothing of vital religion。 But to those who
live the life of faith； and seek first the kingdom of God； each office
is precious as gold。
（d） Set down； next； in your minds that there are unsearchable riches in
the names and titles which are applied to Christ in the Scriptures。
Their number is very great； every careful Bible…reader knows； and I
cannot of course pretend to do more than select a few of them。 Think
for a moment of such titles as the Lamb of Godthe bread of lifethe
fountain of living watersthe light of the worldthe doorthe
waythe vinethe rockthe corner stonethe Christian's robethe
Christian's altar。 Think of all these names； I say； and consider how
much they contain。 To the careless； worldly man they are mere 〃words；〃
and nothing more； but to the true Christian each title； if beaten out
and developed； will
