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莱尔主教holiness-第109章

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   and the devil。 In storm; in tempest; through troublous times; silently;
   quietly; without noise; without stir; without excitement; the building
   progresses; like Solomon's temple。 〃I will work;〃 He declares; 〃and who
   shall let it?〃 (Isaiah xliii。 13。)

   The children of this world take little or no interest in the building
   of this Church。 They care nothing for the conversion of souls。 What are
   broken spirits and penitent hearts to them? What is conviction of sin;
   or faith in the Lord Jesus to them? It is all 〃foolishness〃 in their
   eyes。 But while the children of this world care nothing; there is joy
   in the presence of the angels of God。 For the preserving of the true
   Church; the laws of nature have oftentimes been suspended。 For the good
   of that Church; all the providential dealings of God in this world are
   ordered and arranged。 For the elect's sake; wars are brought to an end;
   and peace is given to a nation。 Statesmen; rulers; emperors; kings;
   presidents; heads of governments; have their schemes and plans; and
   think them of vast importance。 But there is another work going on of
   infinitely greater moment; for which they are only the 〃axes and saws〃
   in God's hands。 (Isai。 x。 15。) That work is the erection of Christ's
   spiritual temple; the gathering in of living stones into the one true
   Church。

   We ought to feel deeply thankful that the building of the true Church
   is laid on the shoulders of One that is mighty。 If the work depended on
   man; it would soon stand still。 But; blessed be God; the work is in the
   hands of a Builder who never fails to acplish His designs! Christ is
   the almighty Builder。 He will carry on His work; though nations and
   visible Churches may not know their duty。 Christ will never fail。 That
   which He has undertaken He will certainly acplish。

   III。I pass on to the third point which I propose to considerThe
   Foundation upon which this Church is built。 The Lord Jesus Christ tells
   us; 〃Upon this rock will I build my Church。〃

   What did the Lord Jesus Christ mean when He spoke of this foundation?
   Did He mean the Apostle Peter; to whom He was speaking? I think
   assuredly not。 I can see no reason; if He meant Peter; why He did not
   say; 〃Upon thee〃 will I build my Church。 If He had meant Peter; He
   would surely have said; I will build my Church on thee; as plainly as
   He said; 〃to thee will I give the keys。〃No; it was not the person of
   the Apostle Peter; but the good confession which the Apostle had just
   made! It was not Peter; the erring; unstable man; but the mighty truth
   which the Father had revealed to Peter。 It was the truth concerning
   Jesus Christ Himself which was the rock。 It was Christ's Mediatorship;
   and Christ's Messiahship。 It was the blessed truth that Jesus was the
   promised Saviour; the true Surety; the real Intercessor between God and
   man。 This was the rock; and this the foundation; upon which the Church
   of Christ was to be built。

   The foundation of the true Church was laid at a mighty cost。 It needed
   that the Son of God should take our nature upon Him; and in that nature
   live; suffer; and die; not for His own sins; but for ours。 It needed
   that in that nature Christ should go to the grave; and rise again。 It
   needed that in that nature Christ should go up to heaven; to sit at the
   right hand of God; having obtained eternal redemption for all His
   people。 No other foundation could have met the necessities of lost;
   guilty; corrupt; weak; helpless sinners。

   That foundation; once obtained; is very strong。 It can bear the weight
   of the sins of all the world。 It has borne the weight of all the sins
   of all the believers who have built on it。 Sins of thought; sins of the
   imagination; sins of the heart; sins of the head; sins which everyone
   has seen; and sins which no man knows; sins against God; and sins
   against man; sins of all kinds and descriptionsthat mighty rock can
   bear the weight of all these sins; and not give way。 The mediatorial
   office of Christ is a remedy sufficient for all the sins of all the
   world。

   To this one foundation every member of Christ's true Church is joined。
   In many things believers are disunited and disagreed。 In the matter of
   their soul's foundation they are all of one mind。 Whether Episcopalians
   or Presbyterians; Baptists or Methodists; believers all meet at one
   point。 They are all built on the rock。 Ask where they get their peace;
   and hope; and joyful expectation of good things to e。 You will find
   that all flows from that one mighty source; Christ the Mediator between
   God and man; and the office that Christ holds; as the High Priest and
   Surety of sinners。

   Look to your foundation; if you would know whether or not you are a
   member of the one true Church。 It is a point that may be known to
   yourself。 Your public worship we can see; but we cannot see whether you
   are personally built upon the rock。 Your attendance at the Lord's table
   we can see; but we cannot see whether you are joined to Christ; and one
   with Christ; and Christ in you。 Take heed that you make no mistake
   about your own personal salvation。 See that your own soul is upon the
   rock。 Without this; all else is nothing。 Without this; you will never
   stand in the day of judgment。 Better a thousand times in that day to be
   found in a cottage 〃upon the rock;〃 than in a palace upon the sand!

   IV。 I proceed in the fourth place to speak of the Implied Trials of the
   Church; to which our text refers。 There is mention made of 〃the gates
   of hell。〃 By that expression we are meant to understand the power of
   the prince of hell; even the devil。 (pare Psalm ix。 13; cvii。 18;
   Isa。 xxxviii。 10。)

   The history of Christ's true Church has always been one of conflict and
   war。 It has been constantly assailed by a deadly enemy; Satan; the
   prince of this world。 The devil hates the true Church of Christ with an
   undying hatred。 He is ever stirring up opposition against all its
   members。 He is ever urging the
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