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莱尔主教holiness-第2章

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   daily habits and tempers; has been far too much overlooked。 Worldly
   people sometimes plain with reason that 〃religious〃 persons;
   so…called; are not so amiable and unselfish and good…natured as others
   who make no profession of religion。 Yet sanctification; in its place
   and proportion; is quite as important as justification。 Sound
   Protestant and Evangelical doctrine is useless if it is not acpanied
   by a holy life。 It is worse than useless: it does positive harm。 It is
   despised by keen…sighted and shrewd men of the world; as an unreal and
   hollow thing; and brings religion into contempt。 It is my firm
   impression that we want a thorough revival about Scriptural holiness;
   and I am deeply thankful that attention is being directed to the point。

   It is; however; of great importance that the whole subject should be
   placed on right foundations; and that the movement about it should not
   be damaged by crude; disproportioned; and one…sided statements。 If such
   statements abound; we must not be surprised。 Satan knows well the power
   of true holiness; and the immense injury which increased attention to
   it will do to his kingdom。 It is his interest; therefore; to promote
   strife and controversy about this part of God's truth。 Just as in time
   past he has succeeded in mystifying and confusing men's minds about
   justification; so he is labouring in the present day to make men
   〃darken counsel by words without knowledge〃 about sanctification。 May
   the Lord rebuke him! I cannot however give up the hope that good will
   be brought out of evil; that discussion will elicit truth; and that
   variety of opinion will lead us all to search the Scriptures more; to
   pray more; and to bee more diligent in trying to find out what is
   〃the mind of the Spirit。〃

   I now feel it a duty; in sending forth this volume; to offer a few
   introductory hints to those whose attention is specially directed to
   the subject of sanctification in the present day。 I know that I do so
   at the risk of seeming presumptuous; and possibly of giving offence。
   But something must be ventured in the interests of God's truth。 I shall
   therefore put my hints into the form of questions; and I shall request
   my readers to take them as 〃Cautions for the Times on the subject of
   holiness。〃

   (1) I ask; in the first place; whether it is wise to speak of faith as
   the one thing needful; and the only thing required; as many seem to do
   now…a…days in handling the doctrine of sanctification?Is it wise to
   proclaim in so bald; naked; and unqualified a way as many do; that the
   holiness of converted people is by faith only; and not at all by
   personal exertion? Is it according to the proportion of God's Word? I
   doubt it。

   That faith in Christ is the root of all holinessthat the first step
   towards a holy life is to believe on Christthat until we believe we
   have not a jot of holinessthat union with Christ by faith is the
   secret of both beginning to be holy and continuing holythat the life
   that we live in the flesh we must live by the faith of the Son of
   Godthat faith purifies the heartthat faith is the victory which
   overes the worldthat by faith the elders obtained a good
   reportall these are truths which no well…instructed Christian will
   ever think of denying。 But surely the Scriptures teach us that in
   following holiness the true Christian needs personal exertion and work
   as well as faith。 The very same Apostle who says in one place; 〃The
   life that I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God;〃
   says in another place; 〃I fightI runI keep under my body;〃 and in
   other places; 〃Let us cleanse ourselveslet us labour; let us lay
   aside every weight。〃 (Gal。 ii。 20;! Cor。 ix。 26; 2 Cor。 vii。 1; Heb。
   iv。 11; xii。 1 。) Moreover; the Scriptures nowhere teach us that faith
   sanctifies us in the same sense; and in the same manner; that faith
   justifies us! Justifying faith is a grace that 〃worketh not;〃 but
   simply trusts; rests; and leans on Christ。 (Rom。 iv。 5。) Sanctifying
   faith is a grace of which the very life is action: it 〃worketh by
   love;〃 and; like a main…spring; moves the whole inward man。 (Gal。 v。
   6。) After all; the precise phrase 〃sanctified by faith〃 is only found
   once in the New Testament。 The Lord Jesus said to Saul; 〃I send thee;
   that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them
   which are sanctified by faith that is in Me。〃 Yet even there I agree
   with Alford; that 〃by faith〃 belongs to the whole sentence; and must
   not be tied to the word 〃sanctified。〃 The true sense is; 〃that by faith
   in Me they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them
   that are sanctified。〃 (pare Acts xxvi。 18 with Acts xx。 32。)

   As to the phrase 〃holiness by faith;〃 I find it nowhere in the New
   Testament。 Without controversy; in the matter of our justification
   before God; faith in Christ is the one thing needful。 All that simply
   believe are justified。 Righteousness is imputed 〃to him that worketh
   not but believeth。〃 (Rom。 iv。 5。) It is thoroughly Scriptural and right
   to say 〃faith alone justifies。〃 But it is not equally Scriptural and
   right so say 〃faith alone sanctifies。〃 The saying requires very large
   qualification。 Let one fact suffice。 We are frequently told that a man
   is 〃justified by faith without the deeds of the law;〃 by St。 Paul。 But
   not once are we told that we are 〃sanctified by faith without the deeds
   of the law。〃 On the contrary; we are expressly told by St。 James that
   the faith whereby we are visibly and demonstratively justified before
   man; is a faith which 〃if it hath not works is dead; being alone。〃 '1'
   (James ii。 17。) I may be told; in reply; that no one of course means to
   disparage 〃works〃 as an essential part of a holy life。 It would be
   well; however; to make this more plain than many seem to make it in
   these days。

   (2) I ask; in the second place; whether it is wise to make so little as
   some appear to do; paratively; of the many practica
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