莱尔主教holiness-第83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！
contrary； that there must be warfare so long as you are in the body。 We
would not keep you back； or deter you from Christ's service。 But we
would have you 〃count the cost；〃 and fully understand what Christ's
service entails。 （Luke xiv。 28。）
（a） Marvel not at the enmity of the gates of hell。 〃If ye were of the
world； the world would love his own。〃 （John xv。 19。） So long as the
world is the world； and the devil the devil； so long there must be
warfare； and believers in Christ must be soldiers。 The world hated
Christ； and the world will hate true Christians； as long as the earth
stands。 As the great reformer； Luther； said； 〃Cain will go on murdering
Abel so long as the Church is on earth。〃
（b） Be prepared for the enmity of the gates of hell。 Put on the whole
armour of God。 The tower of David contains a thousand bucklers； all
ready for the use of God's people。 The weapons of our warfare have been
tried by millions of poor sinners like ourselves； and have never been
found to fail。
（c） Be patient under the enmity of the gates of hell。 It is all working
together for your good。 It tends to sanctify。 It will keep you awake。
It will make you humble。 It will drive you nearer to the Lord Jesus
Christ。 It will wean you from the world。 It will help to make you pray
more。 Above all； it will make you long for heaven。 It will teach you to
say with heart as well as lips； 〃e； Lord Jesus。 Thy kingdom e。〃
（d） Be not cast down by the enmity of hell。 The warfare of the true
child of God is as much a mark of grace as the inward peace which he
enjoys。 No cross； no crown！ No conflict； no saving Christianity！
〃Blessed are ye；〃 said our Lord Jesus Christ； 〃when men shall revile
you； and persecute you； and say all manner of evil against you falsely；
for my sake。〃 If you are never persecuted for religion's sake； and all
men speak well of you； you may well doubt whether you belong to 〃the
Church on the rock。〃 （Matt。 v。 11； Luke vi。 26。）
V。 There remains one thing more to be consideredthe Security of the
true Church of Christ。 There is a glorious promise given by the
Builder； 〃The gates of hell shall not prevail。〃
He who cannot lie has pledged His word that all the powers of hell
shall never overthrow His Church。 It shall continue； and stand； in
spite of every assault。 It shall never be overe。 All other created
things perish and pass away； but not the Church which is built on the
rock。
Empires have risen and fallen in rapid succession。 Egypt； Assyria；
Babylon； Persia； Tyre； Carthage； Rome； Greece； Venice。Where are all
these now？ They were all the creations of man's hand； and have passed
away。 But the true Church of Christ lives on。
The mightiest cities have bee heaps of ruins。 The broad walls of
Babylon have sunk to the ground。 The palaces of Nineveh are covered
with mounds of dust。 The hundred gates of Thebes are only matters of
history。 Tyre is a place where fishermen hang their nets。 Carthage is a
desolation。 Yet all this time the true Church stands。 The gates of hell
do not prevail against it。
The earliest visible Churches have in many cases decayed and perished。
Where is the Church of Ephesus and the Church of Antioch？ Where is the
Church of Alexandria and the Church of Constantinople？ Where are the
Corinthian； and Philippian； and Thessalonian Churches？ Where； indeed；
are they all？ They departed from the Word of God。 They were proud of
their bishops； and synods； and ceremonies； and learning； and antiquity。
They did not glory in the true cross of Christ。 They did not hold fast
the Gospel。 They did not give the Lord Jesus His rightful office； or
faith its rightful place。 They are now among the things that have been。
Their candlestick has been taken away。 But all this time the true
Church has lived on。
Has the true Church been oppressed in one country？ It has fled to
another。Has it been trampled on and oppressed in one soil？ It has
taken root and flourished in some other climate。Fire； sword； prisons；
fines； penalties； have never been able to destroy its vitality。 Its
persecutors have died and gone to their own place； but the Word of God
has lived； and grown； and multiplied。 Weak as this true Church may
appear to the eye of man； it is an anvil which has broken many a hammer
in times past； and perhaps will break many more before the end。 〃He
that lays hands on it； is touching the apple of his eye。〃 （Zech。 ii。
8。）
The promise of our text is true of the whole body of the true Church。
Christ will never be without witness in the world。 He has had a people
in the worst of times。 He had seven thousand in Israel even in the days
of Ahab。 There are some now； I believe； in dark places of the Roman and
Greek Churches； who； in spite of much weakness； are serving Christ。 The
devil may rage horribly。 The Church in some countries may be brought
exceedingly low。 But the gates of hell shall never entirely 〃prevail。〃
The promise of our text is true of every individual member of the
Church。 Some of God's people have been so much cast down and
disquieted； that they have despaired of their safety。 Some have fallen
sadly； as David and Peter did。 Some have departed from the faith for a
time； like Cranmer and Jewell。 Many have been tried by cruel doubts and
fears。 But all have got safe home at last； the youngest as well as the
oldest； the weakest as well as the strongest。And so it will be to the
end。 Can you prevent tomorrow's sun from rising？ Can you prevent the
tide in the Bristol Channel from ebbing and flowing？ Can you prevent
the planets moving in their respective orbits？ Then； and then alone；
can you prevent the salvation of any believer； however feeblethe
final safety of any living stone in that Church which is built upon the
rock； however small or insignificant that stone may appear。
The true Church is Christ's body。 Not one bone in that mystical body
shall ever be broken。The true Church is Christ's bride。 Those whom
God has joined in everlasting covenant； shall never be put
asunder。The true Church is Christ's flock。 When the lion came and
took a lamb out of David's flock； David arose and delivered the lamb
from his mouth。 Christ will do the same。 He is David's greater son。 Not
a single sick lamb in Christ's flock shall perish。 He will say to His
Father in the last day； 〃Of them which Thou gavest Me I have lost
none。〃 （John xviii。 9。）The true Church is the wheat of the earth。 It
may be sifted； winnowed； buffeted； tossed to and fro。 But not one grain
shall！ be lost。 The tares and chaff shall be burned。 The wheat shall be
gathered into the barn。The true Church is Christ's army。 The Captain
of our salvation loses none of His soldiers。 His plans are never
defeated。 His supplies never fail。 His muster…roll is the same at the
end as it was at the beginning。 Of the men that marched gallantly out
of England many years ago in the Crimean war； how many ever came back！
Regiments that went forth； strong and cheerful； with bands playing and
banners flying； laid their bones in a foreign land and never returned
to their native country。 But it is not so with Christ's army。 Not one
of His soldiers shall be missing at last。 He Himself declares； 〃They
shall never perish。〃 （John x。 28。）
The devil may cast some of the members of the true Church into prison。
He may kill； and burn； and torture； and hang。 But after he has killed
the body； there is nothing more that he can do。 He cannot hurt the
soul。 When the French troops took Rome years ago； they found on the
walls of a prison cell； under the Inquisition； the words of a prisoner。
Who he was； we know not。 But his words are worthy of remembrance。
〃Though dead； he yet speaketh。〃 He had written on the walls； very
likely after an unjust trial and a still more unjust exmunication；
the following striking words：〃Blessed Jesus； they cannot cast me out
of Thy true
