一月二十二日
人子啊，葡萄树比别样树有什么强处？葡萄枝比众树枝有什么好处？（结15:2）
这些话是叫神的子民谦卑；他们是神的葡萄树，葡萄树的性质与其他树木有什么两样呢？它们，因着神的圣善，成为多结果子的树，种在肥美的好土中；它们在神的圣园中受修理，结出果子来荣耀神；但是若它们没有神便怎么样呢？若我们没有圣灵的影响，怎会多结果子呢？信徒呀！要学着去掉你的骄傲，因为你毫无可以骄傲的理由。不管你是怎样的人，你有什么可骄傲的呢？你所有的越多，那末欠神的债也就越多；你既是一位负债人还有什么可骄傲的呢？想想你的本源，看看你过去是什么样子。想想你若没有神的恩典会成为什么样子？看看你现在是什么样子。你的良心不责备你吗？你一切的流离可怜的情形，不会告诉你说你不配称为他的儿子吗？若他使你更换一新，你不知道你是因为恩典才成了两样的人吗？大信徒呀！若神不使你成为两样的人你还不是一位大罪人吗？你这奋勇为真道的人，若恩典不临到你，你不是也勇于犯罪吗？因此，不要骄傲，虽然你有了极大的产业——广大恩典的基业，但除了你的罪和可怜之外，没有一样可说是你自己的。唉！你这受迷惑的人，你的一切既然都是告贷来的，就不当自己扬扬得意；你这依赖救主周济的人，若没有耶稣，你的生命流早就中断了，可是你还要骄傲！愚蠢的心啊！你自己不觉得好笑吗？
“谦卑在耶稣脚前，谦卑在耶稣脚前，谦卑在耶稣脚前，谦卑到底。”
January
22
“Son
of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is
among the trees of the forest?” –Ezekiel 15:2
These words are for the humbling of God’s people; they are called God’s
vine, but what are they by nature more than others? They, by God’s goodness,
have become fruitful, having been planted in a good soil; the Lord hath trained
them upon the walls of the sanctuary, and they bring forth fruit to His glory;
but what are they without their God? What are they without the continual
influence of the Spirit, begetting fruitfulness in them? O believer, learn to
reject pride, seeing that thou hast no ground for it. Whatever thou art, thou
hast nothing to make thee proud. The more thou hast, the more thou art in debt
to God; and thou shouldst not be proud of that which renders thee a debtor.
Consider thine origin; look back to what thou wast. Consider what thou wouldst
have been but for divine grace. Look upon thyself as thou art now. Doth not thy
conscience reproach thee? Do not thy thousand wanderings stand before thee, and
tell thee that thou art unworthy to be called His son? And if He hath made thee
anything, art thou not taught thereby that it is grace which hath made thee to
differ? Great believer, thou wouldst have been a great sinner if God had not made
thee to differ. O thou who art valiant for truth, thou wouldst have been as
valiant for error if grace had not laid hold upon thee. Therefore, be not
proud, though thou hast a large estate–a wide domain of grace, thou hadst not
once a single thing to call thine own except thy sin and misery. Oh! strange
infatuation, that thou, who hast borrowed everything, shouldst think of
exalting thyself; a poor dependent pensioner upon the bounty of thy Saviour,
one who hath a life which dies without fresh streams of life from Jesus, and
yet proud! Fie on thee, O silly heart!
