十月二十八日
我从世界中拣选了你们。（约15：19）
神分别幷分辨我们，实在是他的恩典和关怀；有一些人乃是他特爱的对象。我们因神的拣选便可坦然无惧。当你的心最沉重、最消沉的时候，你就可以发现这是一瓶浓郁的兴奋剂。那疑惑、或是弃绝恩典道理的人，便得不到以实各谷的葡萄，也吃不到神在圣山上用满髓的肥甘幷澄清的陈酒所摆设的筵席。基烈的乳香比起它来也算不得什麽。约拿单手杖上的蜜能使人眼目明亮，而这蜜却能使你的心明亮，使你喜爱幷得知神国的奥秘。吃吧！不要怕吃得过度；要靠这珍肴美味过活，不要怕它太可口了。臣仆与王同桌共餐幷不会受什麽损害的。要扩展你的心，使你更能多多明了神永久的、永远的、分别的大爱。当你到达拣选的高山之后，也要停留在另一座高山——恩典的约上面。那约是护卫我们的伟大磐石，是我们的保障，基督耶稣乃是心灵战栗之人的安息之处。“他的誓、他的约、他的血，在汹涌的洪流中仍扶持我；
世上一切依靠都失效，这仍是我的力量，我的投靠。”
当耶稣要把我带到荣耀里，当父应许把我赐给他受过千辛万苦的儿子作爲永远的奖赏时；我的心哪！除非神不是信实的，或者耶稣不是可靠的，不然你总是稳妥而安全的。当大卫在约柜前踊跃跳舞时，他告诉米甲说那是因神拣选他的缘故。我的心哪！来吧，爲神的恩典歌唱，爲心中的快乐跳舞吧！
October
28
“I
have chosen you out of the world.”–John 15:19
Here is distinguishing grace and
discriminating regard; for some are made the special objects of divine
affection. Do not be afraid to dwell upon this high doctrine of election. When
your mind is most heavy and depressed, you will find it to be a bottle of
richest cordial. Those who doubt the doctrines of grace, or who cast them into
the shade, miss the richest clusters of Eshcol; they lose the wines on the lees
well refined, the fat things full of marrow. There is no balm in Gilead
comparable to it. If the honey in Jonathan’s wood when but touched enlightened
the eyes, this is honey which will enlighten your heart to love and learn the
mysteries of the kingdom of God. Eat, and fear not a surfeit; live upon this
choice dainty, and fear not that it will be too delicate a diet. Meat from the
King’s table will hurt none of his courtiers. Desire to have your mind
enlarged, that you may comprehend more and more the eternal, everlasting,
discriminating love of God. When you have mounted as high as election, tarry on
its sister mount, the covenant of grace. Covenant engagements are the munitions
of stupendous rock behind which we lie entrenched; covenant engagements with
the surety, Christ Jesus, are the quiet resting-places of trembling spirits.
“His oath, his covenant, his blood,
Support me in the raging flood;
When every earthly prop gives way,
This still is all my strength and
stay.”
If Jesus undertook to bring me to glory, and if the Father promised that
he would give me to the Son to be a part of the infinite reward of the travail
of his soul; then, my soul, till God himself shall be unfaithful, till Jesus
shall cease to be the truth, thou art safe. When David danced before the ark,
he told Michal that election made him do so. Come, my soul, exult before the God
of grace and leap for joy of heart.
