十二月七日
神也拣选了世上卑贱的。（林前1：28）
月明星稀，夜阑人静，若是你敢的话，可以到街上走走，那时你就可以看到罪人了。夜色黝黑，狂风怒吼，门上的锁发出几声怪响，那时你就可以看到罪人了。或到监狱，看看铁窗里双眉紧锁著的人们，是你夜晚所不敢单独遇见的人们，那就是罪人了。再到感化院，留心那些俯首招供的堕落的青年，你在那里就可以看到罪人了。或渡海到吃人的地方，你若看到一个人啃著带人腥气的骨头，那就是罪人了。任你到何处，不必走遍全地，你就可以找到罪人，因爲他们是很普遍的；你可以在各城市、各乡镇、各村庄中的每一条街巷找到他们。耶稣就爲这样的人死了。他是人类当中最完全的一位，虽然他爲女人所生，我也要仰望他，因爲基督耶稣乃是来寻找拯救罪人。神选召人的大爱，使最坏的成了最好的。恩河的小石子可以变成王冠上的宝石。毫无价值的渣滓可以变爲精金。救赎的大爱把人类中许多最坏的分别出来作了救主受苦的奖赏。大有功效的恩典召出许多邪恶中最邪恶的人，使他们坐在恩典的筵席上，因此人人都不当失望。
读者呀！因着耶稣含泪注视你的爱，因着流血的创伤所流出的爱，因着那信实的爱，那坚强的爱，那纯洁、无私和永远的爱；因着救主恩慈的心怀，我们求你不要转身离去，好像对你毫无关系似地；乃要相信他，你就必得救。把你的灵魂交托他，他必把你带到他父的右边，进入永远的荣耀里。
December 7
“Base things of the world hath God chosen.”—1
Corinthians 1:28
Walk the streets by
moonlight, if you dare, and you will see sinners then. Watch when the night is
dark, and the wind is howling, and the picklock is grating in the door, and you
will see sinners then. Go to yon jail, and walk through the wards, and mark the
men with heavy over-hanging brows, men whom you would not like to meet at
night, and there are sinners there. Go to the Reformatories, and note those who
have betrayed a rampant juvenile depravity, and you will see sinners there. Go
across the seas to the place where a man will gnaw a bone upon which is reeking
human flesh, and there is a sinner there. Go where you will, you need not
ransack earth to find sinners, for they are common enough; you may find them in
every lane and street of every city, and town, and village, and hamlet. It is
for such that Jesus died. If you will select me the grossest specimen of
humanity, if he be but born of woman, I will have hope of him yet, because
Jesus Christ is come to seek and to save sinners. Electing love has selected
some of the worst to be made the best. Pebbles of the brook grace turns into
jewels for the crown-royal. Worthless dross he transforms into pure gold.
Redeeming love has set apart many of the worst of mankind to be the reward of
the Saviour’s passion. Effectual grace calls forth many of the vilest of the
vile to sit at the table of mercy, and therefore let none despair.
Reader, by that love looking out of Jesus’ tearful eyes,
by that love streaming from those bleeding wounds, by that faithful love, that
strong love, that pure, disinterested, and abiding love; by the heart and by
the bowels of the Saviour’s compassion, we conjure you turn not away as though
it were nothing to you; but believe on him and you shall be saved. Trust your
soul with him and he will bring you to his Father’s right hand in glory
everlasting.
