四月十日
到了一个地方，名叫髑髅地……（路23:33）
安慰的山便是加弗瑞山，安舒的房子是用十字架的木头所造的，天上的圣殿是建筑在破裂的磐石之上——枪把他的肋旁扎破了。在历史上没有一种景象像加弗瑞的悲剧这样能欢畅人心了。悲哀人若转眼仰望十字架，内心必得安慰快乐，它的光芒比伯利恒的星还明亮。各各他从午正到夜半出现了一个大光，周围的花木在那被咒诅的树荫之下更加鲜艳茂盛。在干旱之地，恩典掘出了一口澄清的涌流着的泉源，每一滴都能消除人类的悲哀。当你经过争斗的时候，你承认你不能从橄榄山，从西奈山，从他泊山得到安慰；但客西马尼、厄巴大和各各他却能安慰你。客西马尼的苦草能除去你生活中的苦痛，厄巴大的鞭笞能鞭去你的忧虑，加弗瑞的唉哼能使其他唉哼之声退避三舍。因此加弗瑞给我们稀有而丰富的安慰。若基督不死，我们就不知他的爱有多高多深；若神不叫他的儿子死，我们也不知父的爱有多大。我们在所得的恩怜中常愿歌颂爱，正像我们把一个贝壳放在耳边，要听它述说海的深广；但我们若要海洋自己来述说的话，就不要看每天所得的福份，而要看主钉十字架。谁若愿意知道爱是什么，就当来到加弗瑞看看那位常经忧患的人怎样被钉死！
“在我主十字架，我已见主恩光，罪重担从我心皆脱落。在圣架我因信，眼明亮，心平康，到如今我终日常欢乐。”
April 10
“The place which is called Calvary.” –Luke 23:33
The hill of comfort is the hill of
Calvary; the house of consolation is built with the wood of the cross; the
temple of heavenly blessing is founded upon the riven rock–riven by the spear
which pierced His side. No scene in sacred history ever gladdens the soul like
Calvary’s tragedy.
“Is it not strange, the darkest hour
That ever dawned on sinful earth,
Should touch the heart with softer power,
For comfort, than an angel’s mirth?
That to the Cross the mourner’s eye should
turn,
Sooner than where the stars of Bethlehem
burn?”
Light springs from the midday-midnight of Golgotha, and every herb of
the field blooms sweetly beneath the shadow of the once accursed tree. In that
place of thirst, grace hath dug a fountain which ever gusheth with waters pure
as crystal, each drop capable of alleviating the woes of mankind. You who have
had your seasons of conflict, will confess that it was not at Olivet that you
ever found comfort, not on the hill of Sinai, nor on Tabor; but Gethsemane,
Gabbatha, and Golgotha have been a means of comfort to you. The bitter herbs of
Gethsemane have often taken away the bitters of your life; the scourge of
Gabbatha has often scourged away your cares, and the groans of Calvary yields
us comfort rare and rich. We never should have known Christ’s love in all its
heights and depths if He had not died; nor could we guess the Father’s deep
affection if He had not given His Son to die. The common mercies we enjoy all sing
of love, just as the sea-shell, when we put it to our ears, whispers of the
deep sea whence it came; but if we desire to hear the ocean itself, we must not
look at every-day blessings, but at the transactions of the crucifixion. He who
would know love, let him retire to Calvary and see the Man of sorrows die.
