五月十四日
和基督同作后嗣。（罗8：17）
父所造的博大无垠的世界都是基督的，这是根据法定的权利。“那承受万有的”，才是惟一合法承受神广大世界的后嗣，他也叫我们得这一切，因为我们既被主拣选就与他同为后嗣。乐园中的黄金街、珍珠门、生命河、大福乐和大荣耀，都因我们可称赞的主，永远成为我们的产业。凡他所有的他也分赐给属他的人。他把王冠加在他教会的头上，赐她一个国度，称她的众子为有君尊的祭司，是祭司和君王的后裔。他脱下自己的冠冕为的是叫我们得戴荣耀的冠冕，他离开他的宝座为的是叫凡被他的血所赎的人也得坐在那宝座上。头上戴着冠冕全身都有尊荣，看哪！这里是得胜的基督徒所得的赏赐。基督的宝座、冠冕、王节、王宫、宝库、王服、产业，都是你们的。这是嫉妒、自私和贪婪者们所不及的，因为他们并不许人得他们什么好处，但基督却认为他的民分享了他的一切才有满足喜乐。“你所赐给我的荣耀，我已赐给他们”，“这些事我已经对你们说了，是要叫我的喜乐存在你们心里”。父神的笑容对他更觉甜蜜，因为他和他的民同享那笑容。他的国度的尊荣更令人喜悦，因为他的民得与他一同显现在荣耀里。他的得胜更有价值，因为他的民因此也能得胜。他在宝座中欢乐，因为其中也有他们的坐位。他欢然穿上王服，因为其上遍布他的䍁子。他尽情欢喜快乐，因为他也召他们进入欢乐之中。
May 14
“Joint heirs with
Christ.” — Romans 8:17
The boundless
realms of His Father’s universe are Christ’s by prescriptive right. As
“heir of all things,” He is the sole proprietor of the vast creation
of God, and He has admitted us to claim the whole as ours, by virtue of that
deed of joint-heir-ship which the Lord hath ratified with His chosen people.
The golden streets of paradise, the pearly gates, the river of life, the
transcendent bliss, and the unutterable glory, are, by our blessed Lord, made
over to us for our everlasting possession. All that He has He shares with His
people. The crown royal He has placed upon the head of His Church, appointing
her a kingdom, and calling her sons a royal priesthood, a generation of priests
and kings. He uncrowned Himself that we might have a coronation of glory; He
would not sit upon His own throne until He had procured a place upon it for all
who overcome by His blood. Crown the head and the whole body shares the honour.
Behold here the reward of every Christian conqueror! Christ’s throne, crown,
sceptre, palace, treasure, robes, heritage, are yours. Far superior to the
jealousy, selfishness, and greed, which admit of no participation of their
advantages, Christ deems His happiness completed by His people sharing it.
“The glory which thou gavest me have I given them.” “These
things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your
joy might be full.” The smiles of His Father are all the sweeter to Him,
because His people share them. The honours of His kingdom are more pleasing,
because His people appear with Him in glory. More valuable to Him are His
conquests, since they have taught His people to overcome. He delights in His
throne, because on it there is a place for them. He rejoices in His royal
robes, since over them His skirts are spread. He delights the more in His joy,
because He calls them to enter into it.
