七月二十七日
又宝贵、又极大的应许。（彼后1：4）
若你要从经历中得知应许的宝贵，幷在心中享受它们的宝贵，就当多思想。有一些应许像酒醡中的葡萄，人用力踹才能流出汁水来。多思想圣善的言语常因之使那些应许得以成全。在你默想的时候，你所寻求的恩惠就不期然而然地临到了你。有很多基督徒渴慕某一种应许，而正在他们思念神的话时心中便得到那恩；因此他们常常因爲把应许存记在心得到很大的快乐。
在思念应许之外，要在你的心灵中接受它们，因爲那是神的话。你要在心中说：“若是一个人的应许，我应当仔细考虑他的能力和品性。对神的应许也当如此；我的眼不当过于注视恩典有多伟大——那能使我发生犹豫的；而当注视应许者的伟大——那能使我快乐起来。我的心哪！应许者是神，就是你的神，对你说话的神不能说谎。你现在所思想的他的话是真实的，像他的存在一样地真实。他是不变的神。他口中所出的一切话从来没有更改过，一字一句都没有反悔过。他也不缺乏能力，对你说这话的神是创造天地的主。他也不缺少智慧，他知道什麽时候当给你或不当给你。因此，神的话既然是真实、不变、有力、智慧的，我就当相信这应许。若我们这样思念应许和应许者，我们就能经验到它们的甘美，也能使它们成全在我们身上。
“我主所言宝贝应许，安慰门徒行天路；就是说道：你的道路，我的眼睛常看顾。”
July 27
“Exceeding great and precious promises.” — 2
Peter 1:4
If you would know experimentally the
preciousness of the promises, and enjoy them in your own heart, meditate much
upon them. There are promises which are like grapes in the wine-press; if you
will tread them the juice will flow. Thinking over the hallowed words will
often be the prelude to their fulfillment. While you are musing upon them, the
boon which you are seeking will insensibly come to you. Many a Christian who
has thirsted for the promise has found the favour which it ensured gently
distilling into his soul even while he has been considering the divine record;
and he has rejoiced that ever he was led to lay the promise near his heart.
But besides meditating
upon the promises, seek in thy soul to receive them as being the very words of
God. Speak to thy soul thus, “If I were dealing with a man’s promise, I
should carefully consider the ability and the character of the man who had
covenanted with me. So with the promise of God; my eye must not be so much
fixed upon the greatness of the mercy–that may stagger me; as upon the
greatness of the promiser–that will cheer me. My soul, it is God, even thy
God, God that cannot lie, who speaks to thee. This word of His which thou art
now considering is as true as His own existence. He is a God unchangeable. He
has not altered the thing which has gone out of His mouth, nor called back one
single consolatory sentence. Nor doth He lack any power; it is the God that
made the heavens and the earth who has spoken thus. Nor can He fail in wisdom
as to the time when He will bestow the favours, for He knoweth when it is best
to give and when better to withhold. Therefore, seeing that it is the word of a
God so true, so immutable, so powerful, so wise, I will and must believe the
promise.” If we thus meditate upon the promises, and consider the
Promiser, we shall experience their sweetness, and obtain their fulfillment.
