八月十七日
神的慈爱（或译怜悯）。（诗52：8）
请稍微用一点时间来默想神的慈爱。这慈爱是祥和的：他用温柔、仁爱的手医好破碎的心，缠裹被打的伤。他的态度是和悦的，他的慈爱是恩惠的。这慈爱是伟大的：神所有的一切没有渺小的，他的慈爱和他自己一样，是无限量的；你不能测度。他的慈爱是伟大的，因他赦免了一切大罪人长时所犯的大罪，幷赐他们大恩、大权，使他们进入伟大之神的高天，得享大福乐。这慈爱是不应得的：一切大怜悯都是这样，因爲应得的怜悯乃是误解了公义。按著公义来说无人应得神的怜悯。罪人哪有权柄要求至高者向他开恩呢？若悖逆之子当受永火的刑罚，他的死是死有余辜的，还有什麽说词呢？若他得免神的盛怒，那末神的至爱是惟一的情由，罪人是毫无所有的。
这慈爱是宏富的：有一些东西虽然伟大，但是没有功效，然而这慈爱的效用是你消沉的灵性的兴奋剂；是你血流不止的伤口的金膏；是你折断了的骨头的綳带；是你疲乏了的双足的御车；是你颤栗之心的爱怀。这慈爱是衆多的：正如本仁所说“神园中的一切花都是双的”。神的慈爱没有单的；你或许以爲你只得了一种慈爱，但你若仔细寻思就发现是一串慈爱。这慈爱是丰盛的：千千万万的人得了这慈爱，但是这慈爱幷不因之穷尽。它仍然永远是新鲜、丰满，任人白白取得的。这慈爱是永不失败的：它永不离开你，若慈爱与你爲友，那麽当你受试探的时候，慈爱必帮助你得胜试探；在困苦中必不使你下沉；在你活着的时候是你脸上的亮光和生命；在你将死、世福消失的时候，是你灵魂的快乐。
August
17
“The
mercy of God.” — Psalm 52:8
Meditate a little on this mercy of the Lord. It is tender mercy. With
gentle, loving touch, He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their
wounds. He is as gracious in the manner of His mercy as in the matter of it. It
is great mercy. There is nothing little in God; His mercy is like Himself–it
is infinite. You cannot measure it. His mercy is so great that it forgives
great sins to great sinners, after great lengths of time, and then gives great
favours and great privileges, and raises us up to great enjoyments in the great
heaven of the great God. It is undeserved mercy, as indeed all true mercy must
be, for deserved mercy is only a misnomer for justice. There was no right on
the sinner’s part to the kind consideration of the Most High; had the rebel
been doomed at once to eternal fire he would have richly merited the doom, and
if delivered from wrath, sovereign love alone has found a cause, for there was
none in the sinner himself. It is rich mercy. Some things are great, but have
little efficacy in them, but this mercy is a cordial to your drooping spirits;
a golden ointment to your bleeding wounds; a heavenly bandage to your broken
bones; a royal chariot for your weary feet; a bosom of love for your trembling
heart. It is manifold mercy. As Bunyan says, “All the flowers in God’s
garden are double.” There is no single mercy. You may think you have but
one mercy, but you shall find it to be a whole cluster of mercies. It is
abounding mercy. Millions have received it, yet far from its being exhausted;
it is as fresh, as full, and as free as ever. It is unfailing mercy. It will
never leave thee. If mercy be thy friend, mercy will be with thee in temptation
to keep thee from yielding; with thee in trouble to prevent thee from sinking;
with thee living to be the light and life of thy countenance; and with thee
dying to be the joy of thy soul when earthly comfort is ebbing fast.
