八月二十五日
我欢欢喜喜坐在他的荫下，尝他果子的滋味，觉得甘甜。（歌2：3）.
圣经所说的信心与人一切的感官都有关系。它是视：“都当仰望我，就必得救。”它是听：“侧耳而听，就必得活。”信心也是嗅：“你的衣服，都有没药、沉香、肉桂的香气”，“你的名如同倒出来的香膏。”信心也是属灵的触：因有这信心，患病的妇人悄悄地跟在耶稣后面摸他的衣䍁；因着信心，我们抓住圣善的生命的言语。信心也是属灵的味：“你的言语在我上膛何等甘美，在我口中比蜜更甜！”基督说：“你们若不吃人子的肉，不喝人子的血，就没有生命在你们里面。。“尝”是信心的至高作用之一。信心有初步乃是听。我们听到神的话，不只用外面的耳朵，也用内心的耳朵；我们听到那是神的话，我们就相信了他的话，这就是信的“听觉”。于是我们的心仰望那真道；那就是说我们明白了，我们通晓了真道的意义，这就是信心的“视觉”。以后我们再发现真道的宝贵；我们切慕它，闻到它的香味，这就是信心的“嗅觉”。于是我们就近在基督里爲我们所预备的恩典，这就是信心的“触觉”。之后，快乐、平安、喜乐、交通就临到了我们，那就是信心的“味觉”。信心的这一切官觉都能使人得救。听基督的话就是听神求我们灵魂的话；而真正的福乐乃是借着尝，因信把基督接在我们里面，使他的宝贵和甜蜜在我们里面成爲我们灵魂的食粮。那末，我们才算“坐在他的荫下”，幷尝他甘美的果子。
August
25
“His
fruit was sweet to my taste.” — Song of Solomon 2:3
Faith, in the Scripture, is spoken of
under the emblem of all the senses. It is sight: “Look unto me and be ye
saved.” It is hearing: “Hear, and your soul shall live.” Faith
is smelling: “All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and
cassia”; “thy name is as ointment poured forth.” Faith is
spiritual touch. By this faith the woman came behind and touched the hem of
Christ’s garment, and by this we handle the things of the good word of life.
Faith is equally the spirit’s taste. “How sweet are Thy words to my taste!
yea, sweeter than honey to my lips.” “Except a man eat my
flesh,” saith Christ, “and drink my blood, there is no life in
him.”
This “taste” is faith in one of its highest operations. One of
the first performances of faith is hearing. We hear the voice of God, not with
the outward ear alone, but with the inward ear; we hear it as God’s Word, and
we believe it to be so; that is the “hearing” of faith. Then our mind
looketh upon the truth as it is presented to us; that is to say, we understand
it, we perceive its meaning; that is the “seeing” of faith. Next we
discover its preciousness; we begin to admire it, and find how fragrant it is;
that is faith in its “smell.” Then we appropriate the mercies which
are prepared for us in Christ; that is faith in its “touch.” Hence
follow the enjoyments, peace, delight, communion; which are faith in its
“taste.” Any one of these acts of faith is saving. To hear Christ’s
voice as the sure voice of God in the soul will save us; but that which gives
true enjoyment is the aspect of faith wherein Christ, by holy taste, is
received into us, and made, by inward and spiritual apprehension of His
sweetness and preciousness, to be the food of our souls. It is then we sit
“under His shadow with great delight,” and find His fruit sweet to
our taste.
