the desire of ages-第176节

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and　the　world　as　our　field。

When　the　Saviour　said；　〃Go；　。　。　。　teach　all　nations；〃　He　said　also；　〃These　signs　shall　follow　them　that　believe；　In　My　name　shall　they　cast　out　devils；　they　shall　speak　with　new　tongues；　they　shall　take　up　serpents；　and　if　they　drink　any　deadly　thing；　it　shall　not　hurt　them；　they　shall　lay　hands　on　the　sick；　and　they　shall　recover。〃　The　promise　is　as　far…reaching　as　the　commission。　Not　that　all　the　gifts　are　imparted　to　each　believer。　The　Spirit　divides　〃to　every　man　severally　as　He　will。〃　1　Cor。　12：11。　But　the　gifts　of　the　Spirit　are　promised　to　every　believer　according　to　his　need　for　the　Lord's　work。　The　promise　is　just　as　strong　and　trustworthy　now　as　in　the　days　of　the　apostles。　〃These　signs　shall　follow　them　that　believe。〃　This　is　the　privilege　of　God's　children；　and　faith　should　lay　hold　on　all　that　it　is　possible　to　have　as　an　indorsement　of　faith。

〃They　shall　lay　hands　on　the　sick；　and　they　shall　recover。〃　This　world　is　a　vast　lazar　house；　but　Christ　came　to　heal　the　sick；　to　proclaim　deliverance　to　the　captives　of　Satan。　He　was　in　Himself　health　and　strength。　He　imparted　His　life　to　the　sick；　the　afflicted；　those　possessed　of　demons。　He　turned　away　none　who　came　to　receive　His　healing　power。　He　knew　that　those　who　petitioned　Him　for　help　had　brought　disease　upon　themselves；　yet　He　did　not　refuse　to　heal　them。　And　when　virtue　from　Christ　entered　into　these　poor　souls；　they　were　convicted　of　sin；　and　many　were　healed　of　their　spiritual　disease；　as　well　as　of　their　physical　maladies。　The　gospel　still　possesses　the　same　power；　and　why　should　we　not　today　witness　the　same　results？

Christ　feels　the　woes　of　every　sufferer。　When　evil　spirits　rend　a　human　frame；　Christ　feels　the　curse。　When　fever　is　burning　up　the　life　current；　He　feels　the　agony。　And　He　is　just　as　willing　to　heal　the　sick　now　as　when　He　was　personally　on　earth。　Christ's　servants　are　His

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representatives；　the　channels　for　His　working。　He　desires　through　them　to　exercise　His　healing　power。

In　the　Saviour's　manner　of　healing　there　were　lessons　for　His　disciples。　On　one　occasion　He　anointed　the　eyes　of　a　blind　man　with　clay；　and　bade　him；　〃Go；　wash　in　the　pool　of　Siloam。　。　。　。　He　went　his　way　therefore；　and　washed；　and　came　seeing。〃　John　9：7。　The　cure　could　be　wrought　only　by　the　power　of　the　Great　Healer；　yet　Christ　made　use　of　the　simple　agencies　of　nature。　While　He　did　not　give　countenance　to　drug　medication；　He　sanctioned　the　use　of　simple　and　natural　remedies。

To　many　of　the　afflicted　ones　who　received　healing；　Christ　said；　〃Sin　no　more；　lest　a　worse　thing　come　unto　thee。〃　John　5：14。　Thus　He　taught　that　disease　is　the　result　of　violating　God's　laws；　both　natural　and　spiritual。　The　great　misery　in　the　world　would　not　exist　did　men　but　live　in　harmony　with　the　Creator's　plan。

Christ　had　been　the　guide　and　teacher　of　ancient　Israel；　and　He　taught　them　that　health　is　the　reward　of　obedience　to　the　laws　of　God。　The　Great　Physician　who　healed　the　sick　in　Palestine　had　spoken　to　His　people　from　the　pillar　of　cloud；　telling　them　what　they　must　do；　and　what　God　would　do　for　them。　〃If　thou　wilt　diligently　hearken　to　the　voice　of　the　Lord　thy　God；〃　He　said；　〃and　wilt　do　that　which　is　right　in　His　sight；　and　wilt　give　ear　to　His　commandments；　and　keep　all　His　statutes；　I　will　put　none　of　these　diseases　upon　thee；　which　I　have　brought　upon　the　Egyptians：　for　I　am　the　Lord　that　healeth　thee。〃　Ex。　15：26。　Christ　gave　to　Israel　definite　instruction　in　regard　to　their　habits　of　life；　and　He　assured　them；　〃The　Lord　will　take　away　from　thee　all　sickness。〃　Deut。　7：15。　When　they　fulfilled　the　conditions；　the　promise　was　verified　to　them。　〃There　was　not　one　feeble　person　among　their　tribes。〃　Ps。　105：37。

These　lessons　are　for　us。　There　are　conditions　to　be　observed　by　all　who　would　preserve　health。　All　should　learn　what　these　conditions　are。　The　Lord　is　not　pleased　with　ignorance　in　regard　to　His　laws；　either　natural　or　spiritual。　We　are　to　be　workers　together　with　God　for　the　restoration　of　health　to　the　body　as　well　as　to　the　soul。

And　we　should　teach　others　how　to　preserve　and　to　recover　health。　For　the　sick　we　should　use　the　remedies　which　God　has　provided　in　nature；　and　we　should　point　them　to　Him　who　alone　can　restore。　It　is　our　work　to　present　the　sick　and　suffering　to　Christ　in　the　arms　of　our　faith。　We　should　teach　them　to　believe　in　the　Great　Healer。　We　should　lay　hold　on　His　promise；　and　pray　for　the　manifestation　of　His　power。　The　very　essence　of　the　gospel　is　restoration；　and　the　Saviour　would　have　us　bid

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the　sick；　the　hopeless；　and　the　afflicted　take　hold　upon　His　strength。

The　power　of　love　was　in　all　Christ's　healing；　and　only　by　partaking　of　that　love；　through　faith；　can　we　be　instruments　for　His　work。　If　we　neglect　to　link　ourselves　in　divine　connection　with　Christ；　the　current　of　life…giving　energy　cannot　flow　in　rich　streams　from　us　to　the　people。　There　were　places　where　the　Saviour　Himself　could　not　do　many　mighty　works　because　of　their　unbelief。　So　now　unbelief　separates　the　church　from　her　divine　Helper。　Her　hold　upon　eternal　realities　is　weak。　By　her　lack　of　faith；　God　is　disappointed；　and　robbed　of　His　glory。

It　is　in　doing　Christ's　work　that　the　church　has　the　promise　of　His　presence。　Go　teach　all　nations；　He　said；　〃and；　lo；　I　am　with　you　alway；　even　unto　the　end　of　the　world。〃　To　take　His　yoke　is　one　of　the　first　conditions　of　receiving　His　power。　The　very　life　of　the　church　depends　upon　her　faithfulness　in　fulfilling　the　Lord's　commission。　To　neglect　this　work　is　surely　to　invite　spiritual　feebleness　and　decay。　Where　there　is　no　active　labor　for　others；　love　wanes；　and　faith　grows　dim。

Christ　intends　that　His　ministers　shall　be　educators　of　the　church　in　gospel　work。　They　are　to　teach　the　people　how　to　seek　and　save　the　lost。　But　is　this　the　work　they　are　doing？　Alas；　how　many　are　toiling　to　fan　the　spark　of　life　in　a　church　that　is　ready　to　die！　How　many　churches　are　tended　like　sick　lambs　by　those　who　ought　to　be　seeking　for　the　lost　sheep！　And　all　the　time　millions　upon　millions　without　Christ　are　perishing。

Divine　love　has　been　stirred　to　its　unfathomable　depths　for　the　sake　of　men；　and　angels　marvel　to　behold　in　the　recipients　of　so　great　love　a　mere　surface　gratitude。　Angels　marvel　at　man's　shallow　appreciation　of　the　love　of　God。　Heaven　stands　indignant　at　the　neglect　shown　to　the　souls　of　men。　Would　we　know　how　Christ　regards　it？　How　would　a　father　and　mother　feel；　did　they　know　that　their　child；　lost　in　the　cold　and　the　snow；　had　been　passed　by；　and　left　to　perish；　by　those　who　might　have　saved　it？　Would　they　not　be　terribly　grieved；　wildly　indignant？　Would　they　not　denounce　those　murderers　with　wrath　hot　as　their　tears；　intense　as　their　love？　The　sufferings　of　every　man　are　the　sufferings　of　God's　child；　and　those　who　reach　out　no　helping　hand　to　their　perishing　fellow　beings　provoke　His　righteous　anger。　This　is　the　wrath　of　the　Lamb。　To　those　who　claim　fellowship　with　Christ；　yet　have　been　indifferent　to　the　needs　of　their　fellow　men；　He　will　declare　in　the　great　Judgment　day；　〃I　know　you　not　whence　ye　are；　depart　from　Me；　all　ye　workers　of　iniquity。〃　Luke　13：27。

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In　the　commission　to　His　disciples；　Christ　not　only　outlined　their　work；　but　gave　them　their　message。　Teach　the　people；　He　said；　〃to　observe　all　things　whatsoever　I　have　commanded　you。〃　The　disciples　were　to　teach　what　Christ　had　taught。　That　which　He　had　spoken；　not　only　in　person；　but　through　all　the　prophets　and　teachers　of　the　Old　Testament；　is　here　included。　Human　teaching　is　shut　out。　There　is　no　place　for　tradition；　for　man's　theories　and　conclusions；　or　for　church　legislation。　No　laws　ordained　by　ecclesiastical　authority　are　included　in　the　commission。　None　of　these　are　Christ's　servants　to　teach。　〃The　law　and　the　prophets；〃　with　the　record　of　His　own　words　and　deeds；　are　the　treasure　committed　to　the　disciples　to　be　given　to　the　world。　Christ's　name　is　their　watchword；　their　badge　of　distinction；　their　bond　of　union；　the　authority　for　their　course　of　action；　and　the　source　of　their　success。　Nothing　that　does　not　bear　His　superscription　is　to　be　recognized　in　His　kingdom。

The　gospel　is　to　be　presented；　not　as　a　lifeless　theory；　but　as　a　living　force　to　change　the　life。　God　desires　that　the　receivers　of　His　grace　shall　be　witnesses　to　its　power。　Those　whose　course　has　been　most　offensive　to　Him　He　freely　accepts；　when　they　repent；　He　imparts　to　them　His　divine　Spirit；　places　them　in　the　highest　positions　of　trust；　and　sends　them　forth　into　the　camp　of　the　disloyal　to　proclaim　His　boundless　mercy。　He　would　have　His　servants　bear　testimony　to　the　fact　that　through　His　grace　men　may　possess　Christlikeness　of　character；　and　may　rejoice　in　the　assurance　of　His　great　love。　He　would　have　us　bear　testimony　to　the　fact　that　He　cannot　be　satisfied　until　the　human　race　are　reclaimed　and　reinstated　in　their　holy　privileges　as　His　sons　and　daughters。

In　Christ　is　the　tenderness　of　the　shepherd；　the　affection　of　the　parent；　and　the　matchless　grace　of　the　compassionate　Saviour。　His　blessings　He　presents　in　the　most　alluring　terms。　He　i