莱尔主教holiness-第92节
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him in charge of an organized Church； is this pithy sentence； 〃Preach
the Word。〃 （2 Tim。 iv。 2。） In short； I believe St。 Paul would have us
understand that； however various the works for which the Christian
minister is set apart； his first； foremost； and principal work is to be
the preacher and proclaimer of God's Word。
But； while we refuse to allow that a sacrificing priesthood has any
warrant of Scripture； let us beware in these days that we do not rush
into the extreme of undervaluing the office which the minister of
Christ holds。 There is some danger in this direction。 Let us grasp
firmly certain fixed principles about the Christian ministry； and；
however strong our dislike of priesthood and aversion to Romanism； let
nothing tempt us to let these principles slip out of our hands。 Surely
there is solid middle ground between a grovelling idolatry of
sacerdotalism on one hand； and a disorderly anarchy on the other。
Surely it does not follow； because we will not be Papists in this
matter of the ministry； that we must needs be Quakers or Plymouth
Brethren。 ＇47＇ This； at any rate； was not in the mind of St。 Paul。
（a） For one thing； let us settle it firmly in our minds that the
ministerial office is a Scriptural Institution。 I need not weary you
with quotations to prove this point。 I will simply advise you to read
the Epistles to Timothy and Titus and judge for yourselves。 If these
Epistles do not authorize a ministry； there is； to my mind； no meaning
in words。 Take a jury of the first twelve intelligent； honest；
disinterested； unprejudiced men you can find； and set them down with a
New Testament to examine this question by them selves： 〃Is the
Christian ministry a Scriptural thing or not？〃 I have no doubt what
their verdict would be。
（b） For another thing； let us settle it in our minds that the
ministerial office is a most wise and useful provision of God。 It
secures the regular maintenance of all Christ's ordinances and means of
grace。 It provides an undying machinery for promoting the awakening of
sinners and the edification of saints。 All experience proves that
everybody's business soon bees nobody's business； and if this is
true in other matters； it is no less true in the matter of religion。
Our God is a God of order； and a God who works by means； and we have no
right to expect His cause to be kept up by constant miraculous
interpositions； while His servants stand idle。 For the uninterrupted
preaching of the Word and administration of the sacraments； no better
plan can be devised than the appointment of a regular order of men who
shall give themselves wholly to Christ's business。
（c） For another thing； let us settle it firmly in our minds that the
ministerial office is an honourable privilege。 It is an honour to be
the Ambassador of a King： the very person of such an officer of state
is respected； and called legally sacred。 It is an honour to bear the
tidings of a victory such as Trafalgar and Waterloo： before the
invention of telegraphs it was a highly coveted distinction。 But how
much greater honour is it to be the ambassador of the King of kings；
and to proclaim the good news of the conquest achieved on Calvary！ To
serve directly such a Master； to carry such a message； to know that the
results of our work； if God shall bless it； are eternal； this is indeed
a privilege。 Other labourers may work for a corruptible crown； but the
minister of Christ for an incorruptible。 Never is a land in worse
condition than when the ministers of religion have caused their office
to be ridiculed and despised。 It is a tremendous word in Malachi： 〃I
have made you contemptible and base before all the people； according as
ye have not kept my ways。〃 （Malachi ii。 9。） But； whether men will hear
or forbear； the office of a faithful ambassador is honourable。 It was a
fine saying of an old missionary on his death…bed； who died at the age
of ninety…six； 〃The very best thing that a man can do is to preach the
Gospel。〃
Let me leave this branch of my subject with an earnest request that all
who pray will never forget to make supplications and prayers and
intercession for the ministers of Christthat there never may be
wanting a due supply of them at home and in the mission fieldthat
they may be kept sound in the faith and holy in their lives； and that
they make take heed to themselves as well as to the doctrine。 （1 Tim。
iv。 16。）
Oh； remember that while our office is honourable； useful； and
Scriptural； it is also one of deep and painful responsibility！ We watch
for souls 〃as those who must give account〃 at the judgment day。 （Heb。
xiii。 17。） If souls are lost through unfaithfulness； their blood will
be required at our hands。 If we had only to read services and
administer sacraments； to wear a peculiar dress and go through a round
of ceremonies； and bodily exercises； and gestures； and postures； our
position would be paratively light。 But this is not all。 We have got
to deliver our Master's messageto keep back nothing that is
profitable…to declare all the counsel of God。 If we tell our
congregations less than the truth or more than the truth； we may ruin
for ever immortal souls。 Life and death are in the power of the
preacher's tongue。 〃Woe is unto us if we preach not the Gospel！〃 （1
Cor。 ix。 16。）
Once more I say； Pray for us。 Who is sufficient for these things？
Remember the old saying of the Fathers： 〃None are in more spiritual
danger than ministers。〃 It is easy to criticise and find fault with us。
We have a treasure in earthen vessels。 We are men of like passions with
yourselves； and not infallible。 Pray for us in these trying； tempting；
controversial days； that our Church may never lack bishops； priests；
and deacons who are sound in the faith； bold as lions； 〃wise as
serpents； and yet harmless as doves。〃 （Matt。 x。 16。） The very man who
said 〃Grace is given me to preach；〃 is the same man who said； in
another place； 〃Pray for us； that the word of the Lord may have free
course； and be glorified； and that we may be delivered from
unreasonable and wicked men： for all men have not faith。〃 （2 Thess。
iii。 1； 2。）
III。 Let us now notice； in the last place； what St。 Paul says of the
great subject of his preaching。 He calls it 〃the unsearchable riches of
Christ。〃
That the converted man of Tarsus should preach 〃Christ〃 is no more than
we might expect from his antecedents。 Having found peace through the
blood of the cross himself； we may be sure he would always tell the
story of the cross to others。 He never wasted precious time in exalting
a mere rootless morality； in descanting on vague abstractions and empty
platitudessuch as 〃the true；〃 and 〃the noble；〃 and 〃the earnest；〃 and
〃the beautiful；〃 and 〃the germs of goodness in human nature；〃 and the
like。 He always went to the root of the matter； and showed men their
great family disease； their desperate state as sinners； and the Great
Physician needed by a sin…sick world。
That he should preach Christ among 〃the Gentiles〃 again； is in keeping
with all we know of his line of action in all places and among all
people。 Wherever he travelled and stood up to preach at Antioch； at
Lystra； at Philippi； at Athens； at Corinth； at Ephesus； among Greeks or
Romans； among learned or unlearned； among Stoics and Epicureans； before
rich or poor； barbarians； Scythians； bond； or freeJesus and His
vicarious death； Jesus and His resurrection； was the keynote of his
sermons。 Varying his mode of address according to his audience； as he
wisely did； the pith and heart of his preaching was Christ crucified。
But in the text before us； you will observe； he uses a very peculiar
expression； an expression which unquestionably stands alone in his
writings〃the unsearchable riches of Christ〃 It is the strong； burning
language of one who always remembered his debt to Christ's mercy and
grace； and loved to show how intensely he felt it by his words。 St。
Paul was not a man to act or speak by halves。 （Quicquid fecit vald�
fecit。） He never forgot the road to Damascus； the house of Judas in the
street called Strait； the visit of good Ananias； the scales falling
from his eyes； and his own marvellous passage from death to life。 These
things are always fresh and green before his mind； and so he is not
content to say； 〃Grace is given me to preach Christ。〃 No： he amplifies
his subject。 He calls it 〃the unsearchable riches of Christ。〃
But what did the Apostle mean when he spoke of 〃unsearchable riches〃？
This is a hard question to answer。 No doubt he saw in Christ such a
boundless provision for all the wants of man's soul that he knew no
other phrase to convey his meaning。 From whatever standpoint he beheld
Jesus； he saw in Him far more than mind could conceive； or tongue could
tell。 What he precisely intended must necessarily be
