十一月十五日

耶和華的份，本是他的百姓。（申32：9）

他們怎樣才成爲他的份呢？乃是他自己的揀選。他揀選了他們，幷且愛他們。這幷不是在于他們那時或以後有什麽善良。他要憐憫誰，就憐憫誰，幷把永生賜于他所揀選的；因此，他們是他的，乃由于他自動的揀選。他們是他的，不單是因著他的揀選，也是因著他的購買。他已買了他們，爲他們償付了一切的贖價，因此便歸到他的名下。幷非用必朽壞的金銀等物，而是用主耶穌基督的寶血完全贖出來，成爲神的份。他的産業幷無抵押品；對方也無權提出複産的訴訟，價銀已在法庭上當衆付清，因此教會永遠是屬神的。

一切被揀選的人都有寶血的印記，肉眼雖看不見，但基督却能認出，因爲“主認識誰是他的人”；他從來不會忘記從衆人當中所贖出的人；他數點群羊，因他曾爲它們捨命，他永遠不會忘記他的教會，因他曾爲她獻上自己。他們是他的，乃是被他所征取的。在他還未得著我們之前，他在我們心裏曾浴血苦戰！他曾長時地圍攻我們的心！他曾多次向我們下招降書！但我們仍緊閉我們的門，深溝高壘地阻擋他。你能記清當他用暴風攻占了我們的心，當他用十字架攻陷了我們的墻垣，粉碎了我們的屏障，在我們的堡壘上竪起了他滿有憐憫的血紅大旗的光榮時刻嗎？

是的，我們真是他大愛所征服的俘虜。他這樣揀選、購買、征服我們，因此我們永遠屬他，神的所有權也是不可讓渡的：我們高興，因爲我們永遠不是自己的人；我們盼望，天天遵行他的旨意，表現他的榮耀。

November 15

"The Lord's portion is his people."--Deuteronomy 32:9

How are they his? By his own sovereign choice. He chose them, and set his love upon them. This he did altogether apart from any goodness in them at the time, or any goodness which he foresaw in them. He had mercy on whom he would have mercy, and ordained a chosen company unto eternal life; thus, therefore, are they his by his unconstrained election.

They are not only his by choice, but by purchase. He has bought and paid for them to the utmost farthing, hence about his title there can be no dispute. Not with corruptible things, as with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord's portion has been fully redeemed. There is no mortgage on his estate; no suits can be raised by opposing claimants, the price was paid in open court, and the Church is the Lord's freehold forever. See the blood-mark upon all the chosen, invisible to human eye, but known to Christ, for "the Lord knoweth them that are his"; he forgetteth none of those whom he has redeemed from among men; he counts the sheep for whom he laid down his life, and remembers well the Church for which he gave himself.

They are also his by conquest. What a battle he had in us before we would be won! How long he laid siege to our hearts! How often he sent us terms of capitulation! but we barred our gates, and fenced our walls against him. Do we not remember that glorious hour when he carried our hearts by storm? When he placed his cross against the wall, and scaled our ramparts, planting on our strongholds the blood-red flag of his omnipotent mercy? Yes, we are, indeed, the conquered captives of his omnipotent love. Thus chosen, purchased, and subdued, the rights of our divine possessor are inalienable: we rejoice that we never can be our own; and we desire, day by day, to do his will, and to show forth his glory.