十二月三日

毫無瑕疵！（歌4：7）

主從正面說他的教會全然美麗，又從反面稱贊她說：“毫無瑕疵！”新郎若只提新婦的美點，吹毛求疵的世人或許說他故意不提到她的缺點和弱點；因此在說了她完全幷十分美麗之後，又說她毫無瑕疵。一個污點雖然很快地就可以除去，但是那也足以妨礙一個人的美麗；然而主把信徒的這一點點的污穢也從他的眼前除去。如果他說她沒有難看的疤麻，沒有可厭的缺陷，沒有令人作嘔的瘡癤，我們就感到异常地驚訝了；但他却說她連一點小毛病也沒有，更沒論那一些大缺點了，這該叫我們如何地希奇呢？若他只應許我們逐漸把我們的缺點除去，我們就可以永遠快樂了；但他已經把它們除去了。那樣，誰能抑制我們極大的滿足和强烈的快樂呢？我的心哪！這是爲你所預備的骨髓和肥油，只管飽食王膳吧！

基督耶穌幷不與他的新婦爭吵。她常遠離他，使他的聖靈擔憂，但他幷不因她的過錯而影響對她的愛。他有時責備，但他總是存著最溫柔的態度、最和藹的聲調，只不過說“我所愛的啊”（官話和合本爲我的佳偶）罷了！他不記念我們的愚昧，也不在意我們的可惡。我們干犯了他之後，他仍照舊赦免我們，愛我們。這是再好也沒有的了，因爲耶穌若像我們一樣地小氣，一樣地容易得罪，那末他怎能與我們相交呢？信徒有很多時候不高興他的主，幷偏離他，但我們可貴的新郎却明白我們愚妄的心，因此不將我們的冒瀆放在心上。

December 3

"There is no spot in thee."—Song of Solomon 4:7

Having pronounced His Church positively full of beauty, our Lord confirms His praise by a precious negative, "There is no spot in I thee." As if the thought occurred to the Bridegroom that the carping world would insinuate that He had only mentioned her comely parts, and had purposely omitted those features which were deformed or defiled, He sums up all by declaring her universally and entirely fair, and utterly devoid of stain. A spot may soon be removed, and is the very least thing that can disfigure beauty, but even from this little blemish the believer is delivered in his Lord's sight. If He had said there is no hideous scar, no horrible deformity, no deadly ulcer, we might even then have marvelled; but when He testifies that she is free from the slightest spot, all these other forms of defilement are included, and the depth of wonder is increased. If He had but promised to remove all spots by-and-by, we should have had eternal reason for joy; but when He speaks of it as already done, who can restrain the most intense emotions of satisfaction and delight? O my soul, here is marrow and fatness for thee; eat thy full, and be satisfied with royal dainties.

Christ Jesus has no quarrel with His spouse. She often wanders from Him, and grieves His Holy Spirit, but He does not allow her faults to affect His love. He sometimes chides, but it is always in the tenderest manner, with the kindest intentions: it is "my love" even then. There is no remembrance of our follies, He does not cherish ill thoughts of us, but He pardons and loves as well after the offence as before it. It is well for us it is so, for if Jesus were as mindful of injuries as we are, how could He commune with us? Many a time a believer will put himself out of humour with the Lord for some slight turn in providence, but our precious Husband knows our silly hearts too well to take any offence at our ill manners.