八月二十五日

我歡歡喜喜坐在他的蔭下，嘗他果子的滋味，覺得甘甜。（歌2：3）.

聖經所說的信心與人一切的感官都有關係。它是視：“都當仰望我，就必得救。”它是聽：“側耳而聽，就必得活。”信心也是嗅：“你的衣服，都有沒藥、沉香、肉桂的香氣”，“你的名如同倒出來的香膏。”信心也是屬靈的觸：因有這信心，患病的婦人悄悄地跟在耶穌後面摸他的衣繸；因著信心，我們抓住聖善的生命的言語。信心也是屬靈的味：“你的言語在我上膛何等甘美，在我口中比蜜更甜！”基督說：“你們若不吃人子的肉，不喝人子的血，就沒有生命在你們裏面。。“嘗”是信心的至高作用之一。信心有初步乃是聽。我們聽到神的話，不只用外面的耳朵，也用內心的耳朵；我們聽到那是神的話，我們就相信了他的話，這就是信的“聽覺”。于是我們的心仰望那真道；那就是說我們明白了，我們通曉了真道的意義，這就是信心的“視覺”。以後我們再發現真道的寶貴；我們切慕它，聞到它的香味，這就是信心的“嗅覺”。于是我們就近在基督裏爲我們所預備的恩典，這就是信心的“觸覺”。之後，快樂、平安、喜樂、交通就臨到了我們，那就是信心的“味覺”。信心的這一切官覺都能使人得救。聽基督的話就是聽神求我們靈魂的話；而真正的福樂乃是藉著嘗，因信把基督接在我們裏面，使他的寶貴和甜蜜在我們裏面成爲我們靈魂的食糧。那末，我們才算“坐在他的蔭下”，幷嘗他甘美的果子。

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.