八月十八日

外邦人進入耶和華殿的聖所。（耶51：51）

神的百姓爲此滿面慚愧，因爲人們闖入只有祭司所能進入的聖所是一件可憎的事。我們到處可以看到這種令人傷心難過的事，現在有多少不信神的人，因著受了教育和訓練而擔負神的聖工！許多教會中有多少自名爲基督徒的人，公然犯著這種說謊的罪！未得救的人領受主的聖禮是多麽可怕的一件事呀！就是在比較純正的教會中也有這種馬馬虎虎的事。凡念本篇的人現在都當在主耶穌的面前仔細省察一番。神禁止惡人進入他的教會。使教會混雜不清就等于攪混了水井，火上澆水，或是肥土裏種石頭。願我們靠神的恩保持教會的清潔，成爲信徒的聚會。教會幷不是不悔改和未得救之人的國度或社團。

我們的熱忱必須從家庭開始。當我們吃主餐的時候要省察自己是否應當吃。我們要看看我們是否已穿上婚姻的禮服，不然我們自己就是闖入神聖所的人了。被召的人雖多，但選上的人却少；路是窄的，門是小的。願我們知道自己有權進到耶穌面前，幷相信自己是被神所揀選的。烏撒因觸到約櫃受神的擊打，照樣他也嫉忌那些不當領受而領受聖禮的人；若我真是一個信徒就當坦然進前，若我不是就不當觸摸聖禮免得死亡。受過浸禮，領受主餐的人都當省察自己的心。“神啊！求你鑒察我，知道我的心思；試煉我，知道我的意念。”

August 18

"Strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the Lord's house." -- Jeremiah 51:51

In this account the faces of the Lord's people were covered with shame, for it was a terrible thing that men should intrude into the Holy Place reserved for the priests alone. Everywhere about us we see like cause for sorrow. How many ungodly men are now educating with the view of entering into the ministry! What a crying sin is that solemn lie by which our whole population is nominally comprehended in a National Church! How fearful it is that ordinances should be pressed upon the unconverted, and that among the more enlightened churches of our land there should be such laxity of discipline. If the thousands who will read this portion shall all take this matter before the Lord Jesus this day, He will interfere and avert the evil which else will come upon His Church. To adulterate the Church is to pollute a well, to pour water upon fire, to sow a fertile field with stones. May we all have grace to maintain in our own proper way the purity of the Church, as being an assembly of believers, and not a nation, an unsaved community of unconverted men.

Our zeal must, however, begin at home. Let us examine ourselves as to our right to eat at the Lord's table. Let us see to it that we have on our wedding garment, lest we ourselves be intruders in the Lord's sanctuaries. Many are called, but few are chosen; the way is narrow, and the gate is strait. O for grace to come to Jesus aright, with the faith of God's elect. He who smote Uzzah for touching the ark is very jealous of His two ordinances; as a true believer I may approach them freely, as an alien I must not touch them lest I die. Heartsearching is the duty of all who are baptized or come to the Lord's table. "Search me, O God, and know my way, try me and know my heart."