五月十四日

和基督同作後嗣。（羅8：17）

父所造的博大無垠的世界都是基督的，這是根據法定的權利。“那承受萬有的”，才是惟一合法承受神廣大世界的後嗣，他也叫我們得這一切，因為我們既被主揀選就與他同為後嗣。樂園中的黃金街、珍珠門、生命河、大福樂和大榮耀，都因我們可稱讚的主，永遠成為我們的產業。凡他所有的他也分賜給屬他的人。他把王冠加在他教會的頭上，賜她一個國度，稱她的眾子為有君尊的祭司，是祭司和君王的後裔。他脫下自己的冠冕為的是叫我們得戴榮耀的冠冕，他離開他的寶座為的是叫凡被他的血所贖的人也得坐在那寶座上。頭上戴著冠冕全身都有尊榮，看哪！這裡是得勝的基督徒所得的賞賜。基督的寶座、冠冕、王節、王宮、寶庫、王服、產業，都是你們的。這是嫉妒、自私和貪婪者們所不及的，因為他們並不許人得他們什麼好處，但基督卻認為他的民分享了他的一切才有滿足喜樂。“你所賜給我的榮耀，我已賜給他們”，“這些事我已經對你們說了，是要叫我的喜樂存在你們心裡”。父神的笑容對他更覺甜蜜，因為他和他的民同享那笑容。他的國度的尊榮更令人喜悅，因為他的民得與他一同顯現在榮耀裡。他的得勝更有價值，因為他的民因此也能得勝。他在寶座中歡樂，因為其中也有他們的坐位。他歡然穿上王服，因為其上遍佈他的繸子。他盡情歡喜快樂，因為他也召他們進入歡樂之中。

May 14

"Joint heirs with Christ." -- Romans 8:17

The boundless realms of His Father's universe are Christ's by prescriptive right. As "heir of all things," He is the sole proprietor of the vast creation of God, and He has admitted us to claim the whole as ours, by virtue of that deed of joint-heir-ship which the Lord hath ratified with His chosen people. The golden streets of paradise, the pearly gates, the river of life, the transcendent bliss, and the unutterable glory, are, by our blessed Lord, made over to us for our everlasting possession. All that He has He shares with His people. The crown royal He has placed upon the head of His Church, appointing her a kingdom, and calling her sons a royal priesthood, a generation of priests and kings. He uncrowned Himself that we might have a coronation of glory; He would not sit upon His own throne until He had procured a place upon it for all who overcome by His blood. Crown the head and the whole body shares the honour. Behold here the reward of every Christian conqueror! Christ's throne, crown, sceptre, palace, treasure, robes, heritage, are yours. Far superior to the jealousy, selfishness, and greed, which admit of no participation of their advantages, Christ deems His happiness completed by His people sharing it. "The glory which thou gavest me have I given them." "These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." The smiles of His Father are all the sweeter to Him, because His people share them. The honours of His kingdom are more pleasing, because His people appear with Him in glory. More valuable to Him are His conquests, since they have taught His people to overcome. He delights in His throne, because on it there is a place for them. He rejoices in His royal robes, since over them His skirts are spread. He delights the more in His joy, because He calls them to enter into it.