五月廿一日

你們若嘗過主恩的滋味……（彼前2：3）

“若”——那末，就是說這一件事並非賜給人類中的每一位。“若”——那末，也就是說有一些人有嘗主恩的可能性和或然性。“若”——也說明這並非一般的而是一種特殊的恩憐，也叫我們自問是否我們在內心的經驗中已經知道了神的恩典。沒有一種屬靈的恩惠不需我們切心追求的。

若有人在嘗主恩的事上還有一個“若”字就不當自滿，因為這是一件用誠懇的心情和禱告的態度來追求的事。一個人不信任自己的時候，在他心中會發生這個問題，信徒也不能例外，但這個疑問若繼續存在的話就是一件壞事。在我們未能用信手抓住救主，並且說“因為知道我所信的是誰，也深信他能保全我所交付他的，直到那日”之前，我們就當努力不懈。信徒啊！在你還沒有確定你在耶穌裡面的利益之前，切莫懈怠。不要滿足，直到聖靈與你的心同證你是神的兒女。不要在此徘徊流連，不要叫“或者”、“或許”、“若是”和“大概”來滿足你的心。要在永固不移的根基上建造你的房屋，並且要切實在其上生根建造。要得“大衛那可靠的恩典”，並且要確實得到。要把你靈魂的錨拋在幔子內，並確知你的靈魂藉著又堅固又牢靠的鏈子與錨系連起來。你要越過這些淒涼的“若”，不要住在疑惑和懼怕的曠野；渡過不信的約旦河，進入平安的迦南地，迦南人雖然仍在那裡，但那地仍然不停地流奶與蜜。

May 21

"If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." -- 1 Peter 2:3

If:--then, this is not a matter to be taken for granted concerning every one of the human race. "If:"--then there is a possibility and a probability that some may not have tasted that the Lord is gracious. "If:"--then this is not a general but a special mercy; and it is needful to enquire whether we know the grace of God by inward experience. There is no spiritual favour which may not be a matter for heart-searching.

But while this should be a matter of earnest and prayerful inquiry, no one ought to be content whilst there is any such thing as an "if" about his having tasted that the Lord is gracious. A jealous and holy distrust of self may give rise to the question even in the believer's heart, but the continuance of such a doubt would be an evil indeed. We must not rest without a desperate struggle to clasp the Saviour in the arms of faith, and say, "I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him." Do not rest, O believer, till thou hast a full assurance of thine interest in Jesus. Let nothing satisfy thee till, by the infallible witness of the Holy Spirit bearing witness with thy spirit, thou art certified that thou art a child of God. Oh, trifle not here; let no "perhaps" and "peradventure" and "if" and "maybe" satisfy thy soul. Build on eternal verities, and verily build upon them. Get the sure mercies of David, and surely get them. Let thine anchor be cast into that which is within the veil, and see to it that thy soul be linked to the anchor by a cable that will not break. Advance beyond these dreary "ifs;" abide no more in the wilderness of doubts and fears; cross the Jordan of distrust, and enter the Canaan of peace, where the Canaanite still lingers, but where the land ceaseth not to flow with milk and honey.