十二月四日

因爲在這城裏我有許多的百姓。（徒18：10）

這話實在給我們很大的鼓勵，叫我們多作善工，因爲神在最邪惡，最敗壞，墮落，酗酒的城中，有很多蒙選的百姓需要拯救。你把神的話傳給他們，因爲你是神所差派的使者，爲要叫他們的靈魂得到生命；他們也必須接受，因爲這是出于神的定命。他們得蒙寶血救贖和那在寶座前的聖徒是一樣的。雖然他們現在喜愛酒色，恨惡聖潔，但他們仍是基督的産業；若基督買了他們，他就必得到他們。神是信實的，必不會忘記他的兒子所付上的代價。他不會讓他的替贖歸于無效，萬千蒙救贖的人現在還未重生，但他們必須重生；當我們向他們傳揚神使人得生的話時，這話就是我們的安慰。

非但如此，基督還爲這些不信神的人在寶座前禱告。我們的偉大中保說：“我不但爲這些人祈求，也爲那些因他們的話信我的人祈求。”可憐，無知的人，他們不知道爲他們祈求是一件什麽事，但耶穌却爲他們禱告。他們的名字在他的胸牌之上，不久他們的倔强的腿必然跪在施恩座前，痛悔己罪。“收無花果的時候”還沒有到。所定的時候還未來到；但是當那時來到了，他們就必順服，因爲神必得到他自己的人；他們必須，因爲當聖靈大有權能地來到時，是不能被抗拒的——他們必須甘心作永活神的僕人。“當我掌權的日子，我的民要以聖潔的妝飾爲衣。”“有許多人因他得稱爲義。”“他必看見自己勞苦的功效。”“我要使他與位大的同份，與强盛的均分擄物。”

December 4

"I have much people in this city."—Acts 18:10

This should be a great encouragement to try to do good, since God has among the vilest of the vile, the most reprobate, the most debauched and drunken, an elect people who must be saved. When you take the Word to them, you do so because God has ordained you to be the messenger of life to their souls, and they must receive it, for so the decree of predestination runs. They are as much redeemed by blood as the saints before the eternal throne. They are Christ's property, and yet perhaps they are lovers of the ale-house, and haters of holiness; but if Jesus Christ purchased them He will have them. God is not unfaithful to forget the price which His Son has paid. He will not suffer His substitution to be in any case an ineffectual, dead thing. Tens of thousands of redeemed ones are not regenerated yet, but regenerated they must be; and this is our comfort when we go forth to them with the quickening Word of God.

Nay, more, these ungodly ones are prayed for by Christ before the throne. "Neither pray I for these alone," saith the great Intercessor, "but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word." Poor, ignorant souls, they know nothing about prayer for themselves, but Jesus prays for them. Their names are on His breastplate, and ere long they must bow their stubborn knee, breathing the penitential sigh before the throne of grace. "The time of figs is not yet." The predestinated moment has not struck; but, when it comes, they shall obey, for God will have His own; they must, for the Spirit is not to be withstood when He cometh forth with fulness of power—they must become the willing servants of the living God. "My people shall be willing in the day of my power." "He shall justify many." "He shall see of the travail of His soul." "I will divide him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong."