the crown of thorns-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


l　about　the　next　world；　and　to　see　beforehand　everything　that　is　going　to　be。　　I　have　no　solicitude　about　the　mere　scenery　and　modes　of　the　future　state。　　But　this　desire　to　be　in　the　midst　of　perpetual　revelations　argues　that　there　is　not　enough　to　fill　our　minds　and　excite　our　wonder　here；　when　all　things　around　us　are　pregnant　with　suggestion；　and　invite　us；　and　offer　unfathomed　depths　for　our　curious　seeking。　　There　is　so　much　here；　too；　for　our　love　and　our　discipline；　so　much　for　us　to　do；　that　we　hardly　need　more　revelations　just　now；　…they　might　overwhelm　and　disturb　us　in　the　pursuit　of　these　appointed　ends。　　Moreover；　the　gratification　of　this　desire　would　foreclose　that　glorious　anticipation；　that　trembling　expectancy；　which　is　so　fraught　with　inspiration　and　delight；　the　joy　of　the　unknown；　the　bliss　of　the　thought　that　there　is　a　great　deal　yet　to　be　revealed。

We　do　need　some　revelation；　just　such　as　has　been　given；　a　glimpse　of　the　immortal　splendors；　an　articulate　Voice　from　heaven　a　view　of　the　glorified　Jesus；　a　revelation　in　a　point　of　time；　just　as　that　on　the　mount　was　in　point　of　space。　　We　need　some；　but　not　too　much；　not　all　revelation；　not　revelation　as　a　customary　fact。　　If　so；　I　repeat；　we　should　neglect　this　ordained　field　of　thought　and　action。　　We　should　live　in　a　sphere　of　supernaturalism；　in　an　atmosphere　of　wonder；　amid　a　planetary　roll　of　miracles；　still　unsatisfied；　still　needing　the　suggestion　of　higher　points　to　break　the　stupendous　monotony。

And　I　insist　that　work；　not　vision；　is　to　be　the　ordinary　method　of　our　being　here；　against　the　position　of　those　who　shut　themselves　in　to　a　contemplative　and　extatic　piety。　They　would　escape　from　the　age；　and　its　anxieties；　they　would　recall　past　conditions；　they　would　get　into　the　shadow　of　cloisters；　and　build　cathedrals　for　an　exclusive　sanctity。　And；　indeed；　we　would　do　well　to　consider　those　tendencies　of　our　time　which　lead　us　away　from　the　inner　life　of　faith　and　prayer。　　But　this　we　should　cherish；　not　by　withdrawing　all　sanctity　from　life；　but　by　pouring　sanctity　into　life。　　We　should　not　quit　the　world；　to　build　tabernacles　in　the　Mount　of　Transfiguration；　but　come　from　out　the　celestial　brightness；　to　shed　light　into　the　world；　to　make　the　whole　earth　a　cathedral；　to　overarch　it　with　Christian　ideals；　to　transfigure　its　gross　and　guilty　features；　and　fill　it　with　redeeming　truth　and　love。

Surely；　the　lesson　of　the　incident　connected　with　the　text　is　clear；　so　far　as　the　apostles　were　concerned；　who　beheld　that　dazzling；　brightness；　and　that　heavenly　companionship；　apart　on　the　mount。　　They　were　not　permitted　to　remain　apart；　but　were　dismissed　to　their　appointed　work。　　Peter　went　to　denial　and　repentance；　to　toil　and　martyrdom；　James　to　utter　his　practical　truth；　John　to　send　the　fervor　of　his　spirit　among　the　splendors　of　the　Apocalypse；　and；　in　its　calmer　flow　through　his　Gospel；　to　give　us　the　clearest　mirror　of　the　Saviour's　face。

Nay；　even　for　the　Redeemer　that　was　not　to　be　an　abiding　vision；　and　he　illustrates　the　purport　of　life　as　he　descends　from　his　transfiguration　to　toil；　and　goes　forward　to　exchange　that　robe　of　heavenly；　brightness　for　the　crown　of　thorns。

What　if　Jesus　had　remained　there；　upon　that　Mount　of　Vision；　and　himself　stood　before　us　as　only　a　transfigured　form　of　glory？　　Where　then　would　be　the　peculiarity　of　his　work；　and　its　effect　upon　the　world？

On　the　wall　of　the　Vatican；　untarnished　by　the　passage　of　three　hundred　years；　hangs　the　masterpiece　of　Raphael；　his　picture　of　the　Transfiguration。　　In　the　centre；　with　the　glistening　raiment　and　the　altered　countenance；　stands　Jesus；　the　Redeemer。　On　the　right　hand　and　on　the　left　are　his　glorified　visitants；　while；　underneath　the　bright　cloud；　lie　the　forms　of　Peter；　and　James；　and　John；　gazing　at　the　transfigured　Jesus；　shading　their　faces　as　they　look。　Something　of　the　rapture　and　the　awe　that　attracted　the　apostles　to　that　shining　spot　seems　to　have　seized　the　soul　of　the　great　artist；　and　filled　him　with　his　greatest　inspiration。　　But　he　saw　what　the　apostles；　at　that　moment；　did　not　see；　and；　in　another　portion　of　his　picture；　has　represented　the　scene　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　…　the　group　that　awaited　the　descent　of　Jesus。　。　The　poor　possessed　boy；　writhing；　and　foaming；　and　gnashing　his　teeth；　　his　eyes；　as　some　say；　in　their　wild　rolling　agony；　already　catching　a　glimpse　of　the　glorified　Christ　above；　the　baffled　disciples；　the　caviling　scribes；　the　impotent　physicians；　the　grief…worn　father；　seeking　in　vain　for　help。　　Suppose　Jesus　had　stayed　upon　the　mount；　what　would　have　become　of　that　group　of　want；　and　helplessness；　and　agony？　　Suppose　Christ　had　remained　in　the　brightness　of　that　vision　forever；　　himself　only　a　vision　of　glory；　and　not　an　example　of　toil；　and　sorrow；　and　suffering；　and　death；　alas！　For　the　great　world　at　large；　waiting　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　…the　groups　of　humanity　in　all　ages；　　the　sin…possessed　sufferers　　the　caviling　skeptics；　the　philosophers；　with　their　books　and　instruments；　the　bereaved　and　frantic　mourners　in　their　need！

So；　my　hearers；　wrapped　in　the　higher　moods　of　the　soul；　and　wishing　to　abide　among　upper　glories；　we　may　not　see　the　work　that　waits　for　us　along　our　daily　path；　without　doing　which　all　our　visions　are　vain。　　We　must　have　the　visions。；　We　need　them　in　our　estimate　of　the　world　around　us；　of　the　aspects　and　destinies　of　humanity。　　There　are　times　when　justice　is　balked；　and　truth　covered　up；　and　freedom　trampled　down；　　when　we　may　well　be　tempted　to　ask；　〃What　is　the　use　of　trying　to　work？〃　when　we　may　well　inquire　whether　what…we　are　doing　is　work　at　all。　　And　in　such　a　case；　or　in　any　other；　one　is　lifted　up；　and　inspired；　and　enabled　to　do　and　to　endure　all　things；　when　in　steady　vision　he　beholds　the　everliving　God；　when　all　around　the　injustice；　and　conflict；　and　suffering　of　the　world；　he　detects　the　Divine　Presence；　like　a　bright　cloud　overshadowing。　O！　then　doubt　melts　away；　and　wrong　dwindles；　and　the　jubilee　of　victorious　falsehood　is　but　a　peal　of　drunken　laughter；　and　the　spittings　of　guilt　and　contempt　no　more　than　flakes　of　foam　flung　against　a　hero's　breast…plate。　　Then　one　sees；　as　it　were；　with　the　vision　of　God；　who　looked　down　upon　the　old　cycles；　when　a　sweltering　waste　covered　the　face　of　the　globe；　and　huge；　reptile　natures　held　it　in　dominion；　　who　beholds　the　pulpy　worm；　down　in　the　sea；　building　the　pillars　of　continents；　so　one　sees　the　principalities　of　evil　sliding　from　their　thrones；　and　the　deposits　of　humble　faithfulness　rising　from　the　deep　of　ages。　　Our　sympathy；　our　benevolent　effort　in　the　work　of　God　and　humanity；　how　much　do　they　need　not　only　the　vision　of　intellectual　foresight；　but　of　the　faith　which；　on　bended　knees；　sees　further　than　the　telescope！

And　alas！　for　him　who；　in　his　personal　need　and　effort；　has　no　margin　of　holier　inspiration　no　rim　of　divine　splendor　…　…around　his　daily　life！　　Without　the　vision　of　life's　great　realities　we　cannot　see　what　our　work　is；　or　know　how　to　do　it。

But　such　visions　must　be　necessarily　rare　and　transient；　or　we　shall　miss　their　genuine　efficacy。　　We　must　work　in　comparative　shadow；　without　the　immediate　sight　of　these　realities；　and　only　in　the　place　of　our　rest；　　rest　for　higher　efforts　and　a　new　career；　only　there　may　we　have　their　constant　companionship；　and　build　their　perpetual　tabernacles。




THE　SHADOW　OF　DISAPPOINTMENT。

But　we　trusted　that　it　had　been　he　which　should　have　redeemed　Israel。　　　　LUKE　xxiv。　21。


In　the　accounts　of　the　disciples；　contained　in　the　New　Testament；　there　is　no　attempt　to　glorify　them；　or　to　conceal　any　weakness。　　From　the　first　to　the　last；　they　think　and　act　precisely　as　men　would　think　and　act　in　their　circumstances；　…they　are　affected　just　as　others　of　like　culture　would　be　affected　by　such　events　as　those　set　forth　in　the　record。　　And　the　genuineness　of　their　conduct　argues　the　genuineness　of　the　incidents　which　excited　it。　　The　divine；　wonderworking；　risen　Jesus；　is　the　necessary　counterpart　of　the　amazed；　believing；　erring　hoping；　desponding；　rejoicing　fishermen　and　publicans。　　This　stamp　of　reality　is　very　evident　in　the　instance　before　us。　　The　conduct　and　the　feelings　of　the　disciples　are　those　of　men　who　have　been　involved　in　a　succession　of　strange　experiences。　　For　a　little　while　they　have　been　in　communion　with　One　who　has　spoken　as　never　man　spoke；　and　who　has　touched　the　deepest　springs　of　their　being。　　He　has　lifted　them　out　of　the　narrow　limits　of　their　previous　lives。　　From　the　Receipt　of　Customs；　and　the　Galilean　lake；　he　has　summoned　them　to　the　interests　and　awards；　the　thought　and　the　work；　of　a　spiritual　and　divine　kingdom。　　At　first　following　him；　perhaps　they　hardly　knew　why；。　conscious　only　that　he　had　the　Words　of　Eternal　Life；　the　terms　of　this　discipleship　have　grown　into　bonds　of　the　dearest　intimacy。　Their　Master　has　become　their　Companion　and　their　Friend；　and　their　faith　has　deepened　into　tender　and　confiding　love。　But　still；　theirs　has　been　the　belief　of　the　trusting　soul；　rather　than　the　enlightened　intellect。　　From　the　fitness　of　the　teaching；　and　the　wonder　of　the　miracle；　they　have　felt　that　he　was　the　very　Christ；　and　yet；　from　this　conviction　of　the　heart　they　have　not　been　able　to　separate　their　Jewish　conceits。　　Sometimes；　it　may　be；　the　language　of　the　Saviour　has　carried　them　up　into　a　broader　and　more　spiritual　region；　but　then；　they　have　subsided　into　their　symbols　and　shadows；　only；　notwithstanding　the　errors　that　have　hindered；　and　the　hints　that　have　awed　them；　they　have　steadily　felt　the　inspiration　of　a　great　hope；　the　expectation　of　something　glorious　to　be　revealed　in　the　speedy　coming　of　the　Messiah's　kingdom。　　And　now；　does　not　the　account　immediately　connected　with　the　text　picture　for　us　exactly　the　state　of　men　whose　conceptions　have　been　broken　up　by　a　great　shock；　and　yet　in　whose　hearts　the　central　hope　still　remains　and　vibrates　with　mysterious　tenacity？　men　who　have　had　the　form　of　their　expectation　utterly　refuted　and　scattered　into　darkness；　but　who　still　cherish　its　spirit？　Christ　the　crowned　King；　Christ　the　armed　Deliverer；　Christ　the　Avenger；　sweeping　away　his　foes　with　one　burst　of　miracle；is　to　them；　no　mor