And so with us, my friends. It is natural, and according to the
brute nature of the old Adam, to dislike this person and that, just
because they do not suit us. But it is according to grace, and the
new Adam, who is the Lord from heaven, to honour all men; to love
the brotherhood; to throw away our own private fancies and personal
antipathies; and, like the Lord Jesus Christ, copy the all-embracing
charity of God. And no one has a right to answer, 'But I must draw
the line somewhere.' Thou must not. I am afraid that thou _wilt_,
and that I shall, too, God forgive us both! because we are sinful
human beings. We may, but we _must_ not, draw a line as to whom we
shall endure in charity. For Christ draws no line. Is it not
written, 'No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy
Ghost.' Is not the Spirit of Christ in a Christian man, unless he
be a reprobate? and who is reprobate, we know not, and dare not try
to know; for it is written, 'Judge not, and ye shall not be judged:
condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned.'
But what has the text to do with all this?
My friends, is not this just what the text is telling us? I said
this moment, that the Spirit of Christ was in a Christian man,
unless he be a reprobate. And the text says further, that there are
diversities of gifts in Christian men: but the same spirit in all
of them.
Pages:
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142