八月二日
這原是那位隨已意行作萬事的，照著他旨意所預定的。（弗1：11）
我們信神的大智，必須認爲他在救恩的工作上已經定了一種目的和計劃。萬物若沒有他的設計會成爲什麽樣子呢？海裏會有魚，空中會有鳥嗎？不，每一塊骨頭、每一個關節、每一根筋腱、每一種腺體和每一條血管，都是神按著他無限大智所計劃，所做成的。在每一處你都可看出神工作的記號。萬物都是神的工作，都被他所治理，那末在恩典上他會率爾從事嗎？神造物既有計劃，那末他在救恩的工作上會不運用他的匠心嗎？仰望神的智能吧！一個麻雀落在地上他都曉得，我們的頭髮他都能數過；神能用秤稱你如山嶺的悲傷，也能用天平平你如岡陵的災難。神在一切事上都有他的智能，在恩典上會不用他的智能嗎？核既經過神智慧的安派，仁也是不會隨便讓它瞎逢機遇的。
不，他從開頭的時候就知道末了。他爲一切都有合適的安派，不單美麗的房角石、他愛子的血是如此，就是一切被選的石頭都按它們的本性，經過他恩典的琢磨，安放在合適的地方；他所看的是整個的，他從房角看到屋檐，從底看到頂，從根基看到屋脊。他的心中清楚知道每一塊石頭應該安放在爲它所預備的地方，不管這個建築有多大，當屋頂石安放起來的時候，必歡然高呼：“願恩典，臨到它。”最後在一個被揀選的恩典的器皿裏必清楚看到，耶和華乃是按他自己的旨意行事；他恩典工程的每一部分都成全了他的旨意，幷榮耀了他自己的名。
August
2
“Who
worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.” — Ephesians 1:11
Our belief in God’s wisdom supposes and necessitates that He has a
settled purpose and plan in the work of salvation. What would creation have
been without His design? Is there a fish in the sea, or a fowl in the air,
which was left to chance for its formation? Nay, in every bone, joint, and
muscle, sinew, gland, and blood-vessel, you mark the presence of a God working
everything according to the design of infinite wisdom. And shall God be present
in creation, ruling over all, and not in grace? Shall the new creation have the
fickle genius of free will to preside over it when divine counsel rules the old
creation? Look at Providence! Who knoweth not that not a sparrow falleth to the
ground without your Father? Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. God
weighs the mountains of our grief in scales, and the hills of our tribulation
in balances. And shall there be a God in providence and not in grace? Shall the
shell be ordained by wisdom and the kernel be left to blind chance. No; He knows
the end from the beginning. He sees in its appointed place, not merely the
corner-stone which He has laid in fair colours, in the blood of His dear Son,
but He beholds in their ordained position each of the chosen stones taken out
of the quarry of nature, and polished by His grace; He sees the whole from
corner to cornice, from base to roof, from foundation to pinnacle. He hath in
His mind a clear knowledge of every stone which shall be laid in its prepared
space, and how vast the edifice shall be, and when the top-stone shall be
brought forth with shoutings of “Grace! Grace! unto it.” At the last
it shall be clearly seen that in every chosen vessel of mercy, Jehovah did as
He willed with His own; and that in every part of the work of grace He
accomplished His purpose, and glorified His own name.
