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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
by those who desire 〃growth in grace。〃
I know not who you are； into whose hands this paper may have fallen。
But I am not ashamed to ask your best attention to its contents。
Believe me； the subject is no mere matter of speculation and
controversy。 It is an eminently practical subject； if any is in
religion。 It is intimately and inseparably connected with the whole
question of 〃sanctification。〃 It is a leading mark of true saints that
they grow。 The spiritual health and prosperity； the spiritual happiness
and fort of every true…hearted and holy Christian； are intimately
connected with the subject of spiritual growth。
I。 The first point I propose to establish is this： There is such a
thing as growth in grace。
That any Christian should deny this proposition is at first sight a
strange and melancholy thing。 But it is fair to remember that man's
understanding is fallen no less than his will。 Disagreements about
doctrines are often nothing more than disagreements about the meaning
of words。 I try to hope that it is so in the present case。 I try to
believe that when I speak of 〃growth in grace〃 and maintain it； I mean
one thing； while my brethren who deny it mean quite another。 Let me
therefore clear the way by explaining what I mean。
When I speak of 〃growth in grace；〃 I do not for a moment mean that a
believer's interest in Christ can grow。 I do not mean that he can grow
in safety； acceptance with God； or security。 I do not mean that he can
ever be more justified； more pardoned； more forgiven； more at peace
with God； than he is the first moment that he believes。 I hold firmly
that the justification of a believer is a finished； perfect； and
plete work； and that the weakest saint； though he may not know and
feel it； is as pletely justified as the strongest。 I hold firmly
that our election； calling； and standing in Christ admit of no degrees；
increase； or diminution。 If any one dreams that by 〃growth in grace〃 I
mean growth in。 justification he is utterly wide of the mark； and
utterly mistaken about the whole point I am considering。 I would go to
the stake； God helping me； for the glorious truth； that in the matter
of justification before God every believer is 〃plete in Christ。〃
（Col。 ii。 10。） Nothing can be added to his justification from the
moment he believes； and nothing taken away。
When I speak of 〃growth in grace〃 I only mean increase in the degree；
size； strength； vigour； and power of the graces which the Holy Spirit
plants in a believer's heart。 I hold that every one of those graces
admits of growth； progress； and increase。 I hold that repentance；
faith； hope； love； humility； zeal； courage； and the like； may be little
or great； strong or weak； vigorous or feeble； and may vary greatly in
the same man at different periods of his life。 When I speak of a man
〃growing in grace；〃 I mean simply thisthat1 his sense of sin is
being deeper； his faith stronger； his hope brighter； his love more
extensive； his spiritual…mindedness more marked。 He feels more of the
power of godliness in his own heart。 He manifests more of it in his
life。 He is going on from strength to strength； from faith to faith；
and from grace to grace。 I leave it to others to describe such a man's
condition by any words they please。 For myself I think the truest and
best account of him is thishe is 〃growing in grace。〃
One principal ground on which I build this doctrine of 〃growth in
grace；〃 is the plain language of Scripture。 If words in the Bible mean
anything； there is such a thing as 〃growth；〃 and believers ought to be
exhorted to 〃grow。〃What says St。 Paul？ 〃Your faith groweth
exceedingly。〃 （2 Thess。 i。 3） 〃We beseech you that ye increase more and
more。〃 （1 Thess。 iv。 10。） 〃Increasing in the knowledge of God。〃 （Col。 i
10。） 〃Having hope； when your faith is increased。〃 （2 Cor。 x。 15。） 〃The
Lord make you to increase in love。〃 （1 Thess。 iii。 12。） 〃That ye may
grow up into Him in all things。〃 （Eph。 iv。 15。） 〃I pray that your love
may abound more and more。〃 （Phil。 i。 9。） 〃We beseech you； as ye have
received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God； so ye would
abound more and more。〃 （1 Thess。 iv。 1。）What says St。 Peter？ 〃Desire
the sincere milk of the Word； that ye may grow thereby。〃 （1 Pet。 ii。
2。） 〃Grow in grace； and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ。〃 （2 Pet。 iii。 18。） I know not what others think of such texts。
To me they seem to establish the doctrine for which I contend； and to
be incapable of any other explanation。 Growth in grace is taught in the
Bible。 I might stop here and say no more。
The other ground； however； on which I build the doctrine of 〃growth in
grace；〃 is the ground of fact and experience。 I ask any honest reader
of the New Testament whether he cannot see degrees of grace in the New
Testament saints whose histories are recorded； as plainly as the sun at
noon…day？I ask him whether he cannot see in the very same persons as
great a difference between their faith and knowledge at one time and at
another； as between the same man's strength when he is an infant and
when he is a grownup man？I ask him whether the Scripture does not
distinctly recognise this in the language it uses； when it speaks of
〃weak〃 faith and 〃strong〃 faith； and of Christians as 〃new…born babes；〃
〃little children；〃 〃young men；〃 and 〃fathers 〃？ （1 Pet。 ii。 2； John ii。
12…14。） I ask him； above all； whether his own observation of believers；
now…a…days； does not bring him to the same conclusion？What true
Christian would not confess that there is as much difference between
the degree of his own faith and knowledge when he was first converted；
and his present attainments； as there is between a sapling and a
full…grown tree？ His graces are the same in principle； but they have
grown。 I know not how these facts strike others： to my eyes they seem
to prove； most unanswerably； that 〃growth in grace〃 is a real thing。