(2 Pet. 3 :18)

Grow in grace" is the injunction of an apostle, and to it the heart and conscience of the Christian man respond. The law of growth is the law of life pre-eminently in Christianity, where the life is eternal life, and maturity in it is not the easy attainment of a day. " He that hath this hope in Him," says the apostle John, " purifieth himself, even as He is pure" (i Jno. 3:3). Put that as the limit, and who can say that he has reached it-is purified as Christ is pure ? When then shall the exhortation be needless, " Grow in Grace ? "

There is such a thing as growth then-as the progressive sanctification of the believing soul to God. Progress in holiness there ought to be :we ought to be this year more fully and practically Christ's than last, which is what is meant by holiness ; more simply and in detail yielded up to Him, and the results of it apparent in our lives.

I speak of course to believers. There must be life before there can be growth. First of all we must be "born again," as the apostle speaks, "not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God;" a "word," he takes care to add, "which by the gospel is preached unto you " (i Pet. i:23, 25).

It is as if expressly designed to make it more emphatic in warning to all who depend on ordinances for the reception of new life, that Peter (proclaimed by men as the very head of the most ritualistic system existing at this day) is inspired to speak so. It is he who tells his would-be followers that men are born again, not in baptism, but by the " word of the gospel."

That word which, coming to sinners as it does, speaks of a work done for sinners, salvation for the lost by the death of another-it is this that, being received, transforms. Having had much forgiven, the soul forgiven loves; and that love to One who has saved is the spring and power of a new life, a life of blessed and endeared obedience.

But I do not dwell upon this at this time. I would only be understood to speak to those just now who have learnt, if only babes, to cry, "Abba, Father." To such I would say, Do not imagine that because you are saved and have conscious peace with God, that therefore you have attained the summit of Christianity. The unhappy result of making the knowledge of salvation (as many make it) the result of (it may be even a lengthy) Christian experience, has been unhappily with a good many the making that the end and the resting point which is in reality only the beginning of attainment, and of experiences properly Christian. And thus the gospel itself is shorn of much more than half its power and blessing. Rest and peace and blessing for oneself are made the end of all, and rest in salvation substituted very often for rest in God. Thus how many sink into loose and easy living, and call it freedom! Alas for such, and for the gospel that they boast of, if such is indeed the freedom it has given.

We need to speak out plainly. The worst evil of the day is the Laodiceanism which can speak loudly of grace with the conscience unexercised as to the responsibility which grace introduces into. Men
who delight in the gospel, "the glorious gospel"- and so it truly is-if you speak to them of other things which the God of the gospel has made known and enjoined obedience to, will answer, "Such things are not necessary to salvation." God has spoken, and men have learnt by listening to His voice (as they would have it), how and when with safety to themselves they may disregard His voice. But is that then the fruit of the gospel ? Of what worth is the piety that sits down"*content with salvation, and not wishing to be disturbed or unsettled by the claims of God and of His truth ?

And it must be remembered that, according to Scripture, truth alone sanctifies. We do not judge with the poet of latitudinarianism,

" He can't be wrong whose life is in the right,"

but rather, with the Lord Himself, " He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me" (Jno. 14 :21). There must be an ear listening for the voice of Christ, or there cannot be the spirit of true obedience. He who does not care to hear, does not really care to obey. " My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow Me." He who discards, as it were, from the word of God all but the gospel, has never known yet the proper power of the gospel.

But the apostle adds to his exhortation, " Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." "Our Lord" mark, first, as well as "Saviour." Nay, we may say, "our Lord," and even so our "Saviour." Rendered up into His hands who has alone title to us, we find salvation from One "exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour," and one main part of our salvation is deliverance from other masters into His service, whom when we "call Master and Lord," we " say well, for so He is"-He who "died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him that died and rose again for them."

Beloved reader, before we go a step further, let me ask you this question:If you profess and call yourself a Christian, are you Christ's?-surrendered up to Him in the full joyful consciousness of His service being indeed perfect freedom ? Do you live with every pulse of that new life He has given you, "to him?" There is no growth in grace for you till such is the purpose of your heart. Is your eye then on Him, your ear waiting upon His voice, your hand engaged for Him, your foot treading in His pleasant paths? Are you one not only "redeemed,"but "redeemed to God?" no hired servant indeed, but one to whom "to live is Christ ? " Oh, then, beloved, we hail in you the true and proper effects of the gospel of grace :for "the grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself & peculiar people zealous of good works " (Tit. 2:11-14).

And now then, beloved, " grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." The book of His thoughts, His counsels, His mind, lies open in your hand, and truth is truth just as far as it brings home to your soul Him who is Himself the truth. He is your Master. Sit in the peace of His presence at His feet and learn of Him. Do not say one syllable He utters is "no matter," "of little import," or "of little profit," or "that cannot be understood." Do not be content with mere opinions or human authorities. Consult Himself. Let your faith not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. "Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness :that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works "(2 Tim. 3:16, 17).
Be you one of " God's men " in this evil day.

And now for the more strict inquiry:"What is ' growing in grace ?' " It is explained as to its moral characteristics in those words which we have seen the apostle joins with it:"And in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

A false idea is prevalent, to the great damage of souls. Men have forgotten to distinguish between growth in grace and growth in self-consciousness of the grace we have. They imagine that, along with their growth in grace, they are to be able more and more to find satisfaction in their practical state. They think they ought to be able to measure their growth, and to find out to their own satisfaction how much holier they are this year than last. That they ought to be practically holier, I have already said. But this is a very different thing from being conscious to myself"that I am so, and in no wise needful to it. It is quite true that God says to us, "Be ye holy, for I am holy; " and quite true, therefore, that we ought to " follow after holiness." All this has been but just now insisted on. But suppose I take another text:when the Lord says, "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly vs. heart," what am I to infer from this? That I am to be "lowly?" True. But what would you think of me if I said, " Well, I am getting to be quite lowly; I improve in lowliness continually." Would you say that was "lowliness" which spoke in me ?-or vanity ?

Is it not right, then, to seek to be lowly ? Clearly. But lowliness is sei-forgetfulness and not self-consciousness, much less §ei-complacency.

And so with holiness. "To me to live is Christ " is its principle, and "we ought to walk as He walked " is our measure. As we grow then in the knowledge of Him, do we come to think more highly of our devotedness to Him, and be better satisfied with it, or the reverse ? Comparing our walk with His, as we come to know better what that walk was, shall we increase in satisfaction with our own imitation of it, or the reverse ?

A plant is in my garden. By its side stands a dead stick, which was put in for its support. The other day the plant was but just as high as the stick, and now it is two inches or more above. It is easy to measure the living and growing plant by the dead stick. And why ? Just because it is dead. But if the stick itself were alive and growing too, I should have lost my measurement. If my knowledge of Christ were but a dead and not a living thing, a fixed measure never to increase, I might more easily perhaps measure my own growth by it. But as He grows upon my soul, I dwarf. That is the result in my experience. " He must increase, I must decrease:" that is the daily law and the daily song.

Yet the aim after holiness is a right and not a fruitless thing; but occupation with Christ is the essential requisite for holiness and for growth. "We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:18, marg.). It is our privilege to have done with ourselves and to be occupied with Christ. It is impossible to be occupied with Christ and not be holy. It is very possible to be occupied with holiness, and be neither holy nor happy. And happiness is a thing closely connected with holiness, for " the joy of the Lord is your strength."

A man may be seeking holiness in order to be better in his own eyes. Will God honor that or help him in it ? He will not. " Living to Christ" is another matter. Nor have I got to better myself in any wise. All that came to an end upon the cross of Calvary, where I died in the person of my Substitute. I am dead-"crucified with Christ." I have come thus (for faith) to the end of that self which terrifies and distresses me. God has put me as a sinner for ever out of His sight in the death of His Son, and He has accepted me in that Son, risen from the dead-in His "Beloved." How that name tells of One upon whom His eye rests with infinite delight! There am I, "in Him," never separate. My mirror, as a Christian, reflects the glory of the Well-Beloved. I am there in Him- "complete in Him"-"made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light."

Better myself, then, shall I ? Can I better Him ? There is my true self now. The other-I bear it about with me still, but it is no more I; the other died with Christ; and now, if "I live,"it is "yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." /died; Christ lives ; I in Him. I may look at myself there without vanity and with full satisfaction and rest of heart. " If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." If I look into myself I can say no such thing. With my eye on Christ it is all simple. I have not, then, to better myself; I have to walk as He walked. And that because I am already before God identified with Him.

But I grow in grace as a man down here as I grow in the knowledge of my Lord and Saviour. Saved-fitted for glory-a new man in Christ; the wants of my heart are all filled up in Him, and I am free to live for Him who loved me and gave Himself for me. All that I see in Him, in whom daily I see more, is power over me and in me, working out in me likeness to the One I love. I yield myself up to the enjoyment of love, which has answered every question, settled every doubt, supplied every need. Joy in Him brings me with full surrender of heart to the God I see in Him. He lives in me. I know Him who is Eternal Life; full blessedness, rest, power, devotedness, are implied in that.

As He shines more and more into my soul, even I myself, dark as midnight in myself, reflect back His glory, and am " light in the Lord." F. W. G.