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bier can do miracles yet for your soul。 Seek Him at once： seek Christ；
if you would not be lost for ever。 Do not stand still talking； and
meaning； and intending； and wishing； and hoping。 Seek Christ that you
may live； and that living you may grow。
（2） This book may fall into the hands of some who ought to know
something of growth in grace； but at present know nothing at all。 They
have made little or no progress since they were first converted。 They
seem to have 〃settled on their lees。〃 （Zep。 i。 12。） They go on from
year to year content with old grace； old experience； old knowledge； old
faith； old measure of attainment； old religious expressions； old set
phrases。 Like the Gibeonites； their bread is always mouldy； and their
shoes are patched and clouted。 They never appear to get on。 Are you one
of these people？ If you are； you are living far below your privileges
and responsibilities。 It is high time to examine yourself。
If you have reason to hope that you are a true believer and yet do not
grow in grace； there must be a fault； and a serious fault somewhere。 It
cannot be the will of God that your soul should stand still。 〃He giveth
more grace。〃 He 〃takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servants。〃
（James iv。 6； Ps。 xxxv。 27。） It cannot be for your own happiness or
usefulness that your soul should stand still。 Without growth you will
never rejoice in the Lord。 （Phil。 iv。 4。） Without growth you will never
do good to others。 Surely this want of growth is a serious matter！ It
should raise in you great searchings of heart。 There must be some
〃secret thing。〃 （Job xv。 11。） There must be some cause。
Take the advice I give you。 Resolve this very day that you will find
out the reason of your standstill condition。 Probe with a faithful and
firm hand every corner of your soul。 Search from one end of the camp to
the other； till you find out the Achan who is weakening your hands。
Begin with an application to the Lord Jesus Christ； the great Physician
of souls； and ask Him to heal the secret ailment within you； whatever
it may be。 Begin as if you had never applied to Him before； and ask for
grace to cut off the right hand and pluck out the right eye。 But never；
never be content； if your soul does not grow。 For your peace sake； for
your usefulness sake； for the honour of your Maker's cause； resolve to
find out the reason why。
（3） This book may fall into the hands of some who are really growing in
grace； but are not aware of it； and will not allow it。 Their very
growth is the reason why they do not see their growth！ Their continual
increase in humility prevents them feeling that they get on。 ＇18＇ Like
Moses； when he came down from the mount from muning with God； their
faces shine。 And yet； like Moses； they are not aware of it。 （Ex。 xxxiv。
29。） Such Christians； I grant freely； are not mon。 But here and
there such are to be found。 Like angels' visits； they are few and far
between。 Happy is the neighbourhood where such growing Christians live！
To meet them and see them and be in their pany； is like meeting and
seeing a bit of 〃heaven upon earth。〃
Now what shall I say to such people？ What can I say？ What ought I to
say？ Shall I bid them awake to a consciousness of their growth and be
pleased with it？ I will do nothing of the kind。Shall I tell them to
plume themselves on their own attainments； and look at their own
superiority to others？ God forbid！ I will do nothing of the kind。To
tell them such things would do them no good。 To tell them such things；
above all； would be useless waste of time。 If there is any one feature
about a growing soul which specially marks him； it is his deep sense of
his own unworthiness。 He never sees anything to be praised in himself。
He only feels that he is an unprofitable servant and the chief of
sinners。 It is the righteous； in the picture of the judgment…day； who
say； 〃Lord； when saw we Thee an hungred； and fed Thee？〃 （Matt。 xxv。
37。） Extremes do indeed meet strangely sometimes。 The
conscience…hardened sinner and the eminent saint are in one respect
singularly alike。 Neither of them fully realizes his own condition。 The
one does not see his own sin； nor the other his own grace！
But shall I say nothing to growing Christians？ Is there no word of
counsel I can address to them？ The sum and substance of all that I can
say is to be found in two sentences： 〃Go forward！〃 〃Go on！〃
We can never have too much humility； too much faith in Christ； too much
holiness； too much spirituality of mind； too much charity； too much
zeal in doing good to others。 Then let us be continually forgetting the
things behind； and reaching forth unto the things before。 （Phil。 iii。
13。） The best of Christians in these matters is infinitely below the
perfect pattern of his Lord。 Whatever the world may please to say； we
may be sure there is no danger of any of us being 〃too good。〃
Let us cast to the winds as idle talk the mon notion that it is
possible to be 〃extreme〃 and go 〃too far〃 in religion。 This is a
favourite He of the devil； and one which he circulates with vast
industry。 No doubt there are enthusiasts and fanatics to be found who
bring evil report upon Christianity by their extravagances and follies。
But if any one means to say that a mortal man can be too humble； too
charitable； too holy； or too diligent in doing good； he must either be
an infidel or a fool。 In serving pleasure and money it is easy to go
too far。 But in following the things which make up true religion； and
in serving Christ there can be no extreme。
Let us never measure our religion by that of others； and think we are
doing enough if we have gone beyond our neighbours。 This is another
snare of the devil。 Let us mind our own business。 〃What is that to
thee？〃 said our Master on a certain occasion： 〃Follow thou Me。〃 （John
xxi。 22。） Let us follow on； aiming at nothing short of perfection。 Let
us follow on； making Christ's life and character our only pattern and
example。 Let us follow on； remembering daily that at our best we are
miserable sinners。 Let us follow on； and never forget that it signifies
nothing whether we are better than others or not。 At our very best we
are far worse than we ought to be。 There will always be room for
improvement in us。 We shall be debtors to Christ's mercy and grace to
the very last。 Then let us leave off looking at others and paring
ourselves with others。 We shall find enough to do if we look at our own
hearts。
Last； but not least； if we know anything of growth in grace； and desire
to know more； let us not be surprised if we have to go through much
trial and affliction in this world。 I firmly believe it is the
experience of nearly all the most eminent saints。 Like their blessed
Master they have been 〃men of sorrows； acquainted with grief；〃 and
〃perfected through sufferings。〃 （Isa。 liii。 3； Heb。 ii。 10。） It is a
striking saying of our Lord； 〃Every branch in Me that beareth fruit； my
Father purgeth it； that it may bring forth more fruit。〃 （John xv。 2。）
It is a melancholy fact； that constant temporal prosperity； as a
general rule； is injurious to a believer's soul。 We cannot stand it。
Sickness； and losses； and crosses； and anxieties； and disappointments
seem absolutely needful to keep us humble； watchful； and
spiritual…minded。 They are as needful as the pruning knife to the vine；
and the refiner's furnace to the gold。 They are not pleasant to flesh
and blood。 We do not like them； and often do not see their meaning。 〃No
chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous； but grievous：
nevertheless； afterward； it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness。〃 （Heb。 xii。 11。） We shall find that all worked for our
good when we reach heaven。 Let these thoughts abide in our minds； if we
love growth in grace。 When days of darkness e upon us； let us not
count it a strange thing。 Rather let us remember that lessons are
learned on such days which would never have been learned in sunshine。
Let us say to ourselves； 〃This also is for my profit； that I may be a
partaker of God's holiness。 It is sent in love。 I am in God's best
school。 Correction is instruction。 This is meant to make me grow。〃
I leave the subject of growth in grace here。 I trust I have said enough
to set some readers thinking about it。 All things are growing older：
the world is growing old； we ourselves are grow…older。 A few more
summers； a few more winters； a few more sicknesses； a few more sorrows；
a few more weddings； a few more funerals； a few more meetings； and a
few more partings； and then what？ Why the grass will be growing over
our graves！
Now would it not be well to look within； and put to our souls a simple
question？ In religion； in the things that concern our peace； in the
great matter of personal holiness； are we getting on？ DO WE GROW？
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＇10＇ 〃True grace is progressive； of a spreading； growing nature。 It is
with grace as it is with light： first； there is the day…break； then it
shines brighter to the full noon…day。 The saints are not only pared
to stars for their light； but to trees for their growth； （Isa。 lxi。 3；
Hos。 xiv。 5。） A good Christian is not like Hezekiah's sun that went
backwards； nor Joshua's sun that stood still； but is always advancing
in holiness； and increasing with the increase of God。〃Thomas Watson；
Minister of St。 Stephen's Walbrook； 1660。 （Body of Divinity。）
＇11＇ 〃The growth of grace is the best evidence of the truth of grace。
Things that have not life will not grow。 A picture will not grow。 A
stake in a hedge will not grow。 But a plant that hath vegetative life
will grow。 The growing of grace shows it to be alive in the soul。〃T。
Watson； 1660。
＇12＇ 〃Christian； as ever you would stir up others to exalt the God of
grace； look to the exercise and improvement of your own graces。 When
poor servants live in a family； and see the faith； and love； and
wisdom； and patience； and humility of a master； shining like the stars
in heaven； it draws forth their hearts to bless the Lord that ever they
came into such a family。When men's graces shine as Moses' face did；
when their life； as one speaketh of Joseph's life； is a very heaven；
sparkling with virtues as so many bright stars； how much others are
stirred up to glorify God； and cry； These are Christians indeed！ these
are an honour to their God； a crown to their Christ； and a credit to
their Gospel！ Oh； if they were all such； we would be Christians
too！〃T。 Brooks； 1661。 （Unsearchable Riches。）
＇13＇ 〃The right manner of growth is to grow less in one's own eyes。 I
am a worm and no man。' （Psa。 xxii。 6。） The sight of corruption and
ignorance makes a Christian grow into a dislike of himself。 He doth
vanish in his own eyes。 Job abhorred himself in the dust。 （Job xlii。
6。） This is good； to grow out of conceit with oneself。〃T。 Watson。
1660。
＇14＇ 〃It is a sign of not growing in grace； when we are less troubled
about sin。 Time was when the least sin did grieve us （as the least hair
makes the eye weep）； but now we can digest sin without remorse。 Time
was when a Christian was troubled if he neglected closet prayer； now he
can omit family prayer。 Time was when vain thoughts did not trouble
him； now he is not troubled for loose practices。 There is a sad
declension in religion； and grace is so far from growing that we can
hardly perceive its puke to beat。〃T。 Watson。 1660。
＇15＇ 〃If now you would be rich in graces； look to your walking。 It is
not the knowing soul； nor the talking soul； but the close…walking soul；
the obedient soul； that is rich。 Others may be rich in notions； but
none so rich in spiritual experience； and in all holy and heavenly
graces； as close…walking Christians。〃T。