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。
I feel almost ashamed to dwell so long upon this part of my subject。 In
fact； if any man means to say that the faith； and hope； and knowledge；
and holiness of a newly…converted person； are as strong as those of an
old…established believer； and need no increase； it is waste of time to
argue further。 No doubt they are as real； but not so strongas true；
but not so vigorousas much seeds of the Spirit's planting； but not
yet so fruitful。 And if any one asks how they are to bee stronger； I
say it must be by the same process by which all things having life
increasethey must grow。 And this is what I mean by 〃growth in grace。〃
＇10＇
Let us turn away from the things I have been discussing to a more
practical view of the great subject before us。 I want men to look at
〃growth in grace〃 as a thing of infinite importance to the soul。 I
believe； whatever others may think； that our best interests are
concerned in a right view of the questionDo we grow？
（a） Let us know then that 〃growth in grace〃 is the best evidence of
spiritual health and prosperity。 In a child； or a flower； or a tree； we
are all aware that when there is no growth there is something wrong。
Healthy life in an animal or vegetable will always show itself by
progress and increase。 It is just the same with our souls。 If they are
progressing and doing well they will grow。 ＇11＇
（b） Let us know； furthermore； that 〃growth in grace〃 is one way to be
happy in our religion。 God has wisely linked together our fort and
our increase in holiness。 He has graciously made it our interest to
press on and aim high in our Christianity。 There is a vast difference
between the amount of sensible enjoyment which one believer has in his
religion pared to another。 But you may be sure that ordinarily the
man who feels the most 〃joy and peace in believing；〃 and has the
clearest witness of the Spirit in his heart； is the man who grows。
（c） Let us know； furthermore； that 〃growth in grace〃 is one secret of
usefulness to others。 Our influence on others for good depends greatly
on what they see in us。 The children of the world measure Christianity
quite as much by their eyes as by their ears。 The Christian who is
always at a standstill； to all appearances the same man； with the same
little faults； and weaknesses； and besetting sins； and petty
infirmities； is seldom the Christian who does much good。 The man who
shakes and stirs minds； and sets the world thinking； is the believer
who is continually improving and going forward。 Men think there is life
and reality when they see growth。 ＇12＇
（d） Let us know； furthermore； that 〃growth in grace〃 pleases God。 It
may seem a wonderful thing； no doubt； that anything done by such
creatures as we are can give pleasure to the Most High God。 But so it
is。 The Scripture speaks of walking so as to 〃please God。〃 The
Scripture says there are sacrifices with which 〃God is well…pleased。