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莱尔主教holiness-第40章

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   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。〃
   (1 Thess。 iv。 1; Heb。 xiii。 16。) The husbandman loves to see the plants
   on which he has bestowed labour flourishing and bearing fruit。 It
   cannot but disappoint and grieve him to see them stunted and standing
   still。 Now what does our Lord Himself say? 〃I am the true vine; and my
   Father is the husbandman。〃〃Herein is my Father glorified; that ye
   bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples。〃 (John xv。 1; 8。) The
   Lord takes pleasure in all His peoplebut specially in those that
   grow。

   (e) Let us know; above all; that 〃growth in grace〃 is not only a thing
   possible; but a thing for which believers are accountable。 To tell an
   unconverted man; dead in sins; to 〃grow in grace〃 would doubtless be
   absurd。 To tell a believer; who is quickened and alive to God; to grow;
   is only summoning him to a plain Scriptural duty。 He has a new
   principle within him; and it is a solemn duty not to quench it。 Neglect
   of growth robs him of privileges; grieve
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