Growth in Grace
(No. 2700)
INTENDED FOR READING ON LORD'S-DAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1900.
DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT NEW PARK STREET CHAPEL, SOUTHWARK, ON A LORD'S-DAY EVENING, IN THE
AUTUMN OF 1858.
"But grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ." 2 Peter 3:18.
IT is worth while to remark that this passage immediately follows the
17th verse, where the Apostle says, "Beloved, seeing you know these
things before, beware lest you, also, being led away with the error of
the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in Grace, and in
the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." He puts the one
after the other, as if the one must be the means of the other. There
had been some, in the Apostle's day, who had twisted, to their own
destruction, certain expressions in the Epistles of Paul which Peter
said were "hard to be understood." And, therefore, he warned Christian
men and women to take heed lest they, "being led away with the error of
the wicked," should "fall from their own steadfastness."
In order that they might know how to stand and to be preserved from
falling, he gave them this direction–"grow in Grace," for the way to
stand is to grow. The way to be steadfast is to go forward. There is no
standing except by progression. If you see even such a simple thing as
a child's top rolling along your floor at home, you will observe that
it will always stand upright as long as it keeps on rolling–but when
it stops, down it goes! So is it with the Christian–as long as he is
in motion, he stands–but if it were possible for the motion to cease,
then the Christian would fall from his steadfastness. Glory be to God,
he will be kept from falling, and he shall be presented faultless
before the Throne of God! The way to stand, then, is to go forward. The
way to be steadfast is to progress. The way to be alive, according to
the Apostle, is to "grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ."
We will offer, first of all, two or three remarks upon growth "in
Grace" in general And, secondly, a few remarks upon growth in Grace
being intimately connected with growth "in the knowledge of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. "
I. First, then, we shall offer some remarks upon GROWTH "IN GRACE" IN
GENERAL. What shall we say about
it?
The first remark we make is that there is a sense in which there is no
such thing at all as growth in Grace. If you understand the word,
Grace, as signifying free favor and the love of God towards His people,
there is not, and there cannot be any growth in that at all–
"The moment a sinner believes, And trusts in his crucified God"–
he is, by the Grace of God, then and there justified and complete in
Christ Jesus! And if he lives till his hair is gray, he will never be
more justified, and never be more beloved than he is the very first
moment in which he believes in Christ. As soon as ever I have a vital
connection with the Lamb of God, I am "in Grace." Let me live on, let
my Grace grow, let my faith increase, let my zeal become warmer, let my
love be more ardent, yet I shall not be more "in Grace" than I was
before! God will not love me more, He will not have a deeper and a
purer affection in His heart to me then than He has the very first
moment I turn to Him, nor will His Grace the less justify me, or less
accept me, the first moment when I come to Him with all my sins about
me, than it shall do when I stand before His Throne! We never grow in
the Grace of election. We are always, as Peter says in his first
Epistle, "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father." And
in that
sense of being, "in Grace," there is neither growth nor any retrograde
movement. So also is it in the matter of justification–
"In union with the Lamb, From condemnation free, The saints forever
were, And shall forever be."
And they are at any one time as much justified as they are at any other
time. Give me to be justified today, then I was justified yesterday,
and I shall be justified tomorrow. As soon as I put my trust in the
Savior, I became complete in Grace, so far as that was concerned, I was
made perfect in Christ Jesus. I cannot be more than perfect and,
therefore, I cannot in that respect grow in Grace. I cannot receive
more justifying mercy. I cannot receive more pardoning Grace, for I
have had it all at once and have so become perfect in Christ.
But you will remark that our text does not say anything about Grace
growing–it does not say that Grace grows! It tells us to "grow in
Grace." There is a vast difference between Grace growing and our
growing in Grace. God's Grace never increases–it is always infinite,
so it cannot be more. It is always everlasting. It is always
bottomless, it is always shoreless. It cannot be more and, in the
Nature of God, it could not be less. The text tells us to "grow in
Grace." We are in the sea of God's Grace–we cannot be in a deeper sea,
but let us grow, now that we are in it. We cannot be more in it than we
are, or than we have always been. We are in God's Grace. We are in the
Covenant. We are in the scheme of redemption. We are in union with
Jesus–we cannot be more or less so, for we are eternally secure
through the blood of our Savior. But while itcannot grow, wecan grow
more in it and so we shall "grow in Grace."
I must make another remark. It is certain that while the Grace of God
toward us does not grow, yet there is such a thing as the development
of Grace. There are some persons who strongly object to the Doctrine of
Progressive Sanctifica-tion and to our mentioning anything like growth
in Grace. My Brothers and Sisters are welcome to object if they like,
but I am sure, if they read the Scriptures (they will surely not object
to Scriptural terms), they will find growth in Grace very frequently
mentioned. If that does not mean progressive sanctification, then I do
not understand the term, "growth in Grace," at all! It is quite certain
that there are degrees in the development of Grace. You will surely not
say that the young man who has been converted only for the last few
months, knows as much of Grace, understands as much about it, and has
as much faith and as much love, as the man who has for the last 20 or
30 years been earnestly engaged in his Master's service!
You will not tell me that one man, who is scarcely ever seen coming up
to the House of God, and who is daily in a state of religious
starvation, stands on a par in Grace with a man who is laboring for his
Master, whose love is evident to all, and whose faith is testified
before the whole congregation! You will not tell me there is a dead
level in Christianity which all alike reach. If you do say so, I shall
tell you that you have no eyes, or that you do not look about you. For
it is certain that there are some who are further advanced than others
are, some with greater faith than others have. There are "great faiths"
as well as "little faiths," great loves as well as little loves! There
are men of ardent spirits who have Grace more fully developed in them
than it is in others. It is true, they are not more loved of God than
others are, and not more justified, nor more accepted, for in that
respect we all stand on a level, and there is no difference. But as to
the development of Grace in our souls and the display of Grace in our
lives, everyone must admit that there is a difference between different
saints.
I cannot understand the difference existing between various ministers
of Christ, if it is not because of the difference in the degrees of
Grace which they possess. Some have just started in the Christian
ministry and have preached a little about redemption, but they have not
gone far enough to preach about election, or, at least, not about the
vital union of every blood-bought child of God with the person of
Emmanuel. Or if they should now and then preach upon that blessed Truth
of God, they cannot talk about the eternal security of the saints and
declare how, against wind and tide, they shall all sail safely into the
heavenly harbor. They have not grown enough in Grace to preach on such
themes as these–so will not everyone admit that there are degrees of
development in Grace–while it is also true that there are none of us
more justified, more elect more chosen of God and loved of Him than any
other Believers are?
Now for a third remark, which is that growth in Grace is not to be
measured by weeks, months and years. There are persons who think that
the age of a man will tell how much he knows about Divine things. "Oh,"
say some, "So-and-So is such a young man–what can he know about Divine
Grace? There is a hoary-headed father there–he must know a
great deal more." If you talk like that, you will soon find out your
mistake. God often delights to show how He scorns and scoffs at all the
distinctions of man. He makes the young men prudent and He even gives
to children, knowledge and discretion! Out of the mouth of babes and
sucklings He ordains strength because of His enemies. It is true–we do
believe and we should believe that there is more knowledge beneath the
gray hairs than under the youth's curly locks–generally speaking, it
is so. Yet God, in order to display His Sovereignty, has so arranged
that He sometimes puts His treasures into an earthen vessel that has
not been fashioned more than a few years!
Do not suppose that persons grow in Grace according to their years.
Some grow faster in Grace in five minutes than others do in 50 years. I
believe that some saints progress further in Grace in one single month
than others do in 12 months or 12 years. I am sure I may speak
concerning myself. I have sometimes grown more in Grace in one hour,
than I have at other seasons in a week, a month, or a year–when God,
in His Infinite Wisdom, has been pleased to give me a vision of the
Savior, or to break up the fountains of wickedness that lay hidden in
my soul. I have learned more in one hour, when the Holy Spirit's hand
has been upon me, than I have in weeks and months simply with my own
study. God's people grow like trees grow. Sometimes they take a start
and grow upward. At another time, they are growing downward. Sometimes,
apparently, the sap sleeps within the branch–a winter time comes over
it and it is asleep.
Do not imagine, my dear Friends, that because you are getting old, you
are growing in Grace. People are continually warning young men of their
danger. No doubt we are in danger, but let me remind you that there is
not an instance in Sacred Scripture of a young man disgracing his
profession–but there are instances in Scripture of men of middle age
and of gray hairs doing so. It is thus we, who are young, are in the
greatest danger and, therefore, God upholds us to show the power of His
Grace. But some of you older folk conceive that you are not in peril
and, therefore, God allows you to fall, that He may stain the pride of
your self-glorying and let you see that it is not anything in
flesh–neither age, nor standing, nor rank, nor condition which ensures
our safety–but that He holds up the humble and casts down the proud!
David did not fall into his great sin until he had certainly come to
maturity and into the very prime of life–then he sinned with
Bathsheba. Lot did not transgress so grossly before he became an old
man.
If you turn to the pages of Scripture, you will notice that wherever
there has been a lamentable fall–as in the case of Peter–it has been
a man who has grown up and become strong in years. God thus shows us
that it is not mere years that can teach us Grace–in fact, that years,
and age, and learning, and talent have nothing to do with Grace–and He
could, if He pleased, take a child six years old and pour wisdom and
knowledge into the lips of that child that could puzzle the seers of
this world! He often takes the most unlikely instruments and uses them
for the accomplishment of His purposes. And because men have said that
experimental preachers must have gray heads, he says, "No, it shall be
a youth who shall lead the multitude! It shall be a child, out of whose
mouth I will pour words of wisdom, for I will overthrow all human glory
and show mankind that it is not the preacher who is to be praised, but
God." Salvation is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs but it
is God that shows mercy! It is not the man who preaches, who
accomplishes the work, but God working through the man. He could
dispense with the man altogether if He pleased. At any rate, He will
have the man He pleases, and at what age He pleases, and qualify him as
He pleases.
Once more, growth in Grace is not to be estimated by our feelings.
There are some of you, Beloved, who think you are not growing in Grace
because you do not feel so lively as you used to do. "Ah," you say,
"when I was young, everything was bright. What peaceful hours I then
enjoyed! I would go over hedge and ditch to hear the Gospel preached. I
had such an intense desire to hear about God and Jesus Christ, such
love to the Gospel that when I once got to hear a minister preach, it
mattered not whoever he might be, it all seemed sweet. But now I am so
depressed that I cannot enjoy the Truth of God as I used to do." Do not
think because your wild heat is gone, that you have not grown. When we
light a fire, we always put the straw and kindling at the bottom. And
when we first light it, there is a deal of flame and a great deal of
smoke. But, afterwards, when the flame gets hold of the coals, there is
not so much blaze, but there is really more heat. You may have lost
some of your flame and smoke, but you have more solid fire! We would
rather warm our hands by the coals than by the straw, for that must
soon go.
So is it with Divine Grace–it begins with a flame which catches the
lighter substances and lays hold on the imagination and the passions.
But, later in life it appeals to the judgment, and makes the man one
solid lump of burning fire. He is not a little flame, rising towards
Heaven, that the wind might blow out with a puff, but he becomes so
strong a fire
that the wind shall but increase the flame, and shall make the heat the
greater! So it may be with you. Perhaps you have become more solid
though you are less fiery.
Do not suppose, when you are depressed, that, therefore, you are not
growing in Grace. Many of God's plants grow best in the dark and He
often puts them in the dark to make them grow. When you are growing
upwards, remember that there is such a thing as growing downward. You
may have had, yesterday, a Divine manifestation that took you up to the
top of the Delectable Mountains. You must not think you are big because
you are up on high, for pigmies perched on Alps are still pigmies. And
if you were ever so little, it would not make you any bigger if you
were taken to the top of St. Paul's. If, on the other hand, you are
deep down in a mine, do not imagine that you are any the smaller for
that reason. I can tell you that you will often grow faster in the
dungeon than on the top of a mountain, but it is not a pleasant place
to be. When our depravity is revealed to us, when our desolation of
spirit and our utter hopelessness and powerlessness are uncovered and
made manifest by God's Holy Spirit, we grow, I believe, even faster
than we do when, on the wings of seraphs, we are privileged to mount on
high! So, do not measure your growth in Grace by your feelings. Some of
you make a kind of barometer of your feelings. Do not do so! If we are
in Christ, we are in Christ by faith, and not by feelings, and
remember, whether your feelings are good or bad, you are no more or
less a child of God. Your faith, Sinner, unites you with the Lamb–not
your feelings! Trust Him in darkness, trust Him in distress, lean on
Him when you cannot see Him. And when there seems nothing to walk on,
still walk, for the ground is firm beneath the foot of faith!
Just by way of warning, let me urge you not to think that you are
growing in Grace because you happen to be doing a little more for the
church externally. ' 'Oh," we often say, "now I am progressing, am I
not? I am busy in the Sunday school, laboring hard there! I am
preaching! I am doing this, or that, or the other–now I am truly
growing in Grace." Ah, it is a proper thing to be diligent in good
works and to be abounding in acts of righteousness, but if you begin to
say, "Now I am growing," because of this or because of that, you have
made a great mistake! It often happens that when we are very full of
public labors, we are very short in private devotions. I must confess
that it has been so with me–and that is a very lamentable thing–for
then I was not really growing at all. A man may have his hands ever so
full before the world and think he is doing much, but he may not be
really growing in Grace, after all.
Do not think that this is an excuse for anybody who is not doing much,
you Issachar-like people, like "a strong ass between two burdens," too
lazy to lift either! I am not giving you a word of comfort. You are not
growing, for you are doing nothing–and those who are doing something
must not boast of their growth. It has more to do with private devotion
than with public exercise. It has more to do with meditation than with
explanation. It has more to do with contemplation and adoration than
with public service. We must look more to the state of the
internal'matters, keeping up private prayer and attending to the
reading of the Scriptures. If we do not, however much we may seem to
progress outwardly, we are not any richer–we are only beating out the
little gold we had into a thinner plate, and spreading it over a wider
surface. The more we do for Christ, the more He will do for us, but let
us take heed that while we water other people's vineyards, our own is
not neglected, and that the stones of the hedges are not cast down. May
God grant you, Brothers and Sisters, to grow in Grace!
II. Now we come to the second thought, THAT GROWTH IN GRACE IS
INTIMATELY CONNECTED WITH GROWTH "IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND
SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST." In fact, there cannot be any
Grace at all except as we know Christ! And there can be no growth in
Grace except as we grow in our knowledge of Christ. We may always test
whether we are growing by this question–Do I know more of Christ today
than I did yesterday? Do I live nearer to Christ today than I did a
little while ago? For increase in the knowledge of Christ is the
evidence as well as the causeof true growth in Grace. In order to prove
this, I will mention one or two Christian virtues, and you will see
that they must increase as we know more of Christ.
With regard to love, s ome of us say, "How little we love Christ!" Many
of you sing–
"'Tis a point I long to know,
Oft it causes anxious thought–
Do I love the Lord, or no?
Am I His, or am I not?"
That is a very good hymn–I find no fault with it–but please do not
sing it too often! Now and then, you are welcome to it, but get through
it as quickly as you can. I would far rather hear you sing that grand
hymn of Toplady's–
"A debtor to mercy alone,
Of Covenant mercy I sing!
Nor fear, with Your righteousness on,
My person and offering to bring."
"Oh!" you say, "I long to grow in love. I want to know that I love
Jesus. I want to feel my heart going out after Him, and my soul knit to
Him." Well, the way to grow in love is to know more of Christ. The more
you know of the Savior, the better you must love Him. The more you
discover of His beauties, of His excellences, of His virtues, of His
perfections, and of His glories, the more your soul will be drawn
towards Him. I tell you who do not love Christ at all, it is because
you do not know Him, for if you knew anything of Him, you would love
Him in proportion to your knowledge! The more you know of my Master,
the more you will love Him. You have only lifted one corner of the veil
that shrouds His forehead, you have seen but one portion of His visage,
so you love Him–but if you had faith to lift the veil entirely, to see
all of His blessed Countenance, to mark the majestic sweetness which
sits enthroned upon His lofty brow. If you could focus on His eyes,
which are "like the fish pools in Heshbon, by the gate of
Bath-Rabbim"–if you could describe Him as being "altogether lovely,"
ah, you would love Him more!
Blessed are the men that improve upon acquaintance! Jesus Christ is one
of those blessed ones–the more you know of Him, the more you love Him.
Sweet Jesus! When I first saw You, I loved You! When first Your wounded
hands and bleeding side were uncovered to me, then I loved You. Ah, but
that love is nothing compared with what I have now. And oh, when I
shall see You as You are–when my soul becomes changed into love–the
love I have now shall seem to have been nothing but a spark compared
with that vehement flame of love which I shall have to You then! Know
more of Christ. Read more of Him. Think more of Him. Ask about Him more
because you will be sure to grow in the Grace of love in proportion as
you know more of Christ!
So is it with regard to faith. What is the reason why so many of us
groan because our faith is so feeble? It is because we do not know
enough of Christ! There are many people who need to know a great deal
more about Jesus than they know at present. And if they knew more about
Jesus, they would have more faith. "Oh," says one, "when I look at
myself, I think, 'Oh, what is to become of me?' Then I search to see if
there are not some evidences of Grace." That is all wrong! You have no
business to look there–you will not grow in faith by looking at
yourself! One look at Jesus is worth 50 at yourself! If you would have
more faith, keep your eyes on Jesus! The wounds of Christ on Calvary
are the mothers of faith–these are the breasts from which faith must
draw its nourishment. If you would grow in faith, you must live near to
the Cross. The sweet flower of faith was first sown in Christ's
precious blood–and it must be watered by it every day. Know more of
Christ! Think more of Him and your faith will increase! Your little
faith would soon get strong if you lived more on Jesus. If you would
become Great-Hearts, by-and-by, and knock those giants about as
terribly as Mr. Great-Heart did of old, live near to Jesus! Live with
Jesus. Feast at His banqueting table, for there is no food so
strengthening to the spirit as the flesh of your Lord, and no wine can
so invigorate your soul as the blood of Jesus Christ your Savior.
So is it with regard to our courage, for that is a Christian Grace, and
one in which many are terribly deficient. Our Christian courage will
always increase in proportion as we know Christ. We have far too many
timid Christians who have not enough courage, I was about to say, to
speak to a cheese-mite–they would not be able to profess the name of
Christ before the smallest creature in the world! They would almost be
ashamed to declare that they loved the Savior even within bare walls,
for fear some bird of the air should hear them and go and tell the
tale. They are so ashamed of their own faith (and yet it is real faith)
that they scarcely dare to speak! The smallest stone in the road would
make them stumble. A straw would be almost as great to them as a range
of mountains like the Himalayas would be to others. They would be
entirely cast out of the road if they had the least prospect that there
could be a shadow in it for them to pass by! It is because we do not
know enough of Christ that we are afraid of anything.
I believe that when we come truly to know Christ, we shall be afraid of
nothing at all. Shall we be afraid of man? No! We shall say, "Whether
it is right to obey God rather than man, you judge." Shall we be afraid
of the devil when we know Christ? No! We shall say, "Christ has the
devil chained and He can always pull the dog of Hell in when he
attempts to bite us. Christ has hold of the dragon and he cannot
inflict deeper wounds than Christ wills." We shall not be afraid of the
messenger of death, for we shall regard him as an angel of the Covenant
sent to fetch God's people up to Heaven! Courage will always be
increased in proportion as we know more of Jesus and if we could have
Christ for our daily and
hourly Companion, I believe all the hosts of Hell, marshaled in battle,
would no more frighten us than would a flock of small birds that might
settle upon our path! But we would say, "In the name of the Lord, we
will destroy them." If you would have more true Christian courage, get
more of "the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
So is it with regard to our zeal, which is a Grace sadly lacking in
these times. If we would be more zealous, we must live nearer to
Christ. If the Son of Man were to come now, would He find zeal upon the
earth? His own question was, "Shall He find faith?" But, would He find
zeal It would be difficult even for Him to discover much of it among
Christians. There is sound orthodoxy, but no zeal. There is heterodoxy,
but still no zeal. Where do you find it? Just here and there. There is
a remnant, according to the election of Grace, who are zealous for God,
but, in these times–we are sorry to say it–religion has degenerated
into a kind of formality. It is a fashionable thing to be pious. We
have been going on in the same track as other people–there is an old
cart-rut, and we all drive along it. We have kept on at the same pace
as our fathers, but, oh, if we knew more of Christ, we would have more
zeal!
I cannot think it possible for men to lack zeal when they know Christ.
They would then say, "Did my Savior shed His blood for me and shall I
fear even to die for Him? Did He come all the way from Heaven to earth
to save souls and shall not I also seek to win them for Him?" Would we
have so many lazy preachers if they had more of Christ in their hearts?
If they understood more of Jesus, would we have so many slothful,
sluggish members in our churches, with so many who can make any excuse
rather than labor for Christ, patching up any empty apology for
idleness? No, Brothers and Sisters, if we knew more of the Savior, if
we had more frequent visions of Him, if we saw Him more often on His
Cross and viewed Him more frequently sitting with the crown upon His
head, we would say, "I vow revenge against my sloth! All I can do will
be too little for so good a Lord–
'All that I am, and all I have, Shall be forever Thine. Whatever my
duty bids me give, My cheerful hands resign. Yet if I might make some
reserve, And duty did not call, I love my God with zeal so great, That
I should give Him all.'"
It is no use to try to get more zeal except in the right way, knowing
more of Christ. And if we seek to grow in zeal as certain people we
might mention have done, we shall have a zeal like a house on fire! It
will do more mischief than it will do good. There may be some heat and
a great deal of illumination, but it will die away, by-and-by, into
black ashes, poisoning the churches everywhere. I have seen a certain
kind of revival in England and I can always tell where such "revivals"
have been by the scarred state of the places after them. These
so-called "revivals" have been worked by excitable meetings, held by
sundry preachers who have invented strange doctrines, but have said
nothing about the Grace of God. They have for a time stirred up the
people to a kind of religious furor, and they have left behind them a
very desert. Before them it was like a garden of the Lord, but behind
them barrenness and desolation. The church has been divided– there has
been a reaction, and the people have sunk into the most lamentable
condition. If we would have true zeal, it must be by the preaching of
the good old doctrine, proclaiming Jesus Christ and Him Crucified, for
anything else comes of the devil, and to Hell it shall tend. Its issue
shall be destruction–not salvation!
But if we keep to the Truth of God, there will be "revival" enough. We
want nothing but the good old-fashioned Gospel to stir the world again.
Though men have tried new schemes, God will not claim them. All these
heresies must be swept away and the true Gospel–distinguishing Grace
of God in all the Sovereignty of election–must yet again be preached!
And when it is preached in all its fullness, then shall the church be
zealous and then shall Zion arise and shake herself from the dust, and
put on her beautiful garments.
Further, if we would grow also in the Grace of brotherly kindness, we
must know more of Christ. O Beloved, we must lament that there is too
little brotherly kindness in the world! There is a great deal of that
mawkish, mistaken kindness which says, "We must never say anything
contrary to anybody else's opinion. If we know of a doctrinal error, we
must not expose it, because love of our brethren implies that, even if
they are wrong, we would not tell them of it." But I think true
brotherly kindness is always to preach the Truth of God and tell our
brethren where they are wrong and give them the opportunity of getting
set right. Brotherly kindness is to preach whatever we believe to be
true, and to
maintain what God has taught us. And then, after all, to say, "Well,
Brother, you differ from me. I am not infallible. I still love you."
But that is no love which makes us hide the Truth of God! True love
will make us honest, zealous and affectionate.
Why don't we love one another as much as we ought? It is because we do
not love the Savior enough, and we have not seen enough of Him. If we
had known more of the Savior, I am sure we should love Him better. I
met with a strange idea the other day when reading a book by old
Burroughs. He says, "If Jesus Christ were to come down to His Church
now, He would see some of His children with black eyes. Some others
would be seen scratched in the face and some bruised all over. He would
say to them, 'What have you been doing?' If one should answer, 'Lord, I
have been fighting with my brother, and he did this,' the Lord would
say, 'Children of one family fight? The birds of one nest disagree? How
sad it is!'" It is a strange thought, but it may be a profitable one,
for if our Lord Jesus Christ finds His people quarrelling, what will He
say?
You may remember a story I have told you before. An old Scotch elder
had been disputing with his minister at an elders' meeting. He said
some hard things and almost broke the minister's heart. Afterwards, he
went home and the minister went home, too. The next morning, when the
elder came down, his wife said to him, "Eh, Jan, you look very sad this
morning. What's the matter wi' you?" "Ah," he said, "you would be sad
too if you had had such a dream as I've had." "Weel, and what did you
dream about?" "Oh, I dreamed I had been at an elders' meeting and I
said some hard things, and grieved the minister. And as he went home, I
thought he died, and went to Heaven. A fortnight after, I thought I
died, and that I went to Heaven, too. And when I got to the gates of
Heaven, out came the minister, and put out his hand to welcome me,
saying, 'Come alang, Jan, there's nae strife up here, and I'm happy to
see you.'" The elder went to the minister to beg his pardon, but he
found that he was dead. And he laid it so to heart that, within a
fortnight, the elder, himself, departed. And I should not wonder if he
did meet the minister at Heaven's gate, and hear him say, "Come along,
Jan, there's nae strife up here." It will be well for us to remember
that there is no strife up there. Glorified saints have no strife among
themselves and we would love one another more in brotherly kindness if
we thought more of Heaven, and more of our blessed Jesus!
Lastly, there is another Grace in which we need to grow. That is, the
Grace of humility. I am sure we would increase in that Grace if we
lived nearer to Christ. O Humility, most precious thing, you are most
rare! He who talks most of it has least of it. He who preaches of it
best, full often is least the subject of its power! O Humility, I have
sometimes thought that you were a phantom, and that pride was the
reality! Humility, where are you? The depths of poverty say, "You are
not in me," for the poor are often proud. The heights of riches say,
"You are not here," for the rich are often proud, too. O Humility, you
are not to be found in science, for philosophy puffs up. You are not to
be found in ignorance, for that is the mother of pride. O Humility,
where can I find you? Where are you? Nowhere can I see you, or know
what you are–unless I sit at the feet of Jesus and behold myself a
lost, ruined sinner purchased by Divine Love. If you, dear Friend,
would be truly humble, you must look at your Savior, for then you will
say–
"Alas, and did my Savor bleed?
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?"
You will never feel yourself such a worm as when, by faith, you see
your Savior dying for you! You will never know your own nothingness so
well as when you see your Savior's greatness. When you grow in the
Grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, you will be
sure to grow in humility!
Growing Christians think themselves nothing, but, full-grown Christians
think themselves less than nothing. The nearer we get to Jesus, the
smaller self will appear to be. Self and Christ can never come close
together. When I stand near self, Christ is small. When I stand near
Christ, self is small. May God grant to you, dear Friends, to grow in
the knowledge of Christ! Read the Scriptures more. Seek more the
influences of the Holy Spirit upon them. Spend more time in
devotion–ask God the Holy Spirit to give you a fresh sight of Calvary.
Be more often on the Mount of Transfiguration, in the Garden of
Suffering, in the Hall of Agony, under the Cross of Crucifixion! Live
with Jesus and near to Him–and so, changed from glory to glory as by
the Spirit of the Lord, you shall, each one of you, grow unto the
stature of a perfect man or woman in Christ Jesus!