may be a long
time, in coming to that point; but, sooner or later, he must reach and
pass it if he is to secure that 'holiness, without which no man shall
see the Lord'.

But whilst no amount of improvement in moral character can dispense
with the crises referred to, we cannot rightly magnify the definite
transactions at conversion or cleansing, or any other remarkable point
of religious life, to the detraction of spiritual growth. Each aspect
of the truth, as I have already said, is the counterpart of the other,
and must be viewed in its natural perspective.

People sometimes express themselves in exaggerated language as regards
both aspects of truth. A lady friend, referring to a young person of
beautiful disposition, said to me, 'Ah, you see, in her case there is
no need of conversion. She was born sanctified like her mother.' Quite
a false notion. But it is equally foolish for persons to exclaim, 'I
am converted, and a child of God; now I am all right'; or, 'Now I have
got a clean heart; it is all done'. As a matter of fact, there is no
more important principle to be cultivated than the law of progression
or advance in the Divine life. That principle is certainly in perfect
harmony with Scripture teaching, and is expressed in Peter's
exhortation, 'Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ'.

Paul's words about 'growing up unto Him in all things which is the head
even Christ', express the same thought; whilst John shows the ascending
grades of spiritual experience in directing his words to 'little
children', 'young men', and 'fathers'. These grades are not measured by
years, but by progress in spiritual life and vigour and personal
knowledge of God.

The Bible contains many figures illustrating this idea of growth or
progress, whether applied to character or service. For example, it
refers to the garden as a place where things grow, and thus illustrates
the garden of the soul; to the development of a building in course of
erection, 'all fitly framed together' and growing; to the growth of a
fortune by wise investment, in the use of talents, two becoming four,
five becoming ten, and so forth. The growth of the human body is also
referred to, with its limbs, muscles, and parts developing with the
head; and the growth of the student, as exemplified in the text, 'Add
to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge
temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience