d be! But if such a thing were
possible that the spirit of Raphael should enter into the man and
obtain the mastery of his mind and eye and hand, it would be entirely
possible that he should paint this masterpiece; for it would simply be
Raphael reproducing Raphael. And this in a mystery is what is true of
the disciple filled with the Holy Ghost. Christ, who is "the image of
the invisible God," is set before him as his divine pattern, and Christ
by the Spirit dwells within him as a divine life, and Christ is able to
image forth Christ from the interior life to the outward example.

Of course likeness to Christ is but another name for holiness, and
when, at the resurrection, we awake satisfied with his likeness (Ps.
17: 15), we shall be perfected in holiness. This is simply saying that
sanctification is progressive and not, like conversion, instantaneous.
And yet we must admit the force of what a devout and thoughtful writer
says as to the danger of regarding it as _only_ a gradual growth. If a
Christian looks upon himself as "a tree planted by the rivers of water
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season," he judges rightly. But
to conclude therefore that his growth will be as {115} irresistible as
that of the tree, coming as a matter of course simply because he has by
regeneration been planted in Christ, is a grave mistake. The disciple
is required to be consciously and intelligently active in his own
growth, as a tree is not, "to give all diligence to make his calling
and election sure." And when we say "active" we do not mean
self-active merely, for "which of you by being anxious can add one
cubit unto his stature?" asks Jesus (Matt. 6: 27, R. V.). But we must
surrender ourselves to the divine action by living in the Spirit and
praying in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit, all of which
conditions are as essential to our development in holiness, as the rain
and the sunshine are to the growth of the oak. It is possible that
through a neglect and grieving of the Spirit a Christian may be of
smaller stature in his age than he was in his spiritual infancy, his
progress being a retrogression rather than an advance. Therefore in
saying that sanctification is progressive let us beware of concluding
that it is inevitable.

Moreover, as candid inquirers, we must ask what of truth and of error
there may be in the doctrine of "instantaneous sanctification," which
many devout persons teach and profess to have pro