[1] The process of being born again is like that which a
portrait goes through under the hand of the artist. When a
man is converted, he is but the outline sketch of a
character which he is to fill up. He first lays in the dead
colouring. Then come the work of laying in the colours, and
he goes on, day after day, week after week, month after
month, year after year, blending them, and heightening the
effect. It is a life's work; and when he dies he is still
laying in and blending the colours, and heightening the
effect. And if men suppose the work is done when they are
converted, why should we expect anything but lopsided
Christian character?--_Beecher._
Who starts up a finished Christian? The very best men come
from their graves, like Lazarus, "bound with
grave-clothes,"--not like Jesus, who left the death-dress
behind Him; and, alas! in their remaining corruptions all
carry some of these cerements about with them, nor drop
them but at the gate of heaven.--_Guthrie._
[2] God deals in spiritual proceedings, as in natural, to
extremes by the mean. We are not born old men; but first an
infant, then a man, then old. We are conceived of immortal
seed, born of the Spirit, so go on to perfection. There is
first a seed, then a plant, then a tree. We go not at one
jump into heaven, nor at one stroke kill the
enemy.--_Adams,_ 1643.
[3] Cast a sponge into water, and, the fluid filling its empty
cells, it swells out before our eyes, increases more and
more. There is no effort here, and could be none; for
though once a living animal, the sponge is now dead and
dry. But it is not as sponges fill with water, nor to use a
Scripture figure often employed, and sometimes misapplied,
as Gideon's fleece was filled with dews, that God's people
are replenished with His grace. More is needed than simply
to bring ourselves in contact with ordinances, to read the
Bible, to repair on Sabbath to Church, to sit down in
communion seasons at the Lord's table.--_Guthrie._
[4] God hath provided and recommended to us one example as a
perfect standard of good practice--the example of our Lord.
That indeed is the most universal, absolute, and assured
pattern; yet doth it not supersede the use of other
examples. Not only the valour and conduct of the general,
but those of inferior officers, yea the resolution of
common soldiers, doth serve to animate their fellows. The
stars have their season to guide us as well as the sun;
especially when our eyes are so weak as hardly to bear the
day. Even considering our infirmity, inferior examples by
their imperfection sometimes have a peculiar advantage. Our
Lord's most imitable practice did proceed from an immense
virtue of Divine grace which we cannot arrive to; it is in
itself so perfect and high, that we may not ever reach it:
looking upon it may therefore sometimes dazzle and
discourage our weakness. But other good men had assistance
in measure such as we may hope to approach unto; they were
subject to the difficulties which we feel; they were
exposed to the perils of falling which we fear; we may
therefore hope to march on in a reasonable distance after
them; we may, by help of the same grace, come near in
transcribing their less exact copy.--_Barrow,_ 1630-1677.
[5] Gotthold observed a boy in a writing-school eyeing
attentively the line placed before him, and labouring to
write with equal correctness and beauty. Mark, said he to
the bystanders, how all perfection is the offspring of
imperfection, and how by frequent mistakes we learn to do
well. It is not required of this boy that his penmanship
shall equal that of the line. He satisfies his master by
the pains he takes; for these are a ground of hope that he
will progressively improve, and at last learn to write with
rapidity and elegance. We also have a pattern to copy. It
has been left us by the Lord Jesus Christ, and is His most
perfect and holy life. And think not that He extracts more
from us than the teacher does from the pupil. No, indeed;
if He find us carefully studying His example, and diligent
in our endeavours to imitate it, He exercises forbearance
towards our faults, and by His grace and Spirit daily
strengthens us to amend.--_Scriver,_ 1629-1693.