(_h_) Though the weakest faith perfectly justifies, the degree of sanctification is measured by the strength of the Christian’s faith, and the persistence with which he apprehends Christ in the various relations which the Scriptures declare him to sustain to us. _Mat. 9:29_—“_According to your faith be it done unto you_”; _Luke 17:5_—“_Lord, increase our faith_”; _Rom. 12:2_—“_be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God_”; _13:14_—“_But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof_”; _Eph. 4:24_—“_put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth_”; _1 Tim. 4:7_—“_exercise thyself unto godliness._” Leighton: “None of the children of God are born dumb.” Milton: “Good, the more communicated, the more abundant grows.” Faith can neither be stationary nor complete (Westcott, Bible Com. on _John 15:8_—“_so shall ye become my disciples_”). Luther: “He who _is_ a Christian is _no_ Christian”; “Christianus non in esse, sed in fieri.” In a Bible that belonged to Oliver Cromwell is this inscription: “O. C. 1644. Qui cessat esse melior cessat esse bonus”—“He who ceases to be better ceases to be good.” Story, the sculptor, when asked which of his works he valued most, replied: “My next.” The greatest work of the Holy Spirit is the perfecting of Christian character. _Col. 1:10_—“_Increasing by the knowledge of God_”—here the instrumental dative represents the knowledge of God as the dew or rain which nurtures the growth of the plant (Lightfoot). Mr. Gladstone had the habit of reading the Bible every Sunday afternoon to old women on his estate. Tholuck: “I have but one passion, and that is Christ.” This is an echo of Paul’s words: “_to me to live is Christ_” (_Phil. 1:21_). But Paul is far from thinking that he has already obtained, or is already made perfect. He prays “_that I may gain Christ, ... that I may know him_” (_Phil. 3:8, 10_). (_i_) From the lack of persistence in using the means appointed for Christian growth—such as the word of God, prayer, association with other believers, and personal effort for the conversion of the ungodly—sanctification does not always proceed in regular and unbroken course, and it is never completed in this life.