the sincere and simple truths of the gospel, as the infant is nourished by its mother’s milk, and to grow thereby.  As conversion is called being “born again,” the young convert is very properly compared to a “new-born babe.”  As a babe is least when first born, so the Christian, when first converted, has the least grace; unless, indeed, he becomes diseased, and pines away, like a sickly infant.  And such is truly the deplorable case of the backslider.

The motives which urge us to seek and maintain an elevated standard of piety are the highest that can be presented to our minds. The glory of God requires it. This is the greatest possible good.  It is the manifestation of the divine perfections to his intelligent creatures.  This manifestation is made by discovering to them his works of creation, providence, and grace, and by impressing his moral image upon their hearts.  In this their happiness consists.  In promoting his own glory, therefore, God exercises the highest degree of disinterested benevolence.  Nothing can add to his happiness; nothing can diminish it.  If the whole creation were blotted out, and God were the only Being in the universe, he would still be perfectly glorious and happy in himself.  There can be, therefore, no selfishness in his desiring his own glory.  It is the good of the creature alone that is promoted by it.  A desire to glorify God must, then, be the ruling principle of all your conduct, the moving spring of all your actions.  But how is the glory of God promoted by your growth in grace?

1.  It is manifested to yourself, by impressing his image upon your heart; and by giving you a spiritual discovery of the excellence, purity and loveliness, of his moral character.

2.  It is manifested to others, so far as you maintain a holy life and conversation; for thereby the moral image of Christ is exhibited.  The glory of Christ is manifested by the holy walk of his people, just as the glory of the sun appears by the reflected light of the moon.

3.  The glory of God is promoted by making others acquainted with the exhaustless riches of free grace, and bringing them to Christ; for, by that means, they receive spiritual light to behold the beauty and glory of the divine perfections, and his image is stamped upon their souls.  But your usefulness in this respect depends mainly upon the measure of grace you have in your own heart.  The reason why many Christians do so little good in the world is, that they have so little piety.  If you would be eminently useful, you must be eminently holy.

But, you may ask, “What is the standard at which I must aim?” I answer:  The law of God is the only true standard of moral excellence; and you have the pattern of that law carried out in action, in the perfect life of our blessed Lord and Master.  No standard short of this will answer the requirements of the word of God.  “He that abideth in him, ought himself also so to walk, EVEN AS HE WALKED.”