Fri.-Sabbath, 3/2-4/12 Devotion

Yippee--it's almost Sunday. We *get* to go back to church! In order to get ready, here is Thomas Watson, from his "A Body of Divinity" book. TW is referring to Sanctification here. . . .

"Sanctification is a progressive thing. It is growing; it is compared to seed which grows: first the blade springs up, then the ear, then the ripe corn in the ear--such as are already sanctified may be more sanc-
tified, (2 Cor 7:1). Justification does not admit of degrees; a believer cannot be more elected or justified than he is--but he may be more sanctified than he is. Sanctification is still increasing, like the morn-
ing sun, which grows brighter to the full meridian. Knowledge is said to increase, and faith to increase, (Col 1:10; 2 Cor 10:15). A Christian is continually adding a cubit to his spiritual stature. It is not with us as it was with Christ, who received the Spirit without measure; for Christ could not be more holy than He was. We have the Spirit only in mea-
sure, and may be still augmenting our grace; as Apelles, when he had drawn a picture, would be still mending it with his pencil. The image of God is drawn but imperfectly in us, therefore we must be still mending it, and drawing it in more lively colors. Sanctification is pro-
gressive; if it does not grow, it is because it does not live. Thus you see the nature of sanctification."