lessened? When "virtue went forth from him," in the days of his flesh, " to heal all the multitudes that waited on him," was there less virtue in him than before ? or has the sun lost any of its splendour by all the rays that it has emitted these six thousand years ? Know, then, that Christ is still as able to save as ever, and that the very weakest amongst you all is authorized to say, " I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me"."]
o Phil. iv. 13.
2 Tim. ii. 7. Consider tvlial I say ; a?id the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
HERE we behold a parent addressing his beloved son : here we behold an Apostle addressing the whole Church of God. In like manner would I now, with an union of parental love and apostolic authority, address you, my brethren : and I pray you to con- sider what I say : and may the Lord " give you understanding in all things ! " The points to which I would draw your attention are,
I. The things proposed for Timothy's consideration —
Of course, we must look to the preceding context, to see what the Apostle had been saying. He had been urging Timothy to a performance of his mini- sterial duties : and to ministers the subject primarily belongs. But the duties are also of general import : and we may all consider ourselves as included under the different images that are here set before us :
1. As soldiers —
[In soldiers are required energy and devotion ; such energy as will bear them up under all difficulties ; and such devotion, as supersedes every other engagement, and deter- mines them fully to approve themselves to the commander under whom they fight. Now, my beloved brethren, to this character all of us, both ministers and people, are to be con- formed. We are all engaged to " fight the good fight of faith," and to " war a good warfare," under " the Captain of our sal- vation." For every one of us is armour provided, even " the