You then are declared to be " strong :" and in this you differ widely from your former state : for whereas you formerly were liable to be " tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine," and to be overcome by every temptation, you now have obtained a stability both in knowledge and in grace. Not that you are stronger in yourselves than you were formerly : but you have learned how weak you are ; and have been led to rely wholly on the Lord Jesus Christ ; and " through him have been enabled to do" what, in your self-confident state, you were unable to perform. Hence " ye are strong ; but it is in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and in the power of his might." Your conscious weakness is the means of your strength. You can say with the Apostle, " when I am weak, then am I strong."
It is characteristic of your state also, that " the word of God abideth in you." When you were children, you knew but little of the word of God ; but you have studied it : you have "desired it, and delighted in it, as unadulterated milk; and by means of it have grown up" to maturity. You have found that there is no weapon so powerful as that. You have learned, not only from the Saviour's example, but from your own experience, that one single arrow taken out of that quiver is sufficient to vanquish all the hosts of hell. Hence you have been led to treasure up the promises in your memory ; and to have recourse to the inspired volume for direction and support in every emergency.
Further, it is said, that " you have overcome the wicked one." In your earlier days Satan beguiled and vanquished you in ten thousand instances ; but now you have attained the knowledge of his devices. He himself, if we may so speak, has at last taught you how to repel his assaults, and to resist him with success. You are become expert in the spiritual warfare. You know how to wield " the sword of the Spirit." You know when and where to expect your enemy. You know
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the way in which he manages his assaults. And you have learned to combat him upon your knees. This, though a disadvantageous posture in earthly conflicts, you have found t.> he the best that can possibly be resorted to in the spiritual warfare. Hence you have had the comfort of seeing that wicked fiend, who assaulted you with the subtilty of a serpent, and the fury of a roaring lion, flee from your face intimidated and confounded3."
O remember these your high privileges, and labour con- tinually to walk worthy of them ! ]
III. Lastly, we would speak to you also who are "fathers" in Christ—
[As age and experience elevate a man to a higher rank in the community than he possessed while in the vigour of his youth, so it is in the Church of God. Not that age, or even long continuance in the Church of Christ, can entitle a man to the appellation of " father :" for some are not born to God till they are far advanced in life ; and others, through carnality or sloth, have made so little progress in religion, that they have need to be treated as babes, when, for the time that they have professed godliness, they ought to have attained the age and stature of fathers b. Those only are deserving of this honour- able name, who have maintained a long and successful conflict with the powers of darkness.
Respecting you then it is said, that " ye have known him that is from the beginning." Whom he intended to designate under this expression, the Apostle himself tells us : it is Christ, who " was in the beginning with God, and was Godc." Now the distinction between you and young men principally consists in this; that by your numerous conflicts you have been com- pelled to make use of Christ in all his offices, and have thereby attained a more extensive knowledge of his love and mercy, his power and grace, his truth and faithfulness. From your own experience therefore you can trust in him yourselves, and can exhort others also to trust in him with the most unlimited confidence, and to glory in him as their "all in all."