1. _Steadfastness._--No more children. No more carried about--borne round and round as in the swiftly whirling eddy of the sea--by every wind of doctrine. 2. _Sincerity._--"Speaking the truth in love" refers both to the sincerity of life and our relation to the truth. 3. _A further growth._--As the full-grown tree, leaves and blossoms and bears; as fruit, after it is full-grown, mellows, matures, sweetens; ripening as wheat for the garner.--_J. M. Frost._ Vers. 14-16. _Christian Maturity._ +I. The negative part of this description.+--1. _Christians must not remain children._--In humility, meekness, and teachableness, let them be children; but in understanding, constancy, and fortitude they should be men. Children have but little knowledge and a weak judgment. They believe hastily and act implicitly. They are governed by passion more than reason, by feeling more than judgment. 2. _The apostle cautions that we be not tossed to and fro like a ship rolling on the waves._--The man without principle, knowledge, and judgment is at the mercy of every rude gust. He is driven in any direction, as the wind happens to blow. He makes no port, but is every moment in danger of shipwreck. 3. _We must not be carried about with every wind of doctrine._--False doctrines, like winds, are blustering and unsteady. They blow from no certain point, but in all directions, and frequently shift their course. The light and chaffy Christian, the hypocritical and unprincipled professor, is easily carried about by divers and strange doctrines. He shifts his course and changes his direction, as the wind of popular opinion happens to drive. 4. _We are in danger from the cunning craftiness of men._--True ministers use plainness of speech, and by manifestation of the truth commend themselves to the consciences of men. Corrupt teachers use sleight and craft, that they may ensnare the simple, decoy the unsuspecting, and thus make proselytes to their party. They pretend to superior sanctity. They are watchful to take advantage of an unhappy circumstance in a Church. They unsettle men's minds from the established order of the Gospel, and prejudice them against the regular maintenance of the ministry, representing all order in Churches as tyranny and all stated provision for the ministry as oppression. They promise men liberty, but are themselves the servants of corruption. +II. The positive part.+--1. _The mature Christian must speak the truth in love._ Be sincere in love. We should acquire a good doctrinal knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. We should be well established in the truth. We should see that our hearts are conformed to the truth. We must walk in the truth.