Mutual Edcation, the Duty of Chrillians. S of what is meant by edification. In the fe- SERM cond place, I will more particularly confider I. the diredtion in the text. Firfi, to give the true fcripture account of what is meant by edification ; which I am afraid fome chriftians do not well enough un- derftand, and therefore have run into dange- rous miftakes in judging both of their own and others edification. The expreffion is plainly figurative, and it leads us to confider the church of Chrift, the whole collective body of his members, or believers in him, under the notion of a building, which is a very ufual one with the facred writers in de- fcribing it thus, * re are God's building. As material edifices are compofed of many parts which are regularly difpofed by human art fo as to make an intire work, raifed upon one foundation, firong in proportion to the firm - nefs of that foundation ; and fo long as the parts adhere to it and to each other, fubfifting in its artificial form, and under the notion of a building ; the materials being united toge.. ther by a cement, and the whole, if it be done by a fkilful architc t, form'd and finifh'd ac- cording to an exalt model : fo our Lord i Cor. iii. g. 13 3 Jcfus
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