Mutual Edification, the Duty of Chr f ians. 9 intelligent and moral, but imperfe& agents ; SERM. and the intention being to reform them, and I. at Taft bring them to theperfeaion of righteouf- nefs, holinefs, and charity ; their edification muff, confequently, be in knowledge and virtue, and in mutual good -will and peace. Accordingly, thefe are the very things in which St. Paul hirfelf explains it. Firft, edification lignifies an increafe of true, ufeful, religious knowledge ; fo it is ufed in feveral paffages of the i4th chapter of the ift epiftle to the Corinthians, where fe- veral diforders in the public miniftrations are correäed, and a decent manner of perform- ing them recommended, fo that they may be profitable and edifying, that is, inftrutive. verfe 3. He that prophefieth, fpeaketh unto men to edification, In the 4.th and 5th verfes, he that prophefieth, ed f eth the Church ; and greater is he that prophefieth, than he that fpeaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. In the 12th, forafmuch as ye are zealous offpiritual gifts, feek that ye may excell to the edifying of the church. In the 17th, thou verily give thanks well (in an unknown tongue) but the other is not edified. And at the 26th, whereas there was an emulation among them, every
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