Mutual Edification, the Duty of Chrians. 27 the tircumcifion of Titus was peremptorily SERM, demanded to qualify him for religious com- I. munion, there he contended earneftly for V freedom, and, as he Pays himfelf, would not give place by fùbjec`lion for fo much as one hour, that the truth of the gofpel .might continue with the churches, uncorrupted by any fuch additions to it. I conclude, then, that li- berty muff not be given up to the pretence of edification, and that it is not the meaning of the rule in the text, that we íhould plèafe our neighbours, by fubmitting to a ftanding, conftant neceffity laid upon indifferent things, merely by their opinions, or their wills. I íhall conclude this difcourfe with the following inferences. Firf, from the ac- count which has been given of the nature and meaning of edification, it appears that chriftians are often miftaken in the judgment they make concerning edification, both of themfelves and others. If it really means an increafe of profitable knowledge, of faith, virtue and charity; they judge very wrong who efteem inftrudions to be edifying merely by the found of words, the pleating of the fancy, or even executing fome fudden, un- abiding warmth of affetions, without giving any light to, ufeful points, or tending to pro- mote
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