+I. The apostle represents the Church of God under the figure of a
city and a household.+--1. _A Church must resemble a family or city
in respect of order and government;_ for without these a religious
society can no more subsist than a civil community or a household.
2. _In a city or household all the members have a mutual relation and
partake in the common privileges;_ and though they are placed in
different stations and conditions, they must all contribute to the
general happiness. 3. _In a city and also in a family there is a
common interest._ 4. _In a well-ordered city or household there will
be peace and unity;_ so there ought to be in a Christian Church.
+II. The manner in which the Church is founded.+--The mediation of
Christ is the foundation of our faith and hope. The apostles and
prophets are a foundation only as they describe and exhibit to use
the doctrines and works, the atonement and intercession, of the
Redeemer. In Him all the doctrines of the apostles and prophets meet
and unite, as the stones in the foundation are fixed and bound
together by the corner-stone.
+III. The Church must be united with and framed into the
foundation.+--Thus it may stand secure. Christ is the chief
corner-stone in which all the building is framed. That only is true
faith in Christ which regards Him as the foundation of our present
hope and final acceptance.
+IV. As the Church must rest on the foundation, so the several parts
of it must be framed and inserted into each other.+--As it is faith
which fixes the saints on Christ the foundation, so it is love which
binds them together among themselves. If we would preserve the
beauty, strength, and dignity of the spiritual house, we must be
watchful to repair breaches as soon as they appear, and to remove
those materials which are become too corrupt to be repaired, lest
they communicate their own corruption to sounder parts.
+V. The Church is to grow into a holy temple for God through the
Spirit.+--We must not content ourselves with having built on the true
foundation, but must bring the structure to a more finished and
beautiful condition. The Church may grow and make increase both by
the progress of its present members in knowledge and holiness and by
the addition of new members who become fellow-workers in the
spiritual building. God dwells in His Church, not only by His Word
and ordinances, but also by the influence of His Spirit which He
affords to assist His people in the duties of His worship and to open
their hearts for the reception of His Word.--_Lathrop._