+II. Believers are described as being fellow-citizens with the saints.+--1. They are citizens. (1) Their sentence of exile is cancelled (ver. 13). (2) They are naturalised by birth (John iii. 5). (3) They are reconciled to God and believers. (4) They are under Zion's government. 2. They are "fellow-citizens with the saints." (1) They have intercourse--holy. (2) They are united by mutual love. (3) They have reciprocal duties. (4) They have common rights and privileges. (5) They have common honour and reputation. (6) They have common prosperity and adversity. (7) They have common enemies. (8) They have common defence and safety. (9) They have a common history. 3. As a congregation we are professedly a section of this peculiar and spiritual community. (1) Do we seek each other's welfare? (2) Is our intercourse the communion of saints? (3) Are we careful of each other's reputation? 4. Are we as a congregation isolating ourselves from each other? Are we "fellow-citizens with the saints"? 5. The city is above. +III. Believers are here described as belonging to the household of God.+--1. Believers as citizens are God's subjects. 2. As belonging to God's household they are His children. 3. As in God's household--(1) They are like Him. (2) They are near to Him. (3) They see His face. (4) They enjoy His fellowship. (5) They are provided for by Him. (6) They are under His protection. (7) They serve Him. (8) They worship Him--His house is a temple. 4. These are very tangible privileges and belong to this present life. 5. Many may suppose that they are "fellow-citizens with the saints" whose experience does not prove that they are "of the household of God." 6. For this "household" God has "a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."--_Stewart._ Vers. 20, 21. _The Church a Divine Edifice._--1. Though God Himself be the principal Author and Builder of this spiritual edifice, yet He employs His called ministers and servants as instruments, among whom He made special use of the prophets and apostles for laying the foundation in so far as they first did reveal and preach Jesus Christ, and commit to writings such truths concerning Him as are necessary for salvation, while other ministers are employed in preaching Christ to build up the elect on the foundation laid by them. 2. There is a sweet harmony and full agreement between the doctrines and writings of the prophets and apostles in holding forth Christ for a foundation and rock of salvation, the latter having taught and written nothing but what was prefigured in types and foretold in prophecies by the former. 3. As growth in grace is a privilege which appertains to all parts of this spiritual building who are yet on earth, so this growth of theirs flows from their union and communion with Christ; and the more their union is improved by daily extracting renewed influence from Him, they cannot choose but thrive the better in spiritual growth.--_Fergusson._