General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1849 Original Publisher: Baker and Scribner Subjects: Theology Presbyterian Church Religion / Sermons / Christian Religion / Christian Theology / General Religion / Christian Ministry / Preaching Religion / Christianity / Presbyterian Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: PART I. The Scriptural Doctrine. Strange as it may appear, it is nevertheless true, that men who have the Bible in their hands as their only rule of faith and practice, appeal immediately to its testimony, for their justification, but very rarely for their information. They take for granted that their peculiarities are right, and that the only use of the scripture is to prove them. Much is gained when, instead of putting their language into the mouth of the book of God, the book of God is allowed to sit in judgment upon themselves, and to pronounce its own verdict. This is that course of truth which, however feebly, we shall endeavor to follow. So that our leading inquiry contemplates the direct doctrine of the scripture concerning Christian fellowship. We must go to first principles: There is no point more fully settled in the scriptures, than this, that The Church of God is One. It were endless to collect all the proofs. Let one suffice. Paul, or rather the Holy Ghost, who spake by his mouth and wrote with his pen, has thus represented it. As the body is One, and hath many members; and all the members of that one body, being Many, are One Body; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we All baptized into One body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been All made to drink into One Spirit. For tJie Body is not One member, but Man…