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DISCOURSES ON THE TRUE

DEFINITION OF THE

CHURCH.

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BIBL

TRUE DEFINITION OF THE CHURCH,

ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC,

AND APOSTOLIC.

I.-ONE.

HE assertion by every Christian man, in pub

THE

lic orthodox worship, that he believes in ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, and APOSTOLIC CHURCH, is not that he believes in a theological speculation, but in a practical fact. It is not a theoretical description of a myth, but a tangible reality. It is not a mere declaration of a principle, which is inoperative on the greater part of the members of the Church, (such as in physics the belief in attraction, repulsion, centrifugal and centripetal forces and the like, which, however, does influence every one, although unconsciously,) but it is a declaration of qualities which every one is bound to manifest, according to the position he occupies in the Church. In order to do this, he must know and feel that every baptized man is his brother in Christ, and bear himself towards him in brotherly love, as a member of the

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