Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1847 edition. Excerpt: ... SERMON XV. THE CHRISTIAN CONJUNCTION: --LIBERTY AND AUTHORITY, REASON AND FAITH, LIBERALITY AND ZEAL. MATTHEW XXIII. 8. BUT BE NOT YE CALLED RABBI; FOR ONE IS YOUR MASTER, EVEK CHRIST, AND ALL YE ARE BRETHREN. It is upon this text that we justify, 1. Our dissent from the great masses of the Christian church; 2. Our want of articles, and standards, around which to rally, and to which to appeal; and, 3. Our consequent diversities of belief among ourselves, --three things which are alleged against us, and which to many seem inexplicable. But how can we join any of those great religious bodies in Christendom, when, in order to do it, we must disobey this text, and take their authority instead of Christ's? How can we set up articles and standards of our own, when this would be calling ourselves Rabbi, instead of making Christ the Master? And how is it possible we should really agree in all points, --and if not really, why be anxious to appear to?--when such differences are the inevitable consequences of that liberty wherewith Christ, in the text, has made us free, and when these differences can be prevented only by giving up liberty 1 Such being the significancy of the text, I wish to examine and apply it to our present condition amid the Christian world--a condition in many respects of extremest interest, and demanding duties of a corresponding importance. We may perhaps gain light from the doctrine of the text. It contains two points, --a prohibition and an assertion; a prohibition to his disciples to assume or acknowledge any human authority in religion, and an assertion of his own authority. In this same sentence he declares that his followers are emancipated from all dominion of men, and that they are subjected to the dominion of Christ. Y