The Truth of the Christian Religion (De veritate religionis Christianae)

Cephas ; fo very early did the Spirit of Fadtioil creep into the Church of God, and difturb the Peace of it; by fetting its Members at Variance with each other, who ought to have been all of the fame common Faith, into which they Were baptized 5 and I wiih it could not be faid that the fame Spirit has too much remained amongfl Chriftians ever fince. It is evident that the Foundation of the Divifions in the Church of CcnW/j, was their forfaking their common Lord and Mafter, Jcfus Ckriji, into whofe Name alone they were baptized; and uniting themfelves, fome under one eminent Apoftle or Teacher, and fome under another, by whom they had been inftrudled in the Doctrine of Chrift ; whereby they were diftinguifhed into different Sed:s, under their feveral Denominations : This St Paid complains of as a Thing in itfelf very bad, and of perniciousConfequence ; for hereby the Body of Chrift, that is, the Chriftian Church, the Dodlrine of which is one and the fame at all Times and in all Places, is rent and divided into feveral Parts, that claili and interfere with each other -, Which is the only Method, if permitted to have its natural Effed, that can overthrow and deftroy it. And from the fame Caufe have arifen all the Divifions that are or have been in the Church ever , lince. The Tranjlatprs Preface. The Tranjlatprs Preface. fince. Had Chrlftians been contented to own but one Lord, even "Jefus Chrijl, and made the Doftrine delivered by him the fole Rule of Faith, without any Fidlions or Inventions of Men ', ithadbeenimpolBblebutthattheCharch ofChrift muft have been one univerfal, regular, uniform Thing, and not fuch a Mixture and Confufion as we now behold it.…