IV.

It is admitted on all sides, by Protestants and Catholics alike, that Christ has established a Church.  And strange to say, all our Protestant friends acknowledge, too, that he has established only one Church, only one Church.  For whenever Christ speaks of His Church, it is always in the singular.  Bible readers, remember that.  My Protestant friends, pay attention.  He says, "Hear the Church,"  not hear the churches.  "I have built My Church upon a rock,"  not My churches.  

Whenever He speaks, whether in figures or parables of His Church, He always conveys to the mind a oneness, a union, a unity.  

He speaks of His Church as a sheepfold, in which there is but one shepherd, that is the head of all.  And the sheep are made to follow his voice, "Other sheep I have who are not of this fold."  One fold, you see.  He speaks of His Church as of a kingdom, in which there is but one king to rule all.  And He speaks of His Church as a family in which there is but one father at the head.  He speaks of His Church as a tree, and all the branches of that tree are connected with the trunk, and the trunk with the roots, and Christ is the root.  The trunk is Peter and the Popes, the large branches are the bishops, the smaller branches the priests, and the fruit upon that tree are the faithful throughout the world.  The branch, says He, that is cut off from that tree shall wither away, produce no fruit, and is only fit to be cast into the fire, that is, damnation. 

This is plain speaking, my dear people, but there is no use in covering the truth.  I want to speak the truth to you, as the Apostles preached it in their time: No salvation outside of the Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.