NOTE: — 24 —

...our *vardapet* [saith]: “Everywhere in the holy scriptures, [the author] calleth Faith ‘religion’” (*In Comment. Iacob.*, Discourse V, p. 69, according to the new edition). Now, if religion is the truth of the Christian faith, then it admitteth of no variance or diversity whatsoever; for our true and holy religion is established and founded upon Jesus Christ. Wherefore the words of Holy Scripture truly teach us that we are spiritually one mystical body, fitly joined together of diverse members unto the one Head, Christ (1 Cor. 10:17; 12:12), according as we all, by the religion of the orthodox faith and by the grace of baptism, are suitably knit together in Christ (Coloss. 1:18; 2:19). Yea, more, the infallible teacher and author of the truth of our holy religion is Jesus Christ Himself (Matt. 23:10; 1 Cor. 3:11). Behold, by this religion of the law of grace, we Christians are truly called the adopted sons of God the Father; and by the fervent hope of our souls and minds, and by the Holy Spirit of God working within our hearts the confidence of filial love, we make bold ever to invoke the name of God the Father, [as] our Father of mercies and of all consolation; whereby we are called inheritors of the glory of the beatitude in the kingdom of heaven, and joint-heirs with Christ. According to this, Jesus Christ our Savior, by the grace of His redemptive incarnation, called us brethren, making us partakers of His true and natural sonship, of the immortality of life, and of beatitude (Rom. 8:15–17; 1 Cor. 2:6; 12:13–14, 27; Galat. 4:29 [4:7?]; Tit. 3:7; Iacob. 2:5). Therefore, our holy and true religion of the orthodox faith of Christianity is one by the grace and power of our one and only Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God; it is one by the true confession of the orthodox faith; it is one by the sanctifying mystery of baptism, the spirit-renewing regeneration; we are one as the offspring of one spiritual womb; our religion is one, for we receive and confess with firm and sound faith and unwavering hope the one God the Father, [who is] ever our protector and provider, willing our good through His paternal compassion. Unto these wondrous unities of the law of grace of the Christian religion...