VI.

A RESEMBLANCE

Of the whole mass of Religion, under the similitude of a Council held by the Seven Churches, comprehending all Sects and Denominations of people, in the presence of the Sinful World, or Repenting Sinner.

LET US CALL the religious sects to a council, that they may determine which of them all is the true church; that the other sects may forsake their errors and unite with her, that the scripture may be fulfilled, which saith "They shall all see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring them again Zion."

The Roman Catholic makes the first plea, as follows: I am the immediate successor to the primitive church, having Christ's vice-regent to go before me; who hath a divine intercourse with St. Peter, Paul and the Virgin Mary, and all the holy saints; who can intercede with them and receive power to forgive all our sins, with many other glorious privileges. --Therefore, without doubt, I am the true church, and all sects must return into the bosom of their blessed mother, that we may all see eye to eye.

Then the Churchman arose, and made him the following reply: --Your cloak is not big enough to cover all the innocent blood that you have shed. In England, my native country, you have slain thousands, because they would not bow to your cursed sacrament of the altar, and other such abominable stuff. Therefore, I will not return to you, for I am able to maintain a better religion. I have borne a faithful witness against the whore of Rome for which many of my noble witnesses have sealed their testimony with their blood. Therefore the Lord hath blessed me above all people of the earth, and enlarged my dominion; and given me command of the seas. And he hath also given me a sovereign right, to impress all nations into the service of the protection of the worship of my God. Therefore, I adore and praise him for his great blessings bestowed upon me; and in return, exalt his worship to the third heavens, both by sea and land. So it is evident that I am the true church, and all other sects must submit to me, that we may all see eye to eye.

The Presbyterian, being moved with anger, made him this reply: --I cannot hold my peace to see you cover such villainy with your religion. You have imprisoned, banished and murderer many good chrisitans, for their religion; besides thousands whom you have taken by force, and tortured to death on board your shipping; and all manner of such abominations, you have covered with lewd ceremonies of the whore of Rome. Therefore, I will never conform to your religion; seeing mine is much better. I have suffered persecution in truth, to defend a pure religion; shaking myself from all the Popish fopperies. And I fled away from my native country, (for the sake of my religion,) into the wilderness, among the heathen; and the Lord was with me and drove them out from before me, and gave me their land for inheritance. So I established the worship of God – to extol and praise him for my great deliverance. And being filled with godly zeal, I fought the good fight of faith, and whipped, imprisoned, banished and hanged the accursed Quakers, and other abominable heretics, that disturbed the pure worship of God. Therefore the Lord blessed me and enabled me to compel all people within my realm, to unite and support my holy worship. And my priests became free in Israel, and arose to excellent ornaments. Therefore all people may know that I am the true church. So let them join with me, that we may all see eye to eye.

The Baptist, hearing this, made him the following reply; --Every tree is known by its fruit. Your own mouth condemns you. Where do we read in the gospel that people were compelled to support the ministry? Which indeed was true; but yours is false. For you despise the true administration of the ordinances of baptism; by sprinkling a little water in the faces of people. And even children, that know neither good or evil, are compelled to your folly. Is it not evident by the whole range of the gospel, that Christ and his apostles, and all that joined with them, went down into the water and came up out of water? If my religion was established on no better foundation than yours, I might be deceived by you; but the elect cannot be deceived. Believe with the scriptures that "Except a man be truly converted cannot see the Kingdom of God." Neither do I compel any man to help support my ministry, but I do it with the pure alms of the people. Neither do I study my sermons as the hirelings do. Yet my Ministers are able with the assistance of God, to utter as good sermons as any sects whatever. Therefore I am the true church; nor other sects must comply with me, that we may all see eye to eye.

Then the Methodist arose, and made a reply to the Baptist, as followeth: --He that offends in one point is guilty of all. While you are holding up the scriptures in one point, you are denying them in many others; as I can prove by the scriptures themselves. One of your standing principles, is that man cannot fall from grace. It is written in Ezekiel, 18. 24. "When the righteous turn form his righteousness and commit iniquity," &c. all his righteousness shall not be mentioned, "in the sin which he hath sinned shall he die." Again, in I. Sam. 10. We read that the Lord extended his grace to Saul, by changing him into another man; so that he became a prophet. Again, we read in I. Chron. 17 that the Lord signified to David that he had utterly taken his grace and mercy from Saul. I could also mention many more texts to the same effect; but two witnesses are sufficient. You also boast of supporting your ministry by alms. It is an actual shame for any man to be pimping about for alms, to gratify the desires of men of wealth. According to scripture, the intention of alms is to relieve such as are reduced to poverty and real necessity, and injurious to all others. Exod. 23. 8. "Thou shalt take no gift, for the gift blindeth the wise and perverteth the words of the righteous," Prov. 15. 27. "The king, by judgment, establisheth the land, but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it." Eccle. 7. 7. "A gift destroyeth the heart." –Isaish also speaks of that abominable practice, which the leading men of Israel had fallen into, with their other abominations; Isaiah I. 23. "Every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards." Acts 20. 35. "Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said it is more blessed to give than to receive." So I must conclude that the state of your ministers, is not so blessed as that of those from whom they receive. Therefore, I shall not join with you – for my religion is more according to the word of God. I hold that he that endures to the end shall be saved. And that, if we account the blood of the covenant, where with we have been sanctified, an unholy thing, and do despite to the spirit of grace, we are in danger of eternal damnation. And by being so conformed to the word of God in everything, I have obtained power beyond all other sects, so that I can preach with such power, and pray without ceasing; and lift up my voice like a trumpet, and declare unto the people their sins in such a striking manner, as to strike them down to wallow in their own iniquity for a while. But I shall desist without relating my power in full; having said enough to convince all other sects, (if they were not blind,) that I am the true church; therefore I adjure them to conform to me, that we may all see eye to eye.

Then the Quaker arose and made the following reply: --How dare thee say that thy principles are all according to the word of God? Hast thou not joined with the other sects to uphold wars? But Christ said, "I say unto you , love your enemies." And hast thou not joined with them in taking oaths? But Christ said, "I say unto you swear not at all." And thou hast also joined with them in observing that anti-christian sabbath, which is not mentioned in the bible. Therefore by thy disobedience thou hast fallen into darkness, which is the smoke of the bottomless pit; -- and thy ministers are the locusts that came out of the smoke; for they swarm around the country in flocks, like bands of locusts, making a great sound, as it is written, "The sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots and many horses, running to battle." And many follow the sound of them out into the fields and woods, where they encamp to hear and see their sorcery; which they are able to perform by the help of their king, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name is Apollyon. It is not according to the Scripture to this great uproar of religion. The Lord speaks with a still small voice. Therefore, I will not join with thee; for I trust that my principle and practice, are more agreeable with the Lord than thine. I have suffered persecution by the filthy Presbyterians. Some of us they murdered, whose blood cries for vengeance against the Presbyterian Church, to this day. And I am kind to the poor, and to strangers; neither am I extravagant in my dress. Therefore, I believe if there is any true church, it is mine; so the other sects must conform to me, before we shall all see eye to eye.

The Seventh-day Baptist replied to the Quaker: --How are your principles and practice according to the scriptures, in respect to baptism and the Lord’s supper? Seeing you deny them both. And you err as badly in polluting the holy sabbath, as the other sects do in observing that poison first-day sabbath that is not named in the bible. And your religion is composed of the outward forms of dress, and of speech, &c. So I will not join with you; for I keep the holy sabbath delivered to Moses, written with the finger of God, "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the sabbath of the lord thy God; in and there shall not do any work," &c.

Then they all cried out with one accord saying: --He is a Jew. If the law of Moses was not fulfilled and done away in Christ, then are we indebted to keep the whole law.

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Now this forgoing council of the religious sects, exhibits such an inconsistency of religion, in the presence of the sinful world, or repenting sinner, it will be needful to carry a resemblance a little further, that the sinful world, with the spirit of truth, may have its voice.

The repenting sinner standing by, having a great desire to know what religion was right, and which sect to join with, and hearing them all justify themselves, yet condemn each other by scripture proof, -- then cried out, Lord, have mercy upon me! what shall I do?

Then the spirit of truth arose in the power of the scriptures, in a still small voice saying: Come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.

The sinner replied. --I am lost! which way shall I go?

The voice replied. --I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh to the Father but by me.

The sinner replied. --I am a poor guilty sinner; I never performed any righteousness in my life, and am not worthy to be mentioned; but these sects have performed much righteousness.

The voice said again. --"I say unto you, that joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance." Go and learn what this meaneth. "I will have mercy and not sacrifice; for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

The sinner replied. --I am amazed! How can these things be? I verily thought that the Lord was pleased with the prayers of these sects, who prayed with great confidence; but if not, what will become of such sinners as I am, who dare not pray at all?

The voice answered. --"It is not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, that shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven."

The sinner replied. --But I am such a helpless being, that I cannot do the will of God; for I am not able to resist the motions of sin that dwelleth within me; for I do the things that I would not; and the things that I would, I do not; and my sins are heavy burthens, they are too heavy for me.

The voice answered. --"Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Then the sinner fell down and in the bitterness of his soul, whispered as it were out of the dust, saying, "Lord save me, I perish."

The voice answered again. --"Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven."

Then he arose, and looking about upon these sects, saw them in great confusion, disputing every one for his own religion; and he called unto them saying, "Friends and brethren, I perceive it is a true heart of repentance that the Lord requires, and not a great outward appearance of religion. Therefore, I entreat you all to lay aside every noise of worship, and examine each one his own heart; for why will you contend, saying, "I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ"; "Is Christ divided?" Was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"

Then they all arose against him, (being prompt with their own conceited religion,) and said – who made you a preacher? We have no need of sinners to teach us. So they cast him out of their presence.

Then he, being grieved to see their blindness, said within himself –O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, forsake us not! for why wilt thou leave us to trust in our own confusion?

Then the voice answered. -- "Them that honor me, I will honor; and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." "This people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me; but have removed their hearts far from me," and their fear toward me is taught by the precepts of men. –Their priests are light and treacherous persons; with good words and fair speeches, they deceive the hearts of the simple. "They bite with their teeth and cry peace." One built up a wall, and lo! another daubed it with untempered mortar. "They eat the fat, and they clothe them with the wool; they kill them that are fed, but they feed not the flock. The best of them is as a brier; and the most upright, sharper than a thorn hedge. Therefore I abhor them even to cast them off.

The man replied. --If the Lord hath rejected all our righteousness, and is angry with all his creatures, when shall we find that happy day, when men shall all be united in one spirit, to serve the Lord with one consent?

The voice answered again. --"Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey. For my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms; to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn o the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent. –For then will I take out of the midst of thee, them that rejoice in thy pride. I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord."

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And now, having seen the foregoing resemblance, (for the truth thereof) we shall compare it with the prophecies of the prophet Daniel; by the similitude of a great image, which king Nebuchadnezzer saw in his dream.

Dan. 2d. "Thou, O king, sawest, and beheld a great image." "This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, and his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest, till a stone was cut without hands, which smote the image upon his feet, which was of iron and clay, and break them to pieces. Then was the clay, the iron and the brass, the silver and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floor; and the wind carried them away and no place was found for them; and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth."

The great image was a resemblance of this world, from that day and forward. The head of gold was the power then standing; the silver was the next reigning power; and so down to the feet and toes, which were part iron and part clay, being partly strong and partly broken. This comprehends the broken situation of the world at the present day, both civil and ecclesiastical. As to the stone that smote the image, we read of it in Isaiah, 28. 16. 17. "Therefore, saith the Lord God, behold I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgement also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuse of lies." Again, in Matt. 16.18. "I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." --This stone is Christ, in union with his church; as we read in Eph. 2. 20. "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."

There are three things to be observed in respect to the stone that smote the image.

First. –The stone was cut out of a mountain; which denotes the mountain of God’s strength, and nothing relating to the image or dominion of this world.

Second. –The stone was cut out without hands, which denotes that it is God’s own work.

Third. –The stone smote the image on his feet, which were in a broken situation; which denotes to us that when the fullness of the time shall come, God shall raise up a church composed of her own materials, whose light, and whose truth shall break forth, (together with the judgment of God) upon all this broken religion, to its utter destruction; for it will go like chaff before the wind, till no place be found for it. And the stone became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. Mic. 4.1. "But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains; and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow into it."

And now, having gone through with the foregoing resemblance, we shall proceed to our seventh and last argument against priest-craft; which we shall carry on under the similitude of a sermon to the priests, delivered by a repenting sinner in behalf of the sinful world.


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