The apostle anticipated the fact, that a class would arise, which he denominates wolves, not sparing the flock. One characteristic feature of this class would be, a disposition to lord it over God's heritage. The seed had already been sown. Some had become carnal. There was a "Diatrephes," who loved to have the preëminence, viz.: "lord it over God's heritage." And there has been many of these "Diatrepheses," clear down to the present time. Look at the Bishops of Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, Constantinople, &c., striving for the mastery; till finally the Bishop of Rome succeeded, trampling under foot all others, and then rearing a mighty fabric, and taking his seat in the temple of God, showing himself that he was God. But we must remember that this was not done in one year, or one century. It was like the leaven in the measure of meal—a gradual work. The deviation was so small at the first, as not to be noticed. The professed Church were imperceptibly assimilated into the same spirit; like priest, like people. Like the car loosed from the train on a downward grade:—at first it moves so gently, no fears are entertained—how little will it take to stop it, is the feeling that pervades the mind of the passengers; each one feels secure. It gathers strength—its velocity increases—the brakes are applied; but it is too late! In turning a curve, the track spreads, and both car and passengers are precipitated into the gulf below. How completely this illustration covers the ground! The professed Church, becoming cold in her affections, indulging a self-confident spirit, disconnecting herself by her legislative acts from the Great Head of the Church; went back, step by step, till finally she fell into the yawning gulf of apostacy, "The making of an authoritative creed, to which the clergy were compelled to subscribe, was the first step; the absolute prohibition of the Bible to the people, was the last step. The difference between, was only the growth of the principle. For the right to dictate what a man shall find in the Scripture, and the right to dictate that he shall find nothing, are one." Making creeds is the first step in apostacy; yea, more, it is evidence that the person or persons are already backsliden.
It may be remarked, that those who make creeds are honest. True: but no more so than those Bishops who met at the "Council of Nice," A.D. 325, "and fully settled the doctrine taught in the word of God, banished Arius into Illyria, and compelled his followers to subscribe." Honesty is no evidence that the thing is right. The "Inquisition" was honest in delivering over her victims to the civil arm; yet, who but a Catholic would approve of such God-hating work? It may be remarked that, there is a difference between the synods of Nice, Chalcedon, &c., and those of the present time. True; but what is the difference? Ans. The same as between the Anaconda of Ceylon, and the smallest serpent that crawls the earth. The former has power to destroy a person in a moment; the latter, not having the power, yet possessing the disposition, shows, by running out his little forked tongue, what he would do if he could.
"The apostolic churches, during the whole of the first century, had no creed but the Bible." And to urge creed-making as necessary because of a change of circumstances, is to insult God, and it is an imposition on Jesus Christ. The Lord knew all about the adverse circumstances, the fiery trials through which the Church must pass. He told the disciples, "that in the world they should have tribulation." "Verily, verily, I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament." In this language, He scans the history of the Church, clear to the end. But nothing like authority or lenity is given for creeds, or any of this human machinery. The Apostle Paul informs the Church, that men "would arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." And if ever an opportunity offered itself to instruct the Church in relation to this matter, it was at this time. But not a single word is said from which we can gather any thing of this kind. It is as follows: "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up." No intimation here of creeds or compacts. And if men will not stand without this miserable man-made stuff, the quicker they fall, the better.
But it is not only so with creeds, but every organization and compact, separate from the word of God, is of the flesh. But as there are many reasons urged in favor of creeds and compacts, we may perhaps now, as well as any time, call them upon the stand in this connection. And—
1st, It is said they had churches in the apostles' day. True; but the term Church, as Adam Clark says, simply means an assembly or congregation, the nature of which is to be understood from connecting circumstances. Wherever the believers assembled, there was a Church. Hence we read of a Church at Ephesus, Corinth, &c. Sometimes the term Church includes the entire company of believers in every age of the world, as may be seen by looking at the following passages: Eph. i. 22; v. 24, 25, 27; Col. i. 18, 24; Acts xii. 28. Hence the remark, that they had churches in the apostles' days, is no argument in favor of the present existing compacts. There is no intimation that they had articles drawn up on paper, to which they subscribed. We go further:—There is no evidence that they had a record of names; and, however innocent this may seem to be, we regard it an innovation. But,
2d, It may be remarked that, by being banded together, we can watch over each other. But we can watch over each other without these bands; and if we are living and acting in the fear of God, we shall love each other sufficiently well to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. And in this way, we shall "lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees; and, making straight paths for our feet, that which is lame will not be turned out of the way." This is a duty we owe to all the Church; and were it not for these sectarian pens, we could speak the truth to all the Church. We could watch over each other in love—the only true bond of union. And thus, in loving God with all our hearts, and speaking the truth in love, "we shall grow up into Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compact by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."
3d, It keeps out wicked men.—This is a most palpable falsehood. The history of all the past is against it. The Church, in every age since the apostles' time, hath been troubled with wicked men. The Saviour taught His disciples that, "the wheat and the tares should grow together until the harvest." "And He whose penetrating glance could trace its progress through the succession of ages, by this significant parable, in which He represented its condition, (Matt. 13,) and proclaimed, that it would consist, according to its earthly composition, of a mixture of true and false members;" "He reserved the public sifting and separation of this mass of men, so different in their dispositions from each other, to his final judgment alone." "He" has blamed that hasty and intemperate zeal of man, which, while it would separate the tares and the good seed before the proper season comes, is apt to pull up the hidden seed of the wheat with the tares. A great majority of the professed Church, at the present time, notwithstanding their organizations, are as corrupt as was the Church in the dark ages. But,
4th, It keeps out heresies.—If this be so, why did not the apostles keep out heresy? For we are told by some, at the present time, that they had creeds and compacts? There were some in the apostles' time who believed in circumcision. He, the apostle, inquires of the Galatians, Who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth? In writing his fifteenth chapter to the Corinthians, he inquires, "Now, if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say some among you there is no resurrection of the dead?" These were fatal errors. Again, we inquire, If, by being organized, the Church can keep out heresy, why has not the Church kept it out? There never was a time when there was so much heresy, corruption, and wickedness as at present. Hundreds of professed Christians deny the personal coming of Christ: they teach that persons, when they die, go immediately to heaven; that people have immortal souls; that the spirits of men, after they are dead, return to this world; and that they are peeping, rapping, and muttering, which, by the way, is a legitimate fruit of the Immortal soul theory;—a counterpart of that lie of Satan—"Thou shalt not surely die." These, together with the idea that heresy may be kept out by human machinery, are some of the leading errors of the age. But,
5th, The ministry is supported.—I am thinking this is about the main thing, after all. The loaves and fishes, with the great mass, are the thing. Did not the Apostle Peter anticipate the fact that such a class of persons would arise, when he exhorted the elders to take the oversight, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind? The question with the great mass is not, where can I do the most good?—but, where can I get the best pay? The loudest call, is where there is the most money. These facts are so well known, as not to require any thing but common observation to demonstrate their truthfulness. But,
6th, To know who WE are.—Satan's course, from the commencement, has been a most artful and cunning one: it has been the very business of his existence, when he could not get people to renounce the truth altogether, to make them believe it possible to improve a plan which God, in His infinite wisdom, has devised for the welfare of mankind.