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her. The sick would be healed, devils would be rebuked and cast out,
and she would be mighty, and a terror to her enemies.
I saw that a very large company professed the name of Christ, but
God does not recognize them as his. He has no pleasure in them.
Satan seemed to assume a religious character, and was very willing
that the people should think they were Christians. He was very willing
that they should believe in Jesus, his crucifixion, and his resurrection.
Satan and his angels fully believed all this themselves, and trembled.
But if this faith does not provoke to good works, and lead those who
profess it to imitate the self-denying life of Christ, he is not disturbed;
for they merely assume the Christian name, while their hearts are still
carnal; and he can use them in his service better than if they made
no profession. Under the name of Christian they hide their deformity.
[127]
They pass along with their unsanctified natures, and their evil passions
unsubdued. This gives occasion for the unbeliever to throw their
imperfections in the face of Jesus Christ, to reproach him, and to cause
those who do possess pure and undefiled religion to be brought into
disrepute.
The ministers preach smooth things to suit carnal professors. This
is just as Satan would have it. They dare not preach Jesus and the
cutting truths of the Bible; for if they should, these carnal professors
would not hear them. Many of them are wealthy, and must be retained
in the church, although they are no more fit to be there than Satan
and his angels. The religion of Jesus is made to appear popular and
honorable in the eyes of the world. The people are told that those
who profess religion will be more honored by the world. Very widely
do such teachings differ from the teachings of Christ. His doctrine
and the world could not be at peace. Those who followed him had
to renounce the world. These smooth things originated with Satan
and his angels. They formed the plan, and nominal professors have
carried it out. Hypocrites and sinners unite with the church. Pleasing
fables are taught, and readily received. But if the truth should be
preached in its purity, it would soon shut out hypocrites and sinners.
But there is no difference between the professed followers of Christ
[128]
and the world. I saw that if the false covering could be torn off from
the members of the churches, there would be revealed such iniquity,
vileness and corruption, that the most diffident child of God would
have no hesitancy in calling them by their right name, children of their