We have shown why sects are bad in rather a negative light, as being confusion and therefore a hindrance to proper Christian representation in the world. They are evil in a more positive sense, and it was because of this that God prompted Brother Warner and others in the reform to utter such sharp judgment against them. Any body of Christian people that arises and fails to qualify on all principles that mark the church of God as a whole, that proceeds to human organization and rule instead of recognizing only Holy Spirit organization and government, at once limits itself and becomes thereby a sect, a false representation of the church. As a false church it is soon a corrupt institution in which human pride and every element contrary to God may exist and become active. The human will, intended for the rule of our bodies and things terrestrial, things which belong to man's province, becomes sadly out of place when exercised in any sphere or capacity that belongs to God. In such sphere it becomes a rival of God, a monster evil of great proportions, a distinctive satanic spirit, always opposing the true work of God.
This man rule in a province to which God alone has rightful claim (for indeed it exercises the prerogative of God when it presumes to direct God's work and people) has characterized all Protestant sectism just as it did Roman Catholicism, only in milder aspect. Man rule is represented in prophetic symbols by beastly character, whether it applies to political or ecclesiastical government. Thus in the 7th chapter of Daniel we have the symbols of four great beasts, representing in their respective order four universal kingdoms, as follows: Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. These were temporal powers that ruled the world. When a mere temporal power is indicated the prophetic symbol used is a dumb beast. If a beast or any part of such symbol is represented as speaking or exercising human propensities, then the thing indicated is also an ecclesiastical power. Thus the fourth beast in Daniel 7, which represents the Roman Empire, exercises first as a dumb animal; but directly a particular horn appears among the horns of this beast, and is given eyes to see and a mouth to speak great things, which indicates ecclesiastical exercise, so that we have here Rome first as a heathen power, and then as a so-called Christian power speaking great things, making war against the saints, etc.