Labadie lived during the century after the great activity of the Spirit, of God in raising up men to bring out the great truths of the Reformation such as "Justification by faith," "Chosen in Him," "One Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus," etc., such as Luther, Calvin, Zwinglie and others proclaimed.
During the one hundred years following this great work, that which had had such a bright beginning had become mixed up with the world and sunk down to its level. Its state was that described in the address to Sardis of Rev. 3:11And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. (Revelation 3:1), "A name that thou livest and art dead.”
He did not have the clearness of certain truths which were brought out two hundred years later; such as "There is one body," the Lord being in the midst of the two or three gathered unto His name, the heavenly calling of the church, the coming of the Lord to take His people out of this world, etc. He did not have the truth as to the special place that the first day of the week should have with His people. He maintained that Sunday was no holier than any other day because his life was a continual Sabbath.
It was his thought to go back to the way that the early church started out at Jerusalem where they had all things common, not realizing that this state of the church did not continue in the account given in the Acts after the failure manifested in Acts 57And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. (Acts 5:7) and 6. It evidently was not compulsory at any time from Peter's words to Ananias, "Whilst it remained, was it not thine own?" It seems apparent from Acts 127And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. (Acts 12:7) that many had their own homes for we read of "The house of Mary... where many were gathered together praying." Then in Acts 1:1: 29 and 2 Cor. 9:77Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7) each had their own funds and were responsible to the Lord as to how they used them.
Labadie prophesied that the beginning of the reign of the kingdom of Grace would take place in the year 1666. At Geneva he revived his views in regard to the approach of Christ's reign upon earth, and of his own claim to divine inspiration.
Nevertheless Labadie was sincere and devoted and apparently was used of the Lord in proclaiming the word of the gospel.
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