Such is the nature and character of the true Christian church in oppofition to the wicked Antichristian kingdom; and three principal efforts have been made towards a reformation at three different times, reprefented by three angels appearing one after another. Another angel, (ver. 6.) befides thofe who were employed in finging, (ver. 3.) is feen flying in the midst of heaven, and having the everlofing gespel to preach unto every nation and people; fo that during this period the gospel fhould ftill be preached, which is ftiled the everlasting gofpel, being like its divine. author (Hebr. XIII. 8.) the fame yesterday, and to day, and for ever, in oppofition to the novel doctrins of the beaft and the false prophet, which (Matt. XV. 13.) shall be rooted up as plants not of the heavenly Father's planting. This angel is farther represented (ver. 7.) faying, with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the bour of his judgment is come. Prophecy mentions things as come, which will certainly come and, fo our Saviour faid (John XII. 31.) Now is the judgment of this world; it is denounced with certainty now, and in due time will be fully executed. But what this angel more particularly recommends, is the worship of the great creator of the univerfe; Worship him that made heaven and earth, and the fea, and the foun fountains of waters. It is a folemn and emphatic exhortation to forfake the reigning idolatry and fuperftition, and fuch exhortations were made even in the firft and earlieft times of the beaft. Befides feveral of the Greek emperors who ftrenuously oppofed the worship of images, CharJemain himself (7) held a council at Francfort in the year 794, confifting of about 300 French, and German, and Italian, and Spanish, and British bishops, who condemned all fort of adoration or worship of images, and rejected the second council of Nice, which had authorized and established it. At the same time the Carolin books, as they are called, four books written by Charles himself or by his authority, proving the worship of images to be contrary to the fcripture and to the doctrin and practice of antiquity, were approved by the council, and tranfmitted to the pope. Lewis the pious, the fon and fucceffor of Charles, (8) held a council at Paris in the year 824, which ratified the acts of the council of Franc (7) Fred. Spanhemii Hift. Chriftian. Sæc. 8. Cap. 7 & 9. Dupin. Bib. Ecclefiaft. Tom. 6. paffim. Voltair's Annals of the Empire. Ann. 794. (8) Spanhem. ibid. Sæc. 9. Cap. 12. Sect. 2. et Hift. Imag. Reft. Sect. 9. Dupin. ibid. Tom. 7. Chap. 1. (9) Non jubemur ad creatu Et ram tendere, ut efficiamur beati, Francfort and the Carolin books, and affirmed that according to the fcripture and the fathers adoration was due to God alone. Several private perfons alfo taught and afferted the fame fcriptural doctrine. Claude, bishop of Turin, (9) declares that we are not commanded to go to the creature, that we may be made happy, but to the creator himself: and therefore < we fhould not worship dead men; they are 'to be imitated, not to be adored: let us toge ther with the angels worship one God.' Ago bard, archbishop of Lyons, (1) wrote a whole book against images, and fays that angels or 'faints may be loved and honored, but not be served and worshipped: let us not put our ‹ trust in man, but in God, left that prophetic denunciation fhould redound on us, Curfed is the man, who trusteth in man,' Many other (2) bishops and writers of Britain, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France, profeffed the fame fentiments and this public oppofition of empe Cave Hift. Litt. ad Ann. 820. (1) Angeli, vel homines fanc ti, amentur, honorentur, charitate, non fervitute: Non ponamus fpem noftram in homine, fed in Deo, ne forte redundet in nos illud propheticum, Maledictus homo qui confidit in homine. Lib. de Imag. Cap. 30. apud Spanhem. ibid. Vide rors etiam Dupin. ibid. Cave. ibid. ad Ann. 813. (2) Spanhem. ibid. Sect. 3. Ufferius de Ecclef. Chriftian. fucceffione & ftatu. Cap. 2. Allix's Remarks upon the ancient churches of the Albigenfes. Chap. 8 & 9. (3) Span < rors and bishops to the worship of faints and images in the eighth and ninth centuries. appears to be meant particularly by the loud voice of this first angel flying aloft, and calling upon the world to worship God. In another refpect too these emperors and bishops resemble this angel having the everlasting gospel to preach unto every nation; for in their time, and greatly by their means, (3) the Christian religion was propagated and established among the Saxons, Danes, Swedes, and many other northern nations. 8 And there followed another angel, faying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because he made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. As the admonitions of the firft angel had not the proper effect upon the kingdom of the beast, the second angel is commiffioned to proclame the fall of the capital city. (ver. 8.) And there. followed another angel, faying, Babylon is fallen is fallen, that great city. By Babylon was meant Rome, as all authors of all ages and countries. agree but it was not prudent to denounce (3) Spanhem. ibid. Cap. 2. the (4) Mede the destruction of Rome in open and direct terms: it was for many wife reafons done covertly under the name of Babylon, which was the great idolatress of the earth, and enemy of the people of God in former, as Rome hath been in later times. By the fame figure of fpeech, that the first angel cried that the hour of his judgment is come, this fecond angel proclames that Babylon is fallen; the fentence is as certain, as if it was already executed. For greater certainty too it is repeated twice Babylon is fallen, is fallen; as Jofeph faid (Gen. XLI. 32.) that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, because the thing is eftablished by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. The reafon then is added of this fentence against Babylon, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath, or rather of the inflaming wine of her fornication. Hers was a kind of a Circéan cup with poisoned liquor to intoxicate and inflame mankind to fpiritual fornication. St. John in thefe figures copies the ancient prophets. In the fame manner, and in the fame words, did Ifaiah foretel the fate of ancient Babylon, (XXI. 9.) Babylon is fallen, is fallen: And Jeremiah hath affigned much the fame reafon for her destruction, (LI. 7.) Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made VOL. III. S all |