the throne of God, they resemble their blessed redeemer, who, (1 Pet. II. 22.) did no fin, neither was guile found in his mouth; and are, as the apostle requires Christians to be, (Philip. II. 15.) blameless and harmless, the fons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perversé nation. But possibly it may be asked, Where did such a church ever exist, especially before the Reformation : and it

may

be replied that it hath not existed only in idea; history demonstrates, as it hath been before evinced, that there have in every age been some true worshippers. of God, and faithful servants of Jesus Christ; and as Elijah did not know the seven thousand men who had never bowed the knee to Baal, so there may have been more true Christians than were always visible,

1

6. And I saw, another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Such

Such is the nature and character of the true Christian church in opposition to the wicked Antichristian kingdom ; and three principal efforts have been made towards a reformation at three different times, represented by three angels appearing one after another.

Another angel, (ver. 6.) besides those who were employed in singing, (ver. 3.) is seen flying in the midst of heaven, and having the everlasting gospel to preach unto every nation and people ; so that during this period the gospel should still be preached, which is stiled the everlasting gospel, being like its divine author (Hebr. XIII. 8.) the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever, in opposition to the novel doctrins of the beast and the false prophet, which (Matt. XV. 13.) fall be rooted up as plants not of the heavenly Father's planting. This angel is farther represented (ver. 7-) Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to kim, for the hour of his judgment is come. Prophecy mentions things as come, which will certainly come: and so 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 universe ; Worship hi12 thai made beaven and earth, and the fea, and the

fountains of waters.

It is a solemn and emphatic exhortation to forsake the reigning idolatry and superstition, and such exhortations were made even in the first and earliest times of the beast. Besides several of the Greek emperors who strenuously opposed the worship of images, Charlemain himself (7) held a council at Francfort in the year 794, consisting of about 300 French, and German, and Italian, and Spanish, and British bishops, who condemned all sort 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 scripture and to the doctrin and practice of antiquity, were approved by the council, and transmitted to the pope. Lewis the pious, the son and successor of Charles, (8) held a council at Paris in the

year 824, which ratified the acts of the council of Francfort and the Carolin books, and affirmed that according to the scripture and the fathers adoration was due to God alone. Several private persons also taught and asserted the same scriptural 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 should not worship dead men ; they are " to be imitated, not to be adored: let us toge

ther with the angels worship one God.' Agobard, archbishop of Lyons, (1) wrote a whole book against images, and says that 'angels or • saints may be loved and honored, but not be • served and worshipped : let us not pat our • trust in man, but in God, lest that prophetic • denunciation should redound on us, Cursed is • the man, who trusteth in man, Many other (2) bishops and writers of Britain, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France, professed the same fentiments: and this public opposition of emperors 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 respect 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, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

As the admonitions of the first angel had not the proper effect upon

the kingdom of the beast, the second angel is commissioned to proclame the fall of the capital city. (ver. 8.) And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen is fallen, that great city. By Babyl

By Babylon was meant Rome, as all authors of all ages and countries agree: but it was but it was not prudent to denounce