Christ acknowledges for his own, during the usurpation of Antichrist. 'Hyun signifies generally a married woman; the crime committed with such is adultery; which may be taken, in a literal sense, to represent in general all the defilements of the flesh; or in a metaphorical sense, a woman is a Church, or congregation of religious persons *; which, keeping itself pure from idolatry, is styled a Virgin; but, defiled with such abomination, is denominated Harlot or Adulteress. "They called," says Hegisippus, "the "Church a Virgin, when it was not corrupted by "vain doctrines ." Every part of this description may be found applied in other places of Scripture :1. by Saint Peter; " they have escaped the corrup"tion that is in the world through lust :" 2. by our Lord; "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth," that is, "take up their cross and follow him §:" 3. by Saint Paul; are redeemed, "bought with a price ||: 4. by Saint James; "a kind of first fruits of God's "creatures:" Lastly, "speaking no deceit, ""blame"less before God **." And this description agrees nearly with that of the Prophet Zephaniah: "I will "leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord; the remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, "nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be "found in their mouth. They shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid ††.” 46 * See note, ch. ii. 20. 1 2 Pet. i. 4. 1 Cor. vi. 20. + Euseb. Hist. Eccl. lib. iv. cap, xxvi. § Matt. x. 38. James i. 18. ** 1 Pet. ii. 22.; iii. 10. 2 Pet. iii. 4. Phil. ii. 15. Luke i. 6. it Zeph. iii. 12, 13. PART 6 Καὶ εἶδον άλλον ἄγελον πετώμενον ἐν μεσορανήματι, ἔχοντα εὐαγγέλιον αἰώνιον, εὐαΓγελίσαι τὰς καλοικᾶνας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶν ἔθνος καὶ φυλὴν κα γλῶσσαν καὶ λαὸν 7 Λέγων ἐν φωνή με γάλη Φοβήθηκε τὸν Θεῖν, καὶ δότε αὐτῷ δόξαν, ὅτι ἦλθεν ἢ ὥρα τῆς κρίσεως αὐτῆς καὶ προσκυνή σαλε τῷ ποιήσαι τὸν ἐξανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασ σαν καὶ πηγὰς ὑδά των. 6 And I saw another language, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice; "Fear God, 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 judgement is come: and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. The character of the true, faithful, Christian Church having been exhibited, its history now begins to be generally set forth; while solemn warnings, and instructions, and encouragements, most useful to the faithful during the times of the beast, are delivered. And first an angel, flying in mid-heaven, proclaims * See note, ch. viii. 13. the the Gospel, as an everlasting rule of faith and of conduct. It has been the endeavour of the antichristian powers to corrupt, or secrete, this Gospel*, which is to lead all nations and languages to the knowledge and worship of the Almighty Creator. So the progress of the Reformation seems here to be prefigured, which, from its first dawnings, ever appealed to the everlasting Gospel as the sole rule of faith, and preached the restoration of Gospel worship in opposition to the reigning impurities and superstitions. Ver. 7. Judgment.] See note, ch. xi. 18. Mahomet and his followers have corrupted, the papal hierarchy have secreted it. 66 Another angel follows, proclaiming the fall of Babylon, that great city," which had intoxicated, seduced, and corrupted the nations with her impure religion. This city, and her fall, will be more particularly represented in chapters xvii. and xviii. It is sufficient in this place to observe, that this is one very formidable horn of the second antichristian beast, the false prophet; the fall of which is here prophetically anticipated, for the comfort and encouragement of the suffering Church, engaged in opposing her. And the progress of the Reformation seems still to be generally described: for, the purer Christians, the Albigenses and Valdenses, in the twelfth century, pronounced the church of Rome to be this very Babylon; the mother of harlots, and abomina"tions of the earth." From this discovery is to be dated the beginning of her fall. * See Mede's Works, pp. 517.722. &c. Thuan. Hist. lib. vi. cap. 16. Bp. Newton's Dissert. vol. iii. p. 258. 8vo. PART V. SECTION IV. The third Angel proclaims. CHAP. XIV. VER. 9—12. 9 Kai reiros ayeños | 9 And a third angel fol 9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in τα μιλώπε αὐτά, * iπi Tür x=łęx 10 αὑτῷ, Καὶ αὐτὸς πίεται ἐκ τῇ οἴνε To Jvue Te Orй, το κεκερασμένο α κράτε, ἐν τῷ πόλη ρίῳ τῆς ὀργῆς αὐτο καὶ βασανισθήσεται ἐν τουρὶ καὶ θείῳ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἁγίων ἀγγέλων και vion To agris. 11 Καὶ ὁ καπνὸς τῆ βασανισμός αὐτῶν ἀναβαίνει εἰς αἰῶνας σιν ἀνάπαυσιν ἡμέ ρας καὶ νυκτὸς οἱ wRooKuvarles To Inρίον καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτῆ, καὶ εἴ τις λαμβάνει το χά- | ραἷμα τῇ ὀνόματ 12 τος αὐτές Ωδε ὑπομονὴ τῶν ἁγίων ἐςίν· ὧδε οἱ τηρῶνίες τὰς ἐντολὰς T8 Θεῦ, καὶ τὴν πίςιν Ἰησᾶ. 10 his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture, into the cup of his indig nation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of 12 his name. Here is the patience of the saints here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. A third angel proclaims just and eternal vengeance upon those who "worship the beast;" who knowing their duty and their allegiance to God, sacrifice them to their worldly interests. They are threatened with "the wine of the wrath of God;" the wine, which is at first strong of itself, unmixed (axpaiov), has no diluting liquor put to it, to reduce its strength, as was common in the eastern nations of |
