the great controversy-第70章

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heart…searching　message　of　truth。

In　refusing　the　warning　of　the　first　angel；　they　rejected　the　means　which
Heaven　had　provided　for　their　restoration。　They　spurned　the　gracious
messenger　that　would　have　corrected　the　evils　which　separated　them　from　God；
and　with　greater　eagerness　they　turned　to　seek　the　friendship　of　the　world。
Here　was　the　cause　of　that　fearful　condition　of　worldliness；　backsliding；
and　spiritual　death　which　existed　in　the　churches　in　1844。

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In　Revelation　14　the　first　angel　is　followed　by　a　second　proclaiming：
〃Babylon　is　fallen；　is　fallen；　that　great　city；　because　she　made　all　nations
drink　of　the　wine　of　the　wrath　of　her　fornication。〃　Revelation　14：8。　The
term　〃Babylon〃　is　derived　from　〃Babel；〃　and　signifies　confusion。　It　is
employed　in　Scripture　to　designate　the　various　forms　of　false　or　apostate
religion。　In　Revelation　17　Babylon　is　represented　as　a　woman　a　figure
which　is　used　in　the　Bible　as　the　symbol　of　a　church；　a　virtuous　woman
representing　a　pure　church；　a　vile　woman　an　apostate　church。

In　the　Bible　the　sacred　and　enduring　character　of　the　relation　that　exists
between　Christ　and　His　church　is　represented　by　the　union　of　marriage。　The
Lord　has　joined　His　people　to　Himself　by　a　solemn　covenant；　He　promising　to
be　their　God；　and　they　pledging　themselves　to　be　His　and　His　alone。　He
declares：　〃I　will　betroth　thee　unto　Me　forever；　yea；　I　will　betroth　thee
unto　Me　in　righteousness；　and　in　judgment；　and　in　loving…kindness；　and　in
mercies。〃　Hosea　2：19。　And；　again：　〃I　am　married　unto　you。〃　Jeremiah　3：14。
And　Paul　employs　the　same　figure　in　the　New　Testament　when　he　says：　〃I　have
espoused　you　to　one　husband；　that　I　may　present　you　as　a　chaste　virgin　to
Christ。〃　2　Corinthians　11：2。

The　unfaithfulness　of　the　church　to　Christ　in　permitting　her　confidence　and
affection　to　be　turned　from　Him；　and　allowing　the　love　of　worldly　things　to
occupy　the　soul；　is　likened　to　the　violation　of　the　marriage　vow。　The　sin　of
Israel　in　departing　from　the　Lord　is　presented　under　this　figure；　and　the
wonderful　love　of　God　which　they　thus　despised　is　touchingly　portrayed：　〃I
sware　unto　thee；　and　entered　into　a　covenant　with　thee；　saith　the　Lord　God；
and　thou　becamest　Mine。〃　〃And　thou　wast　exceeding　beautiful　and　thou　didst
prosper　into　a　kingdom。　And　thy　renown　went　forth　among　the　heathen　for　thy
beauty：　for　it　was　perfect　through　My　comeliness；　which　I　had　put　upon　thee。
。　。　。　But　thou　didst　trust　in　thine　own　beauty；　and　playedst　the　harlot
because　of　thy　renown。〃　〃As　a　wife　treacherously　departeth　from　her

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husband；　so　have　ye　dealt　treacherously　with　Me；　O　house　of　Israel；　saith
the　Lord；〃　〃as　a　wife　that　committeth　adultery；　which　taketh　strangers
instead　of　her　husband！〃　Ezekiel　16：8；　13…15；　32；　Jeremiah　3：20。

In　the　New　Testament；　language　very　similar　is　addressed　to　professed
Christians　who　seek　the　friendship　of　the　world　above　the　favor　of　God。　Says
the　apostle　James：　〃Ye　adulterers　and　adulteresses；　know　ye　not　that　the
friendship　of　the　world　is　enmity　with　God？　whosoever　therefore　will　be　a
friend　of　the　world　is　the　enemy　of　God。〃

The　woman　（Babylon）　of　Revelation　17　is　described　as　〃arrayed　in　purple　and
scarlet　color；　and　decked　with　gold　and　precious　stones　and　pearls；　having　a
golden　cup　in　her　hand　full　of　abominations　and　filthiness：。。。and　upon　her
forehead　was　a　name　written；　Mystery；　Babylon　the　Great；　the　mother　of
harlots。〃　Says　the　prophet：　〃I　saw　the　woman　drunk　with　the　blood　of　the
saints；　and　with　the　blood　of　the　martyrs　of　Jesus。〃　Babylon　is　further
declared　to　be　〃that　great　city；　which　reigneth　over　the　kings　of　the
earth。〃　Revelation　17：4…6；　18。　The　power　that　for　so　many　centuries
maintained　despotic　sway　over　the　monarchs　of　Christendom　is　Rome。　The
purple　and　scarlet　color；　the　gold　and　precious　stones　and　pearls；　vividly
picture　the　magnificence　and　more　than　kingly　pomp　affected　by　the　haughty
see　of　Rome。　And　no　other　power　could　be　so　truly　declared　〃drunken　with　the
blood　of　the　saints〃　as　that　church　which　has　so　cruelly　persecuted　the
followers　of　Christ。　Babylon　is　also　charged　with　the　sin　of　unlawful
connection　with　〃the　kings　of　the　earth。〃　It　was　by　departure　from　the　Lord；
and　alliance　with　the　heathen；　that　the　Jewish　church　became　a　harlot；　and
Rome；　corrupting　herself　in　like　manner　by　seeking　the　support　of　worldly
powers；　receives　a　like　condemnation。

Babylon　is　said　to　be　〃the　mother　of　harlots。〃　By　her　daughters　must　be
symbolized　churches　that　cling　to　her　doctrines　and　traditions；　and　follow
her　example　of　sacrificing

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the　truth　and　the　approval　of　God；　in　order　to　form　an　unlawful　alliance
with　the　world。　The　message　of　Revelation
14；　announcing　the　fall　of　Babylon　must　apply　to　religious
bodies　that　were　once　pure　and　have　become　corrupt。　Since　this　message
follows　the　warning　of　the　judgment；　it　must　be　given　in　the　last　days；
therefore　it　cannot　refer　to　the　Roman　Church　alone；　for　that　church　has
been　in　a　fallen　condition　for　many　centuries。　Furthermore；　in　the
eighteenth　chapter　of　the　Revelation　the　people　of　God　are　called　upon　to
come　out　of　Babylon。　According　to　this　scripture；　many　of　God's　people　must
still　be　in　Babylon。　And　in　what　religious　bodies　are　the　greater　part　of
the　followers　of　Christ　now　to　be　found？　Without　doubt；　in　the　various
churches　professing　the　Protestant　faith。　At　the　time　of　their　rise　these
churches　took　a　noble　stand　for　God　and　the　truth；　and　His　blessing　was　with
them。　Even　the　unbelieving　world　was　constrained　to　acknowledge　the
beneficent　results　that　followed　an　acceptance　of　the　principles　of　the
gospel。　In　the　words　of　the　prophet　to　Israel：　〃Thy　renown　went　forth　among
the　heathen　for　thy　beauty：　for　it　was　perfect　through　My　comeliness；　which
I　had　put　upon　thee；　saith　the　Lord　God。〃　But　they　fell　by　the　same　desire
which　was　the　curse　and　ruin　of　Israelthe　desire　of　imitating　the
practices　and　courting　the　friendship　of　the　ungodly。　〃Thou　didst　trust　in
thine　own　beauty；　and　playedst　the　harlot　because　of　thy　renown。〃　Ezekiel
16：14；　15。

Many　of　the　Protestant　churches　are　following　Rome's　example　of　iniquitous
connection　with　〃the　kings　of　the　earth〃the　state　churches；　by　their
relation　to　secular　governments；　and　other　denominations；　by　seeking　the
favor　of　the　world。　And　the　term　〃Babylon〃confusionmay　be　appropriately
applied　to　these　bodies；　all　professing　to　derive　their　doctrines　from　the
Bible；　yet　divided　into　almost　innumerable　sects；　with　widely　conflicting
creeds　and　theories。

Besides　a　sinful　union　with　the　world；　the　churches　that　separated　from　Rome
present　other　of　her　characteristics。

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A　Roman　Catholic　work　argues　that　〃if　the　Church　of　Rome　were　ever　guilty　of
idolatry　in　relation　to　the　saints；　her　daughter；　the　Church　of　England；
stands　guilty　of　the　same；　which　has　ten　churches　dedicated　to　Mary　for　one
dedicated　to　Christ。〃Richard　Challoner；　The　Catholic　Christian　Instructed；
Preface；　pages　21；　22。

And　Dr。　Hopkins；　in　〃A　Treatise　on　the　Millennium；〃　declares：　〃There　is　no
reason　to　consider　the　antichristian　spirit　and　practices　to　be　confined　to
that　which　is　now　called　the　Church　of　Rome。　The　Protestant　churches　have
much　of　antichrist　in　them；　and　are　far　from　being　wholly　reformed　from　。　。
。　corruptions　and　wickedness。〃Samuel　Hopkins；　Works；　vol。　2；　p。　328。

Concerning　the　separation　of　the　Presbyterian　Church　from　Rome；　Dr。　Guthrie
writes：　〃Three　hundred　years　ago；　our　church；　with　an　open　Bible　on　her
banner；　and　this　motto；　'Search　the　Scriptures；'　on　her　scroll；　marched　out
from　the　gates　of　Rome。〃　Then　he　asks　the　significant　question：　〃Did　they
come　clean　out　of　Babylon？〃Thomas　Guthrie；　The　Gospel　in　Ezekiel；　page
237。

〃The　Church　of　England；〃　says　Spurgeon；　〃seems　to　be　eaten　through　and
through　with　sacramentarianism；　but　nonconformity　appears　to　be　almost　as
badly　riddled　with　philosophical　infidelity。　Those　of　whom　we　thought　better
things　are　turning　aside　one　by　one　from　the　fundamentals　of　the　faith。
Through　and　through；　I　believe；　the　very　heart　of　England　is　honeycombed
with　a　damnable　infidelity　which　dares　still　go　into　the　pulpit　and　call
itself　Christian。〃

What　was　the　origin　of　the　great　apostasy？　How　did　the　church　first　depart
from　the　simplicity　of　the　gospel？　By　conforming　to　the　practices　of
paganism；　to　facilitate　the　acceptance　of　Christianity　by　the　heathen。　The
apostle　Paul　declared；　even　in　his　day；　〃The　mystery　of　iniquity　doth
already　work。〃　2　Thessalonians　2：7。　During　the　lives　of　the　apostles　the
church　remained　comparatively　pure。　But　〃toward　the　latter　end　of　the　second
century　most　of　the　churches　assumed　a　new　form；　the　first　simplicity

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disappeared；　and　insensibly；　as　the　old　disciples　retired　to　their　graves；
their　children；　along　with　new　converts；　。　。　。　came　forward　and　new…modeled
the　cause。〃Robert　Robinson；　Ecclesiastical　Researches；　ch。　6；　par。　17；　p。
51。　To　secure　converts；　the　exalted　standard　of　the　Christian　faith　was
lowered；　and　as　the　result　〃a　pagan　flood；　flowing　into　the　church；　carried
with　it　its　customs；　practices；　and　idols。〃　Gavazzi；　Lectures；　page　278。
As　the　Christian　religion　secured　the　favor　and　support　of　secular　rulers；
it　was　nominally　accepted　by　multitudes；　but　while　in　appearance　Christians；
many　〃remained　in　substance　pagans；　especially　worshiping　in　secret　their
idols。〃Ibid。；　page　278。

Has　not　the　same　process　been　repeated　in　nearly　every　church　calling　itself
Protestant？　As　the　founders；　those　who　possessed　the　true　spirit　of　reform；
pass　away；　their　descendants　come　forward　and　〃new…model　the　cause。〃　While
blindly　clinging　to　the　creed　of　their　fathers　and　refusing　to　accept　any
truth　in　advance　of　what　they　saw；　the　children　of　the　reformers　depart
widely　from　their　example　of　humility；　self…denial；　and　renunciation　of　the
world。　Thus　〃the　first　simplicity　disappears。〃　A　worldly　flood；　flowing　into
the　church；　carries　〃with　it　its　customs；　practices；　and　idols。〃

Alas；　to　what　a　fearful　extent　is　that　friendship　of　the　world　which　is
〃enmity　with　God；〃　now　cherished　among　the　professed　followers　of　Christ！
How　widely　have　the　popular　churches　throughout　Christendom　departed　from
the　Bible　standard　of　humility；　self…denial；　simplicity；　and　godliness！　Said
John　Wesley；　in　speaking　of　the　right　use　of　money：　〃Do　not　waste　any　part
of　so　precious　a　talent；　merely　in　gratifying　the　desire　of　the　eye；　by
superfluous　or　expensive　apparel；　or　by　needless　ornaments。　Waste　no　part　of
it　in　curiously　adorning　your　houses；　in　superfluous　or　expensive　furniture；
in　costly　pictures；　painting；　gilding。　。　。　。　Lay　out　nothing　to　gratify　the
pride　of　life；　to　gain　the　admiration　or　praise　of　men。　。　。　。　'So　long　as
thou　doest　well　unto　thyself；　men　will　speak　good　of　thee。'　So　long　as　thou
art　'clothed　in　purple　and　fine　linen；'　and　farest　'sumptuously

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every　day；'　no　doubt　many　will　applaud　thy　elegance　of　taste；　thy　generosit