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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； p