be with these excellent ones of the earth.

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 water.

Vs. 6, 7.--The apostles, Paul and John agree, as already noticed, in
delineating a great defection from the purity and power of Christianity
in "the last days." Paul calls this event "the Apostacy," (2 Thess. ii.
3.) while John designates it "the Antichrist." (1 John ii, 22.) Both
these inspired writers use the Greek article, as may be supposed, to
_emphasize_ that wicked confederacy of Church and State,--a confederacy
of greater extent and longer continuance than any other conspiracy
"against the Lord and his Anointed." Against these the saints of God,
with Messiah at their head, contend for the allotted period of 1260
years, as we have seen in the three preceding chapters. On their part
the warfare is mostly defensive, and their weapons ordinarily spiritual.
(2 Cor. vi. 6, 7.)

From the 6th verse to the close of this chapter are presented, under
customary and well-defined symbols, three successive stages of
successful reformation, showing how the "two witnesses" manage their
scriptural and effective testimony against antichristian error and
disorder in organized society. Three mystic "angels" successively
appear, divinely commissioned to execute their respective and appointed
work. These angels have been correctly designated, by judicious
expositors, "angels of revival and reform." To the intelligent Christian
it will be obvious, that without _reform_ there can be no _revival_. The
popular idea of our time connected with the term _revival_, is without
foundation in the Holy Scriptures. It does not mean the regeneration of
a sinner, nor the first work of the Spirit in conviction. It presupposes
the existence of the vital principle, and the bringing of that living
principle into visible activity, (Rom. vii. 9;) and this is equally
true, whether of an individual or moral person. (Ps. lxxxv. 6; Ezek.
xxxvii.) Divine truth and external order are characteristics of a
genuine revival: for nothing but "sound doctrine" can produce "the power
of godliness." The popular commotions and social disorders which
ac