Second advent library

'Icaals'r's szcoim comms. 1.37tion, the blemed martyrs who were slain for the wituesof Jesus. See Rev. xx. 4. And in this passagewe areagain commanded to hear what the Spirit saith to thec urches-all, all who have ears; not the branch inonly, but all who have ears. We have lo beenSm'irna in e habit of giving away Scripture to others when ithelongs to is and our children; let us therefore apply itome.12, "And to the angel of the church in Pergamonwrite." Very earthy elevated is the signiiication of theword Pergamos; and this church represents the age ofConstantine, which lasted more than two hundred years,until the rise of anti-Christ, from A. D. 312 until A. D.538. During this age the church became very earthy,having her worldly policy, and, like the church in thepresent day, attending more to the outward concerns,and the worldly part of religion, than to inward pietyand graces of the spirit., looking more for _/brms and ceremonies,than for the IW, power, and spin! of the religionof Jesus, spending much of their time in building ele antchapels, temples, high places to educate gieirministry, gorgeous an adorning them with pictures and pleasantthings, and the hearts of their worshippers withhigh, popular, an haughty notions. Yes, my brethren,the age of trial wasgone ; the holy and secret aspirationsnf piety fled away, and, now she had obtained an earthlyemperor, her divine Master was forgotten. And herewas the falling away mentioned by Paul, 2 Thess. ii. 3,"Let no man deceive you by any means; for that dayshall not come except there come a falli away first,and that man of sin be revealed, the son fi? perdition."This, then, was the age that the church to receivethat monster, the man of sm, the son of perdition,preparedinto her bosom, which stung the church with the poison ofasps, and Hlled the temple of God with image worship,and the church with idolatry, selfishness, avarice, andDride."These things saith he which hath the sharp swordBy the sharp sword with two edges,with two ed es."we must umierstand the word of God, which denounce!heavyjudgment?gr; the wicked, and cuts off the corrup»_