Second advent library

''`''cua|s'r's sxcuim comma. 13and many of them suffered martyrdom, at that time, inConstantinople and Rome, where the bishops and Popesbegan to exercise the power which soon alter broughtinto subjection the kinis of the earth, and trampled onthe rights of the churc of Christ. And, for myself] Isee no reason to reject this explanation of the word.dntipas in this text, as the history of those times areperfectly silent respecting such an individual as isYetere named, many, who plplposed the worship ofsamts and pictures, and the mf bility of the bishop ofRome,wereexcommnnicated, persecuted, and finallydriven out from among men, and in the next age of thechurch had to flee into the wildemess. All this happapedin the kingdom of Rome, "where Satan dwelle1"But I have a few things against thee, because thouhast there them that hold the doctrine of Balsam,who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before thechildren of Israel, to eat thing; sacrificed unto idols,and to commit fornication." he world have alwaysbeen endeavoring to draw the church of Christ intofellowship with them, and to a mixed communion ofidolatry as Balaam Balak to draw the childrenof Ismdl from their Gtagght and his commands, by mixingwith the Jews in their worship, and, at the same time,b degrees, introduce their priests, their altars andkim] worship into their camp. In Constantine's day thismode of warfare was introduced with great success byPagan worshippers,so that in little more than two cen-@8100 the greater part of the professed Christian churchBecame the image of the beast of which we are now, viz., Pagan Rome. Here, then, we see theof'spray on the downfall of Pagan Rome. Whoftake the pains of comparing the Paganof worship, forms, and ceremonies with Papacyilidl beingforcibly struck with the similarity of|54has deiiied their departed heroes andher departed saints and votaries. poet?Theionher oracles and priests for laws and 1IBfl'lli.f_-"the other her Popes and cardinals. The' budaltars, images, and statues. the other liér chap-