s so among us, and much more so among the Jews, by
whom that animal was regarded as unclean. It signifies evil workers.
Evil characters of every class will have no part in the heavenly realm,
but will be cast into the lake of fire. It will be the perfection of
misery to be banished forever from the presence of God and the
companionship of all that is good and holy. "Blessed are they that do
his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of Life, and may
enter in through the gates into the city."

16. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these
things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of
David, and the bright and morning star.

17. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that
heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And
whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

The statements of these verses have been considered heretofore, hence
there is no necessity of further comment on them in this connection.

18. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the
prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things,
God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this
book:

19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of
this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of
life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are
written in this book.

Here is the most solemn warning against any one who should presume to
corrupt the prophecies of the Revelation by adding to or taking away
from them. Nor was such a warning needless. This book contains the long
history of God's church, and also the history of all her persecutors,
painted in colors of deepest infamy, and the final doom that awaits
them. These enemies were to ride in triumph over the earth during a long
career of centuries, when the children of God should be trodden down
beneath their feet, as it were, while they boasted themselves as being
the true church, the anointed of heaven. These Revelations were to be
handed down to succeeding generations through these very persecutors.
The great whore of Babylon had her likeness taken and then committed to
her for preservation. Would she not falsify them? Nearly all the early
records of the church have been corrupted by the church of Rome. For
ages it has been a doctrine of that institution that pious fraud was
consistent and even commenda