AS A SWORD.

Isa. xlix, 1-4. Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; And said unto me, Thon art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Then

I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain; yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.

Rev. xix, 15, 21. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

PICTURESQUE DESCRIP

TIONS.

THE SAVIOUR.

Rev. ii, 18. And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet are like fine brass.

Rev. xix, 11-14. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True; and

in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written that no man knew but he himself: And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen white and clean.

THE MILLENNIUM.

Rev. xx, 1-3, 5, 6. And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless

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pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first is he that hath part in the first resurrection. Blessed and holy resurrection: on such the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

PERSECUTIONS IN

GENERAL.

Ps. xciv, 5. They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage.

ments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me. Lam. iii, 45. Thou hast made us as the off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the people.

PERSECUTION.

Gal. iv, 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

1 Thess. ii, 14, 15. For ye, brethPs. cxix, 86. All thy command-ren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews; Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men.

Matth. x, 21. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

Rev. vi, 9, 11. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they

Mark xiii, 12. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and chil-held: dren shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.

Luke xxi, 16. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they

cause to be put to death.

1 Cor. iv, 9. For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

2 Cor. 1, 8. For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life.

And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also, and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

FORETOLD AND EXPECTED.

John xv, 20. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than bis

lord. If they have persecuted me. they will also persecute you? they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Acts xiv, 22. souls of the disciples, and exbert Confirming the ing them to continue in the faith. and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingd of God.

Acts xx, 22, 23. And now, behold Jerusalem, not knowing the tatto I go bound in the spirit unt that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witness th in every city, saying that bena and afflictions abide me.

2 Tim. iii, 12. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesta shall suffer persecution.

Matth. x, 18. And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

Matth. xxiii, 34. Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, 2 Cor. vii, 5. For when we were and wise men, and scribes; and come into Macedonia, our flesh some of them ye shall kill and had no rest, but we were troubled crucify; and some of them shall on every side; without were fight-ye scourge in your synagogues, ings, within were fears. and persecute them from city to city.

2 Cor. xi, 26, 27. In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and

nakedness.

Gal. i, 13. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it.

Luke x1, 49. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute.

these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake! And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

Luke xxi, 12, 13. But before all

VARIOUS FORMS OF PER SECUTION.

RIDICULE.

1 Cor. iv, 12, 13. And Jabour working with our being reviled, we bless, being own ha.is persecuted, we suffer it; Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and art the off-scouring of all things mie this day.

Heb. x, 33. Partly, whilst re were made a gazing-stock both by reproaches aud afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became com panions of them that were so used.

Heb. xi, 36. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, bonds and imprisonment. moreover, a

HATRED AND ANIMOSITY. Gen. xlix, 23. The archers hara

sorely grieved him, and shot him, and hated him."

Matth. x, 22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my DAD sake; but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Acts xxil, 22--24. And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth; for it is not fit that he should live. And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle,

and bade that he should be exam

ined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.

Acts xxvi, 11. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and,beingexceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

CONSPIRACIES.

Ps. lxxi, 10, 11. For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

Jer. xviii, 18. Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet: come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.

occasion against Daniel concern- [ shalt surely die. Why hast thou ing the kingdom; but they could prophesied in the name of the find none occasion nor fault; for- LORD, saying, This house shall be asmuch as he was faithful, neither like Shiloh, and this city shall was there any error or fault found be desolate without an inhabitant? in him. Then said these men, And all the people were gathered We shall not find any occasion against Jeremiah in the house of against this Daniel, except we the LORD. find it against him concerning the law of his God.

Acts xvii, 5-8, 13. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and

Acts iv, 18. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach, in the name of Jesus.

Acts v, 27, 28, 40. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council; and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you, that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's agreed: and when they had called blood upon us. And to him they

commanded that they should not the apostles,and beaten them, they speak in the name of Jesus, and

let them go.

FINES LEVIED.

Heb. x, 34. For ye had compas

IMPRISONMENTS.

gathered a company, and set all sion of me in my bonds, and took the city on an uproar, and as-joyfully the spoiling of your goods, saulted the house of Jason, and knowing in yourselves that yo have in heaven a better and an sought to bring them out to the enduring substance. people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason, and certain brethren, unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. And they the people, and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. But when the Jews of Thessalonica had

troubled

knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

JUDICIAL PROCESS.

Acts iv, 5-7. And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

2 Chron. xvi, 10. Then Asa was Wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house: for he was in a rage with him because of this thing.....

Acts iv, 3. And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now even-tide.

Acts v, 18. And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

Acts viii, 3. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women, committed them to prison.

Acts xii, 4. And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

CORPOREAL PUNISHMENTS. Mark xiii, 9. But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.

Acts xvi, 22, 23. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they

PUT TO THE SWORD.

1 Kings xix, 10. And he [Elijah] said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

Acts xii, 1, 2. Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the

sword.

STONED TO DEATH.

2 Chron. xxiv, 19-21. Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear. And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? Because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you. And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king, in the court of

the house of the LORD.

SLAIN IN VARIOUS WAYS. Acts xxii, 4, 5. And I persecuted

this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.

Acts xxvi, 10. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

Rom. viii. 36. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

2 Cor. iv, 11, 12. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake. . . . . So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

Rev. xiii, 7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Rev. xvii, 6. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

DISSECTED ALIVE.

Heb. xi, 37. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder.

.

PERSECUTORS AND THEIR

PLEAS.

Esther iii, 8. And Haman sald unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad, and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people, neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.

Ps. xiv, 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.

king of Judah and all Judah put Jer. xxvi, 19-24. Did Hezekiah him at all to death? did he not LORD, and the LORD repented him fear the LORD, and besought the of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls. And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim, who prophesied against this city, and against this land, according to all the words of Jeremiah: And

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when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt; And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him, into Egypt And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unte Jehoiakim the king, who slew him with the sword, and cast h dead body into the graves of the common people. Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of they should not give him into the Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that hand of the people to put him to death.

will they do unto you for my John xv, 21. But all these things name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

John xvi, 2, 3. They shall p you out of the synagogues, yea the time cometh, that whoscever killeth you will think that be doeth God service. And the

things will they do unto you, be cause they have not known the Father, nor me.

it

ITSELF.