This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1827 edition. Excerpt: ... APPENDIX I. NOTES ON POLYCARP PHILIPPIANS. for we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stcdfast unto the end.--Heb. iii. 14. 1 AND that the strong root of your faith, declared of old times remaineth until now, and bringeth forth fruit unto our Lord Jesus Christ. Polycarp rejoices at the long continuance of fruitfulness among the Philippians, it being now nearly fifty years since the date of Paul's Epistle to them. That it is in truth the fate of every institution to fall away from its original purity, or from the original intention of the founder, all nature and history afford ample demonstration: which decaying principle is forcibly typical of the final dissolution of all things, -- the earth itself. And nothing experiences degeneracy more quickly than churches. Convincing proofs of this abound both in the Old and New Testaments. If we look at the epistles to the seven churches, (Rev. ii. and iii.) we shall find that Q even with regard to the celebrated church of Ephesians, Paul's prediction (Acts xx. 29, 30.) was in part fulfilled; and that too before the death of the Apostle John, who resided in those parts in his latter days. For this very church is threatened with the removal of the candlestick out of his place. The church of Sardians was already, with the exception of a few names, become a mere nominal church: thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. As for that of the Laodiceans, it was become so nauseous unto the Redeemer, that he says to it: J will spue thee out of my mouth. The Smyrnsean, which was comparatively a newly established church, for this Epistle of Polycarp informs us that it did not exist in the days of Paul, and the Philadelphian, are the only two of the seven, that...