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as we shall see, with the sixth trumpet, and immediately before the sounding of the seventh.

CHAP. XI.

1. AND there was given me a reed like unto a rod and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

2. But the court which is without the temple, leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles; and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth.

4. These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

5. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies; and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

6. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will.

7. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

9. And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

1C. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

11. And after three days and a half, the spirit of life from God entered into them; and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

12. And they heard a great voice from heaven, saying unto them. Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them.

13. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14. The second woe is past, and behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

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In the former part of this chapter, from the first verse to the fourteenth, are exhibited the contents of this little book. St. John is commanded, ver. 1, to measure' the inner court, the temple of God, and the altar, and them who worship therein,' to show that during all this period there were some true Christians, who conformed to the rule and measure of God's word. This measuring might allude more particularly to the Reformation from popery, which fell out under this sixth trumpet; and one of the moral causes of it was the Othmans taking of Constantinople, whereupon the Greeks flying from their own country, and bringing their books with them into the more western parts of Europe, proved the happy occasion of the revival of learning; as the revival of learning opened men's eyes, and proved the happy occasion of the Reformation. But though the inner court,' which includes the smaller number, was measured,' yet the outer court,' which implies the far greater part, was left out'-ver. 2, and rejected, as being in the possession of Christians only in name, but Gentiles in worship and practice, who profaned it with heathenish superstition and idolatry: and they shall tread under foot the holy city,' they shall trample upon, and tyrannize over the church of Christ, for the space of forty and two months.'

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At the same time God should raise up some true and faithful witnesses, ver. 3, to preach and protest against these innovations and corruptions of religion; for there were protestants long before ever the name came into use. Of these witnesses there should be, though but a small, yet a competent number; and it was a sufficient reason for making them 'two witnesses,' because that is the number required by the law, and approved by the gospel, Deut. xix. 15, Matt. xviii. 16.-'In the mouth of two witnesses shall every word be established;' and upon former occasions two have often been joined in commission, as Moses and Aaron in Egypt, Elijah and Elisha in the apostacy of the ten tribes, and Zeruba bel and Joshua after the Babylonish captivity, to whom these wit nesses are particularly compared. Our Saviour himelf sent fort' his disciples, Luke x. 1,- two and two; and it hath been observ

ed also, that the principal reformers have usually appeared as it were in pairs, as the Waldenses and Albigenses, John Huss and Jerome of Prague, Luther and Calvin, Cranmer and Ridley, and their followers. Not that I conceive that any two particular men, or two particular churches, were intended by this prophecy; but only it was meant in the general, that there should be some in every age, though but few in number, who should bear witness to the truth, and declare against the iniquity and idolatry of their times. They should not be discouraged even by persecution and oppression, but though 'clothed in sackcloth,' and living in a mourning and afflicted state, should yet prophecy,' should yet preach the sincere word of God, and denounce the divine judgments against the reigning idolatry and wickedness: and this they should continue to do, as long as the grand corruption itself lasted, for the space of a thousand two hundred and three score days.' It is the same space of time with the forty and two months' before mentioned. For forty and two months,' consisting each of thirty days, are equal to a thousand two hundred and three score days,' or 'years,' in the prophetic style: and a thousand two hundred and threescore years,' as we have seen before in Daniel, and shall see hereafter in the Revelation, is the period assigned for the tyranny and idolatry of the church of Rome. The witnesses' therefore cannot be any two men or any two churches, but must be a succession of men, and a succession of churches.

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A character is then given of these witnesses, and of the power and effect of their preaching. These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth,'-ver 4, that is, they are like Zerubbabel and Joshua, Zech. iv, the great instructers and enlighteners of the church. Fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies,'-ver. 5, that is, they are like unto Moses and Elijah, Numb. xvi. 2 Kings i, who called for fire upon their adversaries. But their fire was real, this is symbolical, and proceedeth out of the mouth' of the witnesses, denouncing the divine vengeance on the corrupters and opposers of true religion; much in the same manner, as it was said to Jeremiah, v. 14,—' I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.' These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy,'-ver. 6, that is, they are like Elijah, who foretold a want of rain in the days of Ahab, 1 Kings. xvii. 1, Jam. v 17,- and it rained not on the earth for the space of three years and six months,' which, mystically understood, is the same space of time as the forty and two months,'

and the thousand two hundred and three score days,' which are allotted for the prophesying of the witnesses. During this time the divine grace, and protection, and blessing, shall be withheld from those men who neglect and despise their preaching and doctrine. They have' also 'power over the waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will,' that is, they are like Moses and Aaron, who inflicted these plagues on Egypt: and they may be said to 'smite the earth with the plagues' which they denounce, for in scripture-language the prophets are often said to do thoze things, which they declare and foretel. But it is most highly probable, that these particulars will receive a more literal accomplishment, when the plagues of God and the vials of his wrath, chap. xvi, shall be poured out upon men, in consequence of their having so long resisted the testimony of the witnesses. Their cause and the cause of truth will finally be avenged on all their enemies.

Next after this description of the power and office of the witnesses, follows a prediction of those things which shall befal them at the latter end of their ministry; and their passion, and death, and resurrection, and ascension are copied from our Saviour's, who is emphatically styled, iii. 14,- the faithful and true witness;' but with this difference, that his were real, theirs are figurative and mystical. And when they shall have finished,' órav Teλɛowσi, when they shall be about finishing, 'their testimony,' ver. 7, 'the beast that ascendeth out of the abyss,' the tyrannical power of Rome, of which we shall hear more hereafter, shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.' The beast' indeed 'shall make war against them' all the time that they are performing their ministry: but when they shall be near finishing it,' he shall so make war against them,' as 'to overcome them, and kill them. They shall be subdued and suppressed, be degraded from all power and authority, be deprived of all offices and functions, and be poli tically dead, if not naturally so. In this low and abject state they shall lie some time, ver. 8,- in the street of the great city,' in some conspicuous place within the jurisdiction of Rome,* ‹ which spiri

• Mr. Mann, the late learned Master of the Charter-house, in some manuscript notes upon Vitringa's book on the Revelation, communicated to me by my friend Dr. Jortin, hath the following to prove that not Jerusalem but Rome was intended in this place Rev. xi. 8,— The great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where and their Lord was crucified.' 1." Jerusalem, in ver. 2, of this very chapter, is called the holy city. can it be in so few periods intended under the names of Sodom and Egypt ?” 2. "The Holy City or Jerusalem, ver. 2, was to be wasted and trodden under foot by the Gentiles for forty-two months; the two witnesses were to prophesy the same

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tually is called Sodom' for corruption of manners, and Egypt, for tyranny and oppression of the people of God, 'where also our Lord was crucified' spiritually, being crucified afresh in the sufferings of his faithful martyrs. Nay to show the greater indignity and cruelty to the martyrs, their dead bodies' shall not only be publicly exposed, ver. 9, but they shall be denied even the common privilege of burial, which is the case of many protestants in popish countries: and their enemies shall rejoice' and insult ' over them,' ver. 10, and shall send' mutual presents and congratulations 'one to another,' for their deliverance from these tor mentors,' whose life and doctrine were a continual reproach to them. But after three days and a half,'-ver. 11, that is in the prophetic style after three years and a half,' for no less time is requisite for all these transactions, they shall be raised again by

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space of time: how then should their carcases lie in the street of Jerusalem so wasted?

3. “Jerusalem in this book is four times called the Holy City, never the Great (unless it be here meant.) The Great City is twelve times repeated only of Babylon. i. e. Rome: is it probable it should be nere used of Jerusalem?

4. “In ver. 13, at the revival of the two witnesses after lying dead three days and a half, the tenth part of the city fell: but in ver. 1, Jerusalem is already wasted, and not supposed to be rebuilt; and therefore incapable of being so damaged.

5. "And were Jerusalem rebuilt, the enemies of Christ out of all people, tongues, and nations, ver. 9, would not assemble there, nor the beast expose the slain witnesses but in his own capital.

1. "Object. There are two characteristics assigned, which fit Jerusalem only: That it is spiritually or figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, as Jerusalem is compared to Sodom, Isa. i. 10, and iii. 9. (of Egypt no instance.)

"Answ. That Capernaum, Matt. xi. 23, 24, is likewise compared to Sodom by Christ; and so is any city that shall reject the Gospel, Matt. x. 15, Whence Tertullian (adv. Jud. c. 9.) observes of this very name, Nec hoc novum Scripturis divinis, figurate uti translatione nominum, ex comparatione criminum. So Rome might be called Sodom for lewdness, and Egypt for the oppression of God's people.

2. "Object. The second characteristic, where also our Lord was crucified, determines the place to Jerusalem beyond all possibility of doubting.

"Answ. Mills says, the text should be read, 'Oz Kúfios aútív ésavpúon, where their Lord was crucified, or had been crucified; yet indeed without making any great difference to the literal sense. But why may not this expressi on be used figuratively as well as the preceding? why may not the Lord of the two witnesses be spiritually crucified, where they are spiritually slain? St. Paul to the Galatians uses this expression figurately three or four times: The Epist. to the Hebrews, vi. 6, ues it figuratively, and perhaps in the very sense it may bear here. Though it is capable too of another, which is authorized by Christ himself, for, Matt. x, and xxv. and Acts ix. 4, 5, he declares himself to suffer what is done to his followers. In that Great City, therefore. which was drunk with the blood of the saints, and the martyrs of Jesus, chap. xvii. 6. Jesus himself might be said to be crucified.'

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