sorrow,-joy for the glorious enlargement of Christ's Church, that should take place eventually, though the "time should not be yet1;" and sorrow for its subsequent corruptions and idolatries. All, however, is predicted to have a happy termination under the seventh trumpet.

ELEVENTH CHAPTER.

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 street 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

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dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 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 an 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. 15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever, 16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces and worshipped God, 17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

The first fourteen verses contain the prophetic statements. The direction to measure the inner court, or "the temple of God, and the altar, and them who worship therein," implies that, during the whole of the period to which the prophecy refers, there should be a number of true Christians, conformed to the rule of God's word, and over whom His providence should extend. But the outer court (which implies by far the greater part) "was left out," as being in posses

sion of mere nominal Christians, that were Gentiles in worship and practice; and that should profane it with heathenish superstition and idolatry; and " tread under foot" the Church of Christ, "forty and two months."

But God should raise up faithful "Witnesses," to protest against these corruptions'. Of these witnesses, there should be a small yet competent number; "two" being assigned, probably because it is the number required by the Law and the Gospel, to establish a fact. (Deut. xix. 15; Matt. xviii. 16.) They should not be discouraged by persecution; but though "clothed in sackcloth," should "prophesy" or preach the sincere word of God, and protest against reigning corruptions for "a thousand two hundred and threescore days;" or twelve hundred and sixty years, as was before predicted by Daniel (Dissertation XIV.), with respect to the Church of Rome. These two Witnesses, therefore, must evidently mean a succession of faithful men and churches in following ages.

A character is given of these witnesses, and of the power and effects of their preaching. Their being assimilated to the "two olive trees and the two candlesticks," implies that, like Zerubbabel and Joshua (Zech. iv.) they should be the instructors and enlight

' Hence there were Protestants virtually, long before the name came into actual use.

eners of the Church. The "fire proceeding from their mouths" is symbolical of their denunciations of Divine vengeance on the corrupters of true religion. Their power "to shut heaven that it rain not," may imply the withholding of the grace from heaven from those who despise them. They may be said (as is usual in Scripture phrase) to smite the earth "with all plagues," when they denounce such things to happen.

We have next a prediction of what shall befall these witnesses at the latter end of their ministry, when "the beast that ascendeth out of the abyss,"—i. e. the tyrannical power of Rome," shall overcome and kill them." They shall be utterly subdued, and politically dead, if not naturally so: and in this abject state shall they lie in the street of the great city, or in some place which is under Rome's jurisdiction,— (called here Sodom, for its corruption of manners, and Egypt, for its cruel oppression of God's faithful people,)—and in which also "our Lord was crucified," spiritually; being crucified afresh in the sufferings of His Martyrs. Their dead bodies were not to have the privilege of burial; a common case with protestants in popish countries; and their enemies were to rejoice, and send "gifts" of congratulation to each other, over the destruction of those, whose life and doctrine had been a continual torment to them. But

"after three and a half (prophetic) days," they were to "ascend up to heaven;" i. e. be restored again, and be raised to greater glory, by a "great voice from heaven." And then "a great earthquake," that is, great commotions shall take place; and a "tenth part of the city shall fall," as a precursor of a still more universal fall; and "seven thousand shall be slain ;" and the remainder in their fright acknowledge the great power of God.

There have been various interpretations and opinions respecting this prophecy; different persons re-ferring its accomplishment to different periods, and circumstances, already past. But though there may be some points of resemblance between the events of those periods and the prediction, yet on the whole it seems clear, that the greater part of this prophecy relating to the witnesses, remains yet to be fulfilled. It may please Providence, indeed, so to dispose events, that the afflictions of the Church at different periods should run, as it were, parallel to each other; and that the former efforts of that persecuting power, called "the Beast," may be a sort of type and figure of his last and greatest effort. But it is highly probable, that all shall be literally accomplished, when the Vials of God's wrath shall be poured upon men, (ch. 16.) for having so long resisted the testimony of His