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the temple of God, and the altar, and them who worship therein, to fhow that during all this period there were fome true Chriftians, 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 fixth trumpet; and one of the moral caufes of it was the Othmans taking of Conftantinople, whereupon the Greeks flying from their own country, and bringing their books with them into the more western parts of Europe, proved the happy occafion of the revival of learning; as the revival of learning opened mens eyes, and proved the happy occafion of the Reformation. But tho' the inner court, which includes the fmaller number, was measured, yet the outer court, which implies the far greater part, was left cut (ver. 2.) and rejected, as being in the poffeffion of Christians only in name, but Gentiles in worthip and practice, who profaned it with heathenish fuperftition and idolatry: and they shall tread under foot the holy city, they fhall trample upon, and tyrannize over the church of Chrift, for the space of forty and two months.

At the fame time God fhould raise up fome true and faithful witneffes (ver. 3.) to preach and protest against these innovations and corruptions

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ruptions of religion; for there were protestants long before ever the name came into use. Of thefe witneffes there fhould be, tho' but a small, yet a competent number; and it was a fufficient reafon for making them two witnesses, because that is the number required by the law, and approved by the gofpel, (Deut. XIX. 15. Mat. XVIII. 16.) In the mouth of two witneffes fhall every word be established: and upon former occafions two have often been joined in commiffion, as Mofes and Aaron in Egypt, Elijah and Elisha in the apoftafy of the ten tribes, and Zerubbabel and Jefhua after the Babylonish captivity, to whom thefe witneffes are particularly compared. Our Saviour himself fent forth his difciples (Luke X. 1.) two and two: and it hath been obferved alfo, that the principal reformers. have usually appeared as it were in pairs, as the Waldenfes and Albigenfes, John Hufs 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 fome in every age, tho' but few in number, who fhould bear witnefs to the truth, and declare against the iniquity and idolatry of their times. They fhould not be difcouraged even

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by perfecution and oppreffion, but tho' clothed in fackcloth, and living in a mourning and afflicted ftate, fhould yet prophefy, fhould yet preach the fincere word of God, and denounce the divine judgments against the reigning idolatry and wickedness and this they fhould continue to do, as long as the grand corruption itself lafted, for the fpace of a thousand two hundred and threefcore days. It is the fame space of time with the forty and two months before mentioned. For forty and two months, confifting each of thirty days, are equal to a thousand two hundred and threescore days, or years in the prophetic file: and a thousand two hundred and threefcore years, as we have seen before in Daniel, and fhall fee bereafter in the Revelation, is the period affigned for the tyranny and idolatry of the church of Rome.

A character is then given of thefe witneffes, and of the power and effect of their preaching. Thefe are the two olive trees, and the two candleSticks ftanding before the God of the earth, (ver. 4.) that is, they are like Zerubbabel and Jeshua, (Zech IV.), the great inftructers and inlightners of the church. Fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies, (ver. 5.) that is, they are like unto Mofes and Elijah, (Num. XVI. 2 Kings I.) who called for fire upon their adver

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faries. But their fire was real, this is fymbolical, and proceedeth out of the mouth of the witnesses, denouncing the divine vengeance on the corrupters and oppofers of true religion; much in the fame manner, as it was faid to Jeremiah (V. 14.) I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. Thefe 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 by the space of three years and fix months, which, myftically understood, is the fame fpace of time as the forty and two months, and the thousand two hundred and threefcore days, which are allotted for the prophefying of the witneffes. During this time the divine grace, and protection, and bleffing fhall be withheld from thofe men, who neglect and defpife their preaching and doctrin. They have also power over the waters to turn them to blood, and to fmite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will, that is they are like Mofes and Aaron, who inflicted thefe plagues on Egypt; and they may be faid to fmite the earth with the plagues which they denounce, for in fcripture-language. the prophets are often faid to do those things, which they declare and foretel. But it is moft

highly probable, that these particulars will receive a more litteral accomplishment, when the plagues of God and the vials of his wrath (Chap. XVI.) fhall be poured out upon men, in confequence of their having fo long refifted the teftimony of the witneffes. Their caufe and the cause of truth will finally be avenged on all their enemies.

Next after this defcription of the power and office of the witneffes, follows a prediction of those things, which fhall befall them at the latter end of their miniftry: and their paffion, and death, and refurrection; and afcenfion are copied from our Saviour's, who is emphatically ftiled (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, orav TEXETWO!, when they shall be about finishing their teftimony, (ver. 7.) the beast that afcendeth out of the abyss, the tyrannical power of Rome, of which we fhall hear more hereafter, fhall make war against them, and fhall overcome them, and kill them. The beaft indeed fhall make war against them all the time that they are performing their miniftry; but when they shall be near finishing it, he shall fo make war against them, as to overcome them, and kill them. They shall be fubdued and fuppreffed, be degraded

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