2 But the court • which is with-
constructed like it, or that a just idea could be obtained of it if it should be destroyed. If the direction be understood figuratively, as applicable to the Christian church, the work to be done would be to obtain an exa3t estimate or measurement of what the true church was — as distinguished from all other bodies of men, and as constituted, and appointed, by the direction of God; Buch a measurement that its characteristics could be made known; that a church could be organized according to this, and that the accurate description could be transmitted to future times. John has not, indeed, preserved the measurement; for the main idea here is not that he was to preserve such a model, but that, in the circumstances, and at the time referred to, the proper business would be to engage in such a measurement of the church that its true dimensions or character might be known. There would be, therefore, a fulfilment of this, if at the time here referred to there should be occasion, from any cause, to inquire what constituted the true church; if it was necessary to separate and distinguish it from all other bodies; and if there should be any such prevailing uncertainty as to make an accurate investigation necessary. ^ And the altar. On the form, situation, and uses of the altar, see Notes on Matt. v. 23, 24, xxi. 12. The altar here referred to was, undoubtedly, the altar situated in front of the temple, where the daily sacrifice was offered. To measure that literally, would be to take its dimensions of length, breadth, and height; but it is plain that that cannot be intended here, for there was no such altar where John was, and, if the reference were to the altar at Jerusalem, its dimensions were Eufificiently known. This language, then, like the former, must be understood metaphorically, and then it must mean — as the altar was the place of sacrifice — to take an estimate of the church considered with reference to its notions of sacrifice, or of the prevailing views respecting the sacrifice to be made for gin, and the method of reconciliation with God. It is by sacrifice that a method is provided for reconciliation with God; by sacrifice that sin is par- doned; by sacrifice that man is justified; and the direction here is equivalent, theiefore, to a command to make an investigation on these subjects, and all that is implied would be fulfilled if a state of things should exist where it would be necessary to institute an examination into the prevailing views in the church on the subject of the atonement, and the true method of justification before God. ^ And them that worship therein. In the temple; or, as the temple is the representation here of the church, of those who are in the church as professed worshippers of God. There is some apparent incongruity in directing him to " measure" those who were engaged in worship; but the obvious meaning is, that he was to take a correct estimate of their character; of what they professed; of the reality of their piety; of their lives, and of the general state of the church considered as professedly worshipping God. This would receive its fulfilment, if a state of things should arise in the church which would make it necessary to go into a close and searching examination on all these points, in ' order to ascertain what was the true church, and what was necessary to constitute true membership in it. There were, therefore, three things, as indicated by this verse, which John was directed to do, so far as the use of the measuring-rod was concerned: (o) to take a just estimate of what constitutes the true church, as distinguished from all other associations of men; {h) to institute a careful examination into the opinions in the church on the subject of sacrifice or atonement — involving the whole question about the method of justification before God; and (c) to take a correct estimate of what constitutes true membership in the church; or to investigate with care the prevailing opinions about the qualifications for memblrship.
2. But the court which is without the temple. Which is outside of the temple proper, and, therefore, which does not strictly appertain to it. There is undoubtedly reference here to the " court of the Gentiles," as it was called among the Jews — the outer court of the temple to which the Gentiles had access, and measure it not; for * it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy within which they were not permitted to go. For a description of this, see Notes on Matt. xxi. 12. To an observer this would seem to be a part of the temple, and the persons there assembled a portion of the true worshippers of God; but it was necessarily neither the one nor the other. In forming an estimate of those who, according to the Hebrew notions, were true worshippers of God, only those would be regarded as such who had the privilege of access to the inner court, and to the altar. In making such an estimate, therefore, those who had no nearer access than that court, would be omitted; that is, they would not be reckoned as necessarily any part of those who were regarded as the people of God. % Leave out and measure it not. Marg., cast out. So the Greek. The iiieaning is, that he was not to reckon it as appertaining to the true temple of worshippers. There is, indeed, a degree of force in the words rendered "leave out," or, in the margin, "cast out" — hlSaXXE i|ct) — which implies more than a mere passing by, or omission. The word {£K(idX\oi) usually has the idea of force or impulse (Matt. xv. 17; Acts xxvii. 38; Matt. viii. 12, xxv. 30; Mark xvi. 9, et al.), and the word here would denote some decisive or positive act by which it would be indicated that this was not any part of the true temple, but was to be regarded as appertaining to something else. lie was not merely not to mention it, or not to include it in the measurement, but he was to do this by some act which would indicate that it was the result of design in the case, and not by accidentally passing it by. ^ For it is given unto the Gentiles. It properly appertains to them as their own. Though near the temple, and included in the general range of building, yet it does not pertain to those who worshifT there, but to those who are regarded as heathen and strangers. It is not said that it was then given to the Gentiles; nor is it said that it was given to them to be overrun and trodden down by them, but that it appertained to them, and was to be regarded as belonging to them. They occupied it, not as the city shall they tread under " foot forty and two months.
people of God, but as those who were without the true church, and who did not appertain to its real communion. This would find a fulfilment if there should arise a state of things in the church in which it would be necessary to draw a line between those who properly constituted the church and those who did not; if there should be such a condition of things that any considerable portion of those who professedly appertained to the church ought to bo divided off as not belonging to it, or would have such characteristic marks that it could be seen that they were strangers and aliens. The interpretation would demand that they should sustain some relation to the church, or that they would seem to belong to it — as the court did to the temple; but still that this was in appearance only, and that in estimating the true church it was necessary to leave them out altogether. Of course this would not imply that there might not be some sincere worshippers among them as individuals — as there would be found usually, in the court of the Gentiles in the literal temple, some who were proselytes and devout worshippers, but what is here said relates to them as a mass or body — that they did not belong to the true church but to the Gentiles. ^ And the holy city. The tchole holy city — not merely the outer court of the Gentiles which it is said was given to them, nor the temple as such, but the entire holy city. There is no doubt that the words " the holy city" literally refer to Jerusalem — a city so called because it was the peculiar place of the worship of God. See Notes on Matt iv. 5; conip. Neh. xi. 1, 18; Isa. Hi. 1; Dan. ix. 24; Matt, xxvii. 53. But it is not necessary to suppose that this is its meaning here. The "holy city" Jerusalem Avas regarded as sacred to God; as his dwelling-place on earth, and as the abode of his people, and nothing was more natural than to use the term as representing the Chui-ch, Comp. Notes on Gal. iv. 20; Ileb. xii. 22. In this sense it is undoubtedly used here, as the whole representation is emblematical. John, if he were about to speak of any thing that was to occur to the church, would, as a native Jew, be likely to employ such language as this to denote it. ^ Shall they tread imder foot. That is, the Gentiles above referred to; or those who, in the measurement of the city, were set off as Gentiles, and regarded as not belonging to the people of God. This is not spoken of the Gentiles in general, but only of that portion of the multitudes that seemed to constitute the worshippers of God, who, "ti measuring the temple, were set off •♦r separated as not properly belong- Jig to the true church. The phrase * shall tread under foot," is derived rom warriors and conquerors who tread iown their enemies, or trample on the lelds of grain. It is rendered in this lassage by Dr. Robinson {Lex.) ' to profane and lay waste.' As applied litewUy to a citj^, this would be the true 'dea: as applied to the church, it vould mean that they would have it inder their control or in subjection for kjie specified time, and that the practical effect of that would be to corrupt and >rostrate it. ^ Forty and tico months. (literally this would be three years and I half; but if the time here is prophetic ime — a day for a year — then the period vould bo twelve hundred and sixty 'ears — reckoning the year at 360 days. S'or a full illustration of this usage, and or the reasons for supposing that this is)rophetio time, see Notes on Dan. vii. i5. In feddition to what is there said, \ may ba remarked in reference to this tossage, that it is impossible to show, vith any degree of probability, that the ity of Jerusalem was '^ trampled under
' 1)ot" by the Romans for the exact space /f three years and a half. Prof. Stuart, Kh.0 adopts the opinion that it refers to the conquest of Jerusalem by the Ro-
mans, says, indeed, " It is certain that the invasion of the Romans lasted just about the length of the period named, until Jerusalem was taken. And although the city itself was not besieged 80 long, yet the metropolis in this case, as in innumerable others in both Testaments, appears to stand for the country
of Judea." But, it is to be remembered that the affirmation here is that " the
' holy eity^' was thus to be trodden under foot; and ev«n taking the former supposition, in -what sense is it true that the " whdle country" was " trodden under foot" by the Romans only three years and a half? Even the wars of the Romans were not of that exact duration, and, besides, the fact was that Judea was held in subjection, and trodden down by the Romans, for centuries, and never, in fact, regained its independence. If this is to be literally applied to Jerusalem, it has been " trodden down by the Gentiles," with brief intervals, since the conquest by the Romans, to the present time. There has been no precise period of three years and a half, in respect to which the language here used would be applicable to the literal city of Jerusalem.
In regard then to the proper application of the language which has thua been explained (vs. 1, 2), it may be remarked, in general, that, for the reasons just stated, it is not to be taken literally. John could not have been directed literally to measure the temple at Jerusalem, and the altar, and the worshippers; nor could he have been requested literally to leave out, or * cast out' the court that was without; nor could it be meant that the holy city literally was to be trodden under foot for three years and a half. The language clearly is symbolical, and the reference must have been to something pertaining to the church. And, if the preceding exposition of the tenth chapter is correct, then it may be presumed that this would refer to something that was to occur at about the period there referred to. Regarding it, then, as applicable to the time of the Reformation, and as being a continuation of the vision in chapter tenth, we shall find, in the events of that period, what would be properly symbolized by the language here used. This will appear by reviewing the particulars which have been explained in these verses: —
(1) The command to "measure the temple of God," ver. 1. This, we have seen, was a direction to take an estimate of what constituted the true church; the very work which it was necessary to do in the Reformation, for this was the first point which was to bo settled, whether the Papacy was the true church or was the Antichrist. This involved, of course, the whole inquiry as to what constitutes the church, alike in reference to its organization, its ministry, its sacraments, and its membership. It wftf long before the Reformers made up their minds that tlie Papacy was not the true church; for the veneration which they had been taught to cherish for that lingered long in their bosoms. And even when they were constrained to admit that that corrupt communion was the predicted form of the great apostasy — Antichrist — and had acquired boldness enough to break away from it for ever, it was long before they settled down in a uniform belief as to what toas essential to the true church. Indeed, the differences of opinion which prevailed; the warm discussions which ensued, and the diversities of sect which sprang up in the Protestant world, showed with what intense interest the mind was fixed on this question, and how important it was to take an exact measurement of the real church of God.
(2) The direction to 'measure the altar.' This, as we have seen, would relate to the prevailing opinions on the subject of sacrifice and atonement; on the true method of a sinner's acceptance with God; and, consequently, on the whole subject of justification. As a matter of fact, it need not be said that this was one of the first questions which came before the Reformers, and was one which it was indispensable to settle, in order to a just notion of the church and of the way of salvation. The Papacy had exalted the Lord's Supper into a real sacrifice; had made it a grand and essential point that the bread and wine were changed into the real body and blood of the Lord, and that a real oflfering of that sacrifice was made every time that ordinance was celebrated; had changed the ofl5ce of the ministers of the New Testament from 2}}'eachers to that oi priests; had become familiar with the terms altar, and sacrifice, and priesthood, as founded on the notion that a real sacrifice was made in the 'mass;' and had fundamentally changed the whole doctrine respecting the justification of a sinner before God. The altar in the Romish communion had almost displaced the pulpit; and the doctrine of justification by the merits of the great sacrifice made by the death of our Lord, had been superseded by the doctrine of justification by good works, and by the merits of the saints. It became necessary, therefore, to restore the true doctrine respecting sacrifice for sin, and the way of justification before God; and this would be appropriately represented by a direction to 'measure the altar.'
(3) The direction to take an estimate of those ' who worshipped in the temi^le.' This, as we have seen, would properly mean that there was to be a true estimate taken of what constituted membership in the church, or of the qualifications of those who should be regarded as true worshippers of God. This, also, was one of the first works necessary to be done in the Reformation. Before that, for ages, the doctrine of baptismal regeneration had been the established doctrine of the church; the opinion that all that was necessary to membership was baptism and confirmation, was the common opinion; the necessity of regeneration by the influences of the Holy Spirit, as a condition of church membership, was little understood, if not almost wholly unknown; and the grand requisition in membership was not holy living, but the observance of the rites and ceremonies of the church. One of the first things necessary in the Reformation, was to restore to its true place the doctrine laid down by the Saviour, that a change of heart — that regeneration by the Holy Ghost — was necessary to membership in the church, and that the true church was composed of those who had been thus renewed in the spirit of their mind. This great work would be appropriately symbolized by a direction to take an estimate of those who 'worshipped in the temple of God;' that is, to settle the question who should be regarded as true worshippers of God, and what should be required of those who professed to be such worshippers. No more important* point was settled in the Reformation than this.
(4) The direction to leave out, or to ' cast out' the court without the temple. This, as we have seen, would properly mean that a separation was to be made between that which was the true church, and that which was not, though iit might seem to belong to it. The one was to be measured or estimated; the other was to be left out, as not appertaining to that, or as belonging to the GenClles, or to heathenism. The idea would be, that though it professedly appertained to tlie true church, and to the worship of God, yet that it deserved to be characterized «« heathenism. Now this will apply with great propriety, according to all Protestant notions, to the manner in which the Papacy was regarded by the Reformers, and should be regarded at all times. It claimed to be the true church, and to the eye of an observer would seem to belong to it, as much as the outer court seemed to pertain to the temple. But it had the essential characteristics of heathenism, and was, therefore, properly to be left out, or cast out, as not pertaining to the true church. Can any one doubt the truth of this representation as applicable to the Papacy? Almost every thing that was peculiar in the ancient heathen systems of religion, had been introduced into the Roman communion, and a stranger at Rome would see more that would lead him to feel that he was in a heathen land, than he would that he was in a land where the pure doctrines of Christianity prevailed, and where the worship was celebrated which the Redeemer had designed to set up on the earth. This was true not only in the pomp and splendor of worship, and in the processions and imposing ceremonials; but in the worship of images, in the homage rendered to the dead, in the number of festival-days, in the fact that the statues reared in heathen Rome to the honor of the gods had been re-consecrated in the services of Christian devotion to the apostles, saints, and martyrs j and in the robes of the Christian priesthood, derived from those in use in the ancient heathen worship. The direction was, that, in estimating the true church, this was to be ' left out' or ' cast out;' and, if this interpretation is correct, the meaning is, that the Roman Catholic communion, as an organized body, is to be regarded as no part of the true church: a conclusion which is inevitable, if the passages of Scripture which are commonly supposed by Protestants to apply to it, are correctly applied. To determine this, and to separate the true church from it, was no small part of the work of the Reformation.
(5) The statement that the holy city was to be trodden under foot, ver. 2. This, as we have seen, must mean that Ihe true church would thus be trodden down by those who are described as * Gentiles.' So far as pure religion was concerned; so far as appertained to the real condition of the church and the 20* pure worship of God, it would be as if the whole holy city where God was worshipped were given into the hands of the Gentiles, and they should tread it down, and desecrate all that was sacred for the time here referred to. Every thing in Rome at the time of the Reformation, would sustain this description. "It is
incredible," says Luther, on his visit to Rome, "what sins and atrocities are committed in Rome; they must be seen and heard to be believed. So that it is usual to say, ' If there be a hell, Rome is built above it; it is an abyss from which all sins proceed.' " So again ho says: " It is commonly observed that he who goes to Rome for the first time, goes to seek a knave there; the second time he finds him; and the third time he brings him away with him under his cloak. But now, people are become so clever, that they make the three journeys
in one." So Machiavelli, one of the most profound geniuses in Italy, and himself a Roman Catholic, said, "The
greatest symptom of the approaching ruin of Christianity is, that the nearer we approach the capital of Christendom, the less do we find of the Christian spirit of the people. The scandalous example and crimes of the court of Rome, have caused Italy to lose every principle of piety and every religious sentiment. "We Italians are principally indebted to the church and to the priests for having become impious and profane." See D'Au-
bigne's History of the Reformation, p. 54 Ed. Phila. 1843. In full illustration of the sentiment that the church seemed to be trodden down and polluted by heathenism, or by abominations and practices that came out of heathenism, we may refer to the general history of the Romish communion from the rise of the Papacy to the Reformation. For a sufficient illustration to justify the application of the passage before us which I am now making, the reader may bo referred to the Notes on ch. ix. 20, 21. Nothing would better describe the condition of Rome previous to, and at the time of the Reformation — and the remark may be applied to subsequent periods also — than to say that it was a city which once seemed to be a Christian city, and was not improperly regarded as the centre of the Christian world iind the seat of the church, and that it had teen, as it were, overrun and
3 And I will ** give jpoioer unto
*rodden down by heathen rites, and customs, and ceremonies, so that, to a stranger looking on it, it would seem to \>Q in the possession of the * Gentiles' or the heathens.
(6) The time during which this was to continue — -'forty-two months;' that is, according to the explanation above given, twelve hundred and sixty years. This would embrace the whole period of the ascendency and prevalence of the Papacy; or the whole time of the continuance of that corrupt domination in which Christendom was to be trodden down and corrupted by it. The prophet of Patmos saw it in vision thus extending its dreary and corrupting reign, and during that time the proper influence of Christianity was trampled down, and the domination of practical heathenism was set up where the church should have reigned in its purity. Thus regarded, this would properly express the time of the ascendency of the Papal power, and the end of the 'forty-two months,' or twelve hundred and sixty years, would denote the time when the influence of that power would cease. If, therefore, the time of the rise of the Papacy can be determined, it will not be difficult to determine the time when it will come to an end. But for a full consideration of these points, the reader is referred to the extended discussion on Daniel vii. 25. As the point is there fully examined, it is unnecessary to go into an investigation of it here.
The general remark, therefore, in regard to this passage (vs. 1, 2), is, that it refers to what would be necessary to be done at the Reformation in order to determine what is the true church, and what are the doctrines on which it is based; and to the fact that the Romish communion to which the church had been given over for a definite time, was to be set aside as not being the true church of Christ.
3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses. In respect to this important passage (vs. 3-13), I propose to pursue the same method which I have pursued all along in this exposition; first, to examine the meaning of the words and phrases in the symbol with a purpose to my ^ two witnesses, " and they shall ascertain the fair signification of the symbols; and, second, to enquire into the application; that is, to enquire whether any events have occurred which, in respect to their character and to the time of their occurrence, can be shown to be a fair fulfilment of the language.
And I tcill give power. The word "power" is not in the original. The Greek is simply, " I will give;" that is, I will grant to my two witnesses the right, or the power, of prophesying, during the time specified, correctly expressed in the margin, 'give unto my two witnesses that they may prophesy.' The meaning is not that he would send two witnesses to prophesy, but rather that these were in fact such " witnesses," and that he would during that time permit them to exercise their prophetic gifts, or give them the privilege and the strength to enunciate the truth which they were commissioned to communicate as his "witnesses" to mankind. Some word, then, like power, privilege, opiport unity, or boldness, it is necessary to supply in order to complete the sense. ^ JJnto my two witnesses. The word ''two" evidently denotes that the number would be small; and yet it is not necessary to confine it literally to two persons, or to two societies or communities. Perhaps the meaning is, that as, under the law, two Avitnesses were required, and were enough, to establish any fact (Notes on John viii. 17), such a number would, during those times, be preserved from apostasy, as would be suflicient to keep up the evidence of truth; to testify against the prevailing abominations, errors, and corruptions; to show what was the real church, and to bear a faithful witness against the wickedness of the world. The law of Moses required that there should be two witnesses on a trial, and this, under that law, was deemed a competent number. See Deut. xvii. 6, xix. 15; Num. xxxv. 30; Matt, xviii. 16; John V. 30-33. The essential meaning of this passage, then, is, that there would be a com^ietent numher of witnesses in the case; that is, as many as would be n",L;iirded as sufficient to establish the points concerning which they would testify, -with perhaps the additional idea that the number would be small. There is no reason for limiting it strictly to two persons, or for supposing that they would appear in pairs, two and two,• nor is it necessary to suppose that it refers particularly to two people or nations. The word rendered tcitnesses — fidprvs — is that from which we have derived the word martyr. It means properly one who bears testimony, either in a judicial sense. Matt, xviii. 16, xxvi. 65, or one who can in any way testify to the truth of what he has seen and known, 1 Thess. ii. 10,• 1 Tim. vi. 12; Rom. i. 9; Phil. i. 8; Luke xxiv. 48. Then it came to be employed in the sense in which the word martyr is now — to denote one who, amidst great sufferings, or by his death, bears witness to the truth; that is, one who is so confident of the truth, and so upright, that he will rather lay down his life than deny the truth of what he has seen and known. Acts xxii. 20; Rev. ii. 13. In a similar sense it comes to denote one who is so thoroughly convinced on a subject that is not susceptible of being seen and heard, or who is so attached to one, that he is willing to lay down his life as the evidence of his conviction and attachment. The word, as used here, refers to those who, during this period of "forty and two months," would thus be tcitnesses for Christ in the world: that is, who would bear their testimony to the truth of his religion; to tho doctrines which he had revealed: and to what was required of man — who would do this amidst surrounding error and corruption, and when exposed to persecutions and trials on account of their belief. It is not uncommon in the Scriptures to represent the righteous as witnesses for God. See Notes on Isa. xliii. 10, 12, xliv. 8. ^ And they shall prophesy. The word prophesy does not necessarily mean that they would predict future events; but the sense is, that they would give utterance to the truth 18 God had revealed it. See Notes on 3b- x. 11. The sense here is, that they would in some public manner, hold up,> maintain the truth before the world.
4 These are the two * olive-trees, and the two candlesticks '^ standing before the God of the earth.
5[ A thousand two hundred and three score days. The same period as the forty and two months (ver. 2), though expressed in a different form. Reckoning a day for a year, this period would be twelve hundred and sixty years, or the same as the " time, and times, and dividing of time" in Daniel vii. 25. See Notes on that place. The meaning of this would be, therefore, that during that long period in which it is said that " the holy city would be trodden under foot," there would be those who might be properly called "witnesses" for God, and who would be engaged in holding up his truth before the world; that is, there would be no part of that period in which there would not be found «o?»e to whom this appellation could with propriety be given. Though the " hol.y city" — the church — would seem to be wholly trodden down, yet there would be a few at least who would assert the great doctrines of true godliness. ^ Clothed in sackcloth. Sackcloth — ctcikkos — was properly a coarse black cloth commonly made of hair, used for sacks, for straining, and for mourning garments. See Notes on Rev. vi. 12; on Isa. iii. 24; and on Matt. xi. 21. Here it is an emblem of mourning; and the idea is, that they would prophesy m the midst of grief. This would indicate that the time would be one of calamity, or that, in doing this, there would be occasion for their appearing in the emblems of grief, rather than in robes expressive of joy. The most natural interpretation of this is, that there would be but few who could be regarded as true witnesses for God in the world, and that they would be exposed to persecution.
4. These are the tico olive-trees. These are represented by the two olive-trees, or these are what are symbolized by the two olive-trees. There.can be little doubt that there is an allusion here to Zech. iv. 3, 11, 14, though the imagery is in some respects changed. The prophet (Zech. iv. 2, 3) saw in vision "a candlestick all of gold, and a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lampa thereon, and seven pipes to the seven
5 And if any man will hurt them, " fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enea Ps. 18. 8,
lamps, which were upon the top thereof; and two olive-trees by it; one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof," These two ** olive-branches" were subsequently declared (ver. 14) to be "the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth," The olive-trees, or olivebranches (ver. 12), appear in the vision of the prophet to have been connected with the ever-burning lamp, by golden pipes, and as the olive-tree produced the oil used by the ancients in their lamps, these trees are represented as furnishing a constant supply of oil through the golden pipes to the candlestick, and thus they become emblematic of the supply of grace to the church. John uses this emblem, not in the sense exactly in which it was employed by the prophet, but to denote that these two " witnesses," which might be compared with the two olive-trees, would be the means of supplying grace to the church. As the olive-tree furnished oil for the lamps, the two trees here would seem properly to denote ministers of religion; and as there can be no doubt that the candlesticks, or lamp-bearers, denote churches, the sense would appear to be that it was through the pastors of the churches that the 9\\ of grace which maintained the brightness of those mystic candlesticks, or the churches, was conveyed. The image is a beautiful one, and expresses a truth of great importance to the world: — for God has designed that the lamp of piety shall be kept burning in the churches by truth supplied through ministers and pastors, 'I And the two candlesticks. The prophet Zechariah saw but one such candlestick or lamp-bearer; John here saw two — as there are two "witnesses" referred to. In the vision described in ch. i. 12, he saw seven — representing the seven churches of Asia. For an explanation of the meaning of the symbol, Bce Notes on that verse. ^ Standing before the God of the earth. So Zech. iv. 14, " These bo the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of tho whole earth." The meaning is, that they stood.
mies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. '
as it were, in the very presence of God — as in the tabernacle and temple, the golden candlestick stood "before" the ark on which was the symbol of the divine presence, though separated from it by a veil, Comp. Notes on ch, ix, 13» This representation that the ministers of religion " stand before the Lord," is one that is not uncommon in the Bible. Thus it is said of the priests and Levitea (Deut. X. 8), " The Lord separated the tribes of Levi, to stand before the Lord, to minister unto him, and to bless his name." Comp. Deut. xviii. 7. The same thing is said of the prophets, as in the cases of Elijah and Elisha: " As the Lord liveth, before ichom I stand." 1 Kings xvii. 1, xviii, 15; 2 Kings iii. 14, V. 16; comp, Jer. xv. 19. The representation is, that they ministered, as it were, constantly in his presence, and under his eye.
5. And if any man will hurt them. This implies that there would be those who would be disposed to injure or wrong them; that is, that they would be liable to persecution. The word 'toiir is here more than the mere sign of the future; it denotes intention, purpose, design — •^eAp — 'if any man willa or purposes to injure them.' See a similar use of the wortl in 1 Tim. vi. 9. The word hurt here means to do injury or injustice — aitkiiaat — and may refer to wrong in any form — whether in respect to their character, opinions, persons, or property. Tho general sense is, that there would be those who would be disposed to do them harm, and we should naturally look for the fulfilment of this in some form of persecution. ^ Fire proceedeth out of their mouth. It is, of course, not necessary that this should be taken literally. The meaning is, that they would have the power of destroying their enemies as if fire should proceed out of their mouth; that is, their words would be like burning coals or flames. There may possibly be an allusion here to 2 Kings i. 10-14, where it is said that Elijah commanded the fire to d.^scend from heaven to consume those who were sent to take him (comp.
6 These " have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power
Luke ix. 54); but in that case Elijah commanded the fire to come ' from heaven,' here it proceeded 'out of the mouth.' The allusion here, therefore, is to the denunciations which they would utter, or the doctrines which they would preach, and which would have the same effect on their enemies as if they breathed forth fire and flame. So Jeremiah v. 14, "Because ye speak this word, behold I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them." ^ And devoureth their enemies. The word devour is often used with reference to fire, which seems to eat tip or consume what is in its way, or to feed on that which it destroys. This is the sense of the word here — Karea&kt — 'to eat down, to swallow down, to devour.' Comp. ch. xx. 9. Sept. Isa. xxix. 6; Joel ii. 5; Lev. x. 2. As there is no reason to believe that there would be literal fre, so it is not necessary to suppose that their enemies would be literally devoured or consumed. The meaning is fulfilled if their words should in any way produce an effect on their enemies similar to what is produced by fire: that is, if it should destroy their influence; if it should overcome and subdue them; if it should annihilate their domination i^t the world. •[ And if any man will hurt them. This is repeated in order to make the declaration more intensive, and also to add another thought about the effect of persecuting and injuring them. ^ He must in this manner be killed. That is, in the manner specified — by fire. It does not mean that he would be killed in the same manner in which the 'witnesses' were killed, but in the method specified before— by the fire that should proceed out of their mouth. The meaning is, undoubtedly, that they would have power to bring down on them divine vengeance or punishment, so that there would be a just retaliation for the wrongs done them.
6. These have power to shut heaven. That is, so far as rain is concerned — for this is immediately specified. There is probably reference here to an ancient
over waters * to turn them to "blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 6 Ex. 7. 19.
opinion that the rain was kept in the clouds of heaven as in reservoirs or bottles, and that when they were opened it rained; when they were closed it ceased to rain. So Job xxvi. 8, "He bindeth up the waters in the thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them." xxxvi. 28, "Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly." xxxviii. 37, "Who can number the clouds in wisdom, or who can stay the bottles of heaven?" Comp. Gen. i. 7, vii. 2, viii. 2; 2 Kings vii. 2. To shut or close vp the heavens, therefore, is to restrain the rain from descending, or to produce a drought. Comp. Notes on James v. 17. ^ That it rain not in the days of their prophecy. In the time when they prophesy. Probably the allusion here is to what is said of Elijah, 1 Kings xvii. 1. This would properly refer to some miraculous power; but still it may be used to denote merely that they would be clothed with the power of causing blessings to be withheld from men, as if rain were withheld; that is, that in consequence of the calamities that would be brought upon them, and the persecutions which they would endure, God would bring judgments upon men as if they were clothed with this power. The language, therefore, it seems to me, does not necessarily imply that they would have the power of working miracles. ^ And have poicer over tcaters to turn them to Hood. The allu.. sion here is doubtless to what occurred in Egypt, Ex. vii. 17. Comp. Notes on ch. viii. 8. This, too, would literally denote the power of working a miracle; but still it is not absolutely necessary to suppose that this is intended. Any thing that would be represented by turning waters into blood, would correspond with all that is necessarily implied in the language. If any great calamity should occur in consequence of what was done to then that would be properly represented by turning the waters into blood so that they could not be used, and that was so connected with the treatment which they received as to appear to be a judgment of heaven on that account.
7 And wlien tliey shall have
or that would appear to have come upon the world ia consequence of their imprecations, it would be all that is necessarily implied in.this language. ^ And to smite the earth with all plar/uea. All kinds of plague or calamity; disease, pestilence, famine, flood, &c. The word plague — TrXnyrj — which means, properly, stroke, strijje, hloic, would include any or all of these. The meaning here is, that great calamities would follow the manner in which they were treated, as t/the power were lodged in their hands, f" As often as they toill. So that it would seem that they could exercise this power as they pleased.
7. And when thexj shall have finished their testimony. Prof. Stuart renders this, " And whenever they shall have finished their testimony." The reference is undoubtedly to a period when they should have faithfully borne the testimony which they were appointed to bear. The Avord here rendered " shall have finished" — TeXeVwo-i, from TtXfw — means properly to end, to finish, to complete, to a'ccomplish. It is used, in this respect, in two senses — either in regard to time, or in regard to the end or object in vieio, in the sense of perfecting it, or accomplishing it. In the former sense it is employed in such passages as the following: — Rev. xx. 3, " Till the thousand years should he fulfilled;" Matt. X. 23, " Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel [Gr., ye shall not have finished the cities of Israel] till the Son of man be come;" that is, ye shall not have finished passing through them; Matt. xi. 1, " When Jesus had made an end [Gr., finished] of commanding his twelve disciples;" 2 Tim. iv. 7, "I have finished my course/' In thesepassages it clearly refers to time. In the other sense it is used in such places as the following: — Rom. ii. 27, " And shall not the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law;" that is, if it accomplish, or come up to the demands of the law; James ii. 8, " If je ftdfil the royal law, according to the Scriptures." The word, then, may here refer not to time, meaning that these events would occur at the end of the ' thousand two hundred and threescore days,' but to the fact that what is here stated would occur when they had completed their testimony ia the sense of having testified all that they were ap2Jointed to testify; that is, when they had borne full witness for God, and fully uttered his truth. Thus understood, the meaning here may be that the event here referred to would take place, not at the end of the 1260 years, but at that period during the 1260 years when it could be said with propriety that they had accomplished their testimony in the world, or that they had borne full and ample witness on the points entrusted to them. ^ The beast. This is the first time in the book of Revelation in which what is here called 'the beast' is mentioned, and which has so important an agency in the events which it is said would occur. It is repeatedly mentioned in the course of the book, and always with similar characteristics, and as referring to the same object. Here it is mentioned as 'ascending out of the bottomless pit;' in ch. xiii. 1, as 'rising up out of the sea;' iit ch. xiii. 11, as ' coming out of the earth.' It is also mentioned with characteristics appropriate to such an origin, in ch. xiii. 2, 3, 4 (twice), 11, 12 (twice), 14 (twice), 15 (twice), 17, 18; xiv. 9, 11; XV. 2; xvi. 2, 10, 13; xvii. 3, 7, 8 (twice), 11, 12, 13, 16, 17; xix. 19, 20 (twice); XX. 4, 10. The word here used — &ripiov means properly a beast, a wild beast. Mark i. 13; Acts x. 12, xi. 6, xxviii. 4, 5; Heb. xii. 20; James iii. 7; Rev. vi. 8. It is once used tropically of brutal or savage men, Titus i. 12. Elsewhere, in the passages above referred to in the Apocalypse, it is used symbolically. As employed in the book of Revelation, the characteristics of the ' beast' are strongly marked, (a) It has its origin from beneath— in the bottomless pit; the sea; the earth, ch. xi. 7, xiii. 1, 11. (b) It has great 2^otoer, ch. xiii. 4, 12, xvii. 12, 13. (c) It claims and receives worship, ch. xiii. 3, 12, 14, 15, xiv. 9, 11, {d) It has a certain ' seat' or throne from whence its power proceeds, ch. xvi. 10. (e) It is of scarlet color, ch. xvii. 3. (/) It receives power conferred upon it by the kings of the earth, ch. xvii. 13. {(j) It has a mark by which it is known, ch. xiii. 17, xix. 20. (/() It has a cei tain 'number;' that is, there are certain that ascendeth out of the "bottom- 1 them, and shall overcome them, less pit shall make * war against and kill them.
mystical letters or figures which so express its name that it may be known, ch. xii. 17, 18. These things serve to characterize the 'beast' as distinguished from all other things, and they are so numerous and definite, that it would seem to have been intended to make it easy to understand what was meant when the power referred to should appear. In regard to the origin of the imagery here, there can be no reasonable doubt that it is to be traced to Daniel, and that the writer here means to describe the same 'beast' which Daniel refers to in ch. vii. 7. The evidence of this must be clear to any one who will compare the description in Daniel (ch. vii.), with the minute details in the book of Revelation. No one, I think, can doubt that John means to carry forward the description in Daniel, and to apply it to new manifestations of the same great and terrific power — the power of the fourth monarchy — on the earth. For full evidence that the representation in Daniel refers to the Roman power prolonged and perpetuated in the Papal dominion, I must refer the reader to the Notes on ch. vii. 25, of Daniel. It may be assumed here that the opinion there defended is correct, and consequently it may be assumed that the * beas*;' of this book refers to the Papal power. ^ That ascendeth out of the bottomless 2^it- See Notes on ch. ix. 1. This would properly mean that its origin is the nether world; or that it will have characteristics which will show that it was from beneath. The meaning clearly is, that which was symbolized by the beast would have such characteristics as; to show that it was not of divine origin, but had its source in the world of darkness, sin, and death. This of course could not represent the true church, or any civil government that is founded on principles which God approves. But if it represent a community pretending to be a church, it is an apostate church; if a civil community, it is a community the characteristics of which are that it is controlled by the Spirit that rules over the world beneath. For reasons which we shall see in abundance in applying the descriptions which occur of the 'beast,' I regard this as referring to that great apostate power which occupies so much of the prophetic descriptions— the Papacy. ^ Shall make war against them. Will endeavor to exterminate them by force. This clearly is not intended to be a general statement that they would be jyersecuted, but to refer to the particular manner in which the opposition would be conducted. It would be in the form of 'war/ that is, there would be an eflfort to destroy them by arms. ^ And shall overcome them. Shall gain the victory over them; conquer them — viKriaci avrovs. That is, there will be some signal victory in which those represented by the two witnesses will be subdued. ^ And kill them. That is, an effect would be produced as if they were put to death. They would be overcome; would be silenced; would be apparently dead. Any event that would cause them to cease to bear testimony, as if ihey were dead, would be properly represented by this. It would not be necessary to sup pose that there would be literally death in the case, but that there would be some event which would be well represented by death — such as an entire suspension of their prophesying in consequence of force.
8. A7id their dead bodies shall lie in the street. Prof. Stuart, " shall be in the street." The words ' shall lie' are supplied by the translators, but not improperly. The literal rendering would b"e, ' and their corpses upon the street of the great city;' and the meaning is, that there would be a state of things in regard to them which would be well represented by supposing them to lie unburied. To leave a body unburied is to treat it with contempt, and among the ancients nothing was regarded as more dishonorable than such treatment. See the Ajax of Sophocles. Among the Jews also it was regarded as a special indignity to leave the dead unburied, and hence they are always represented as deeply solicitous to secure the interment of their dead. See Gen. xxiii. 4« Comp. 2 Sam. xxi. 9-13; Eccl. vL S; in the street • of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom *
Isa. xiv. 18-20, xxii. 16, liii. 9. The meaning here is, that, for the time specified, those who are here referred to would be treated with indignity and contempt. In the fulfilment of this, we are not, of course, to look for any literal Rocomplishment of what is here said, but for gome treatment of the 'witnesses' which would be well represented by this; that is, wbicii would show that they were treated, after they were silenced, like uaburied corpses putrefj'ing in the sun. ^ 0/ the great city. Where these transactions would occur. As a great city would be the agent in putting them to death, so the result would be as if they were publicly exposed in its streets. The word 'great' here supposes that the city referred to would be distinguished for its size — a circumstance of some importance in determining the place referred to. ^ Which spiritually is called — 7ri/£ufiar(Kwj. This word occurs only in one other place in the New Testament (1 Cor. ii. 14), "because they are spiritually discerned," where it means, ' in accordance with the Holy Spirit,' or * through the aid of the Holy Spirit.' Here it seems to be used in the sense of)iietaphorically, or allegorically, in contra-distinction from the literal and real name. There may possibly be an intimation here that the city is so called by the Holy Spirit to designate its real charactei', but still the essential meaning is, that that was not its literal name. For some reason, the real name is not given to it, but such descriptions are applied as are designed to leave no doubt as to what is intended. ^ Sodom. Sodom was distinguished for its wickedness, and especially for that vice to which its abominations have given name. For the character of Sodom, see Gen. xviii., xix. Comp. 2 Pet. iL 6. In enquiring what 'city' is here referred to, it would be necessary to find in it such abominations as characterized Sodom, or so much wickedness that it would be proper to call it Sodom. If it shall be ioxind that this was designed to refer to Papal Rome, no one can doubt tliat the fcbominationa which prevailed there, would justify such an appellation.
and Egypt, ' where also our Lord was crucified.
Comp. Notes en ch. ix. 20, 21. % And Egypt. That is, it would have such a character that the name Egypt might be properly given to it. Egypt is known, in the Scriptures, as the land of oppression— the land where the Israelites, the people of God, were held in cruel bondage. Comp. Ex. i.-xv. See also Ezek. xxiii. 8. The particular idea, then, which seems to be conveyed here is, that the * city' referred to would be characterized by acts of oppression and wrong towards the people of God. So far as the language is concerned, it might apply either to Jerusalem or to Rome — for both were eminently characterized by such acts of oppression toward the true children of God as to make it proper to compare their cruelties with those which were inflicted on the Israelites by the Egyptians. Of whichever of these places the course of the exposition may require us to understand this, it will be seen at once that the language is such as is strictly applicable to either; though, as the reference is rather to Christians than to the ancient people of God, it must be admitted that it would be most natural to refer it to Rome. More acts authorizing persecution, and designed to crush the true people of God, have gone forth from Rome than from any other city on the face of the earth; and taking the history of the church together, there is no place that would be so properly designated by the term hero employed. ^ Where also our Lord teas crucified. If this refers to Jerusalem, it is to be taken literally; if to another city, it is to be understood as meaning that he was practically crucified there; that is, that the treatment of his friends — his church — was such that it might be said that he was 'crucified afresh' there; for what is done to his church may be said to be done to him. Either of these interpretations would be justified by the use of the language. Thus in Heb. vi. 6, it is said of apostates from the true faith (comp. Notes on the passage), that ' they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh.' If the passage before us is to be taken figuratively, the meaning is, that aoti
9 And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not
would be performed which might properly be represented as crucifying the Son of God; that, as he lives in his church, the acts of perverting his doctrines, and persecuting his people, •would be in fact an act of crucifying the Lord again. Thus understood, the language is strictly applicable to Rome; that is, if it is admitted that John meant to characterize that city, he has employed such language as a Jewish Christian would naturally use. While, therefore, it must be admitted that the language is such as could be literally applied only to Jerusalem, it is still true that it is Buch language as might be figuratively applied to any other city strongly resembling that, and that in this sense it would characterize Rome above all other cities of the world. The common reading of the text here is ' our Lord' — ijpiCJv; the text now regarded as correct, however (Griesbach, Tittmann, Hahn), is 'their Lord' — aurdiv. This makes no essential difference in the sense, except that it directs the attention more particularly to the fact that they were treated like their own Master.
9. And they of the people. Some of the people; a part of the people. — U -dv Xawv. The language is such as would be employed to describe a scene where a considerable portion of a company of people should be referred to, without intending to include all. The essential idea is, that there would be an assemblage of different classes of people to whom their carcases would be exposed, and that they would come and look upon them. "We should expect to find the fulfilment of this in some place where, from any cause, a variety of people ghculd be assembled — as in some capital, or some commercial city, to which they would be naturally attracted. ^ Shall see their dead bodies. That is, a state of things will occur as if these witnesses were put to death, and their carcases were publicly exposed. •[ Three days and an half. This might be either literally throe days and a half, or, more in accordance with the usual etyle of
10 And they that dwell upon the
earth shall rejoice over them, and this book, these would be prophetio days; that is, three years and a half. Comp. Notes on ch. ix. 5, 15. «[ Ayid shall not suffer their dead bodies to be 2mt in graves. That is, there would be a course of conduct in regard to these witnesses such as would be shown to the dead if they were not suffered to be decently interred. The language used here — 'shall not suffer' — seems to imply that there would be those who might be disposed to show them the respect evinced by interring the dead, but that this would not be permitted. This would find a fulfilment, if, in a time of persecution, those who had borne faithful testimony were silenced and treated with dishonor, and if there should be those who were disposed to show them respect, but who would be prevented by positive acts on the part of their persecutors. This has often been the case in persecution, and there could be no difficulty in finding numerous instances in the history of the church, to which this language would be applicable.
10. And they that dwell vpon the earth shall rejoice over them. Those dwelling in the land would rejoice over their fall and ruin. This cannot, of course, mean all who inhabit the globe, but, according to the usage in Scripture, those who dwell in the country where this would occur. Comp. Notes on Luke ii. 1. We now affix to the word 'earth' an idea which was not necessarily implied in the Hebrew word i*1X — eretz
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
their faithLul testimony against existing errors, excite so much hatred against themselves, and would be so great an annoyance to the governing powers, that there would be general exultation when the voice of their testimony should be silenced. This, too, has been so common in the world that there would be no difficulty in applying the language here used, or in finding events which it would appropriately describe. ^ And make merry. Be glad. See Notes on Luke xii. 19, xv. 23. The Greek word does not necessarily denote the lighthearted mirth expressed by our word merriment, but rather joy, or happiness in general. The meaning is, that they would be filled with joy at such an event. ^ And shall send gifts one to another. As expressive of their joy. To send presents is a natural expression of our own happiness, and our desire for the happiness of others — as is indicated now by ' Christmas' and 'New- Year's gifts.' Comp. also Neh. viii. 10-12, " Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength." See also Esther ix. 19-22. ^ Because these two prophets tormented those that dwelt on the earth. They 'tormented' them, or were a source of annoyance to them, by bearing testimony to the truth; by opposing the prevailing errors; and by rebuking the vices of the age; — perhaps by demanding reformation, and by denouncing the judgment of heaven on the guilty. There is no intimation that they tormented them in any other way than by the truths which they held forth. See the word explained in the Notes on 2 Pet. ii. 8.
11, And after three days and an half. See Notes on ver. 9. ^ The spirit of life from Qod. The living, or life-giving spirit that proceeds from God, entered
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 Toice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they as-
into them. Comp. Notes on Job xxxiii. 4. There is evidently allusion here to Gen. ii. 7, where God is spoken of as tho Author of life. The meaning is, that they would seem to come to life again, or that effects would follow as if the dead were restored to life. If, when they had been compelled to cease from prophesying, they should, after the interval here denoted by three days and a half, again prophesy, or their testimony should be again borne to the truth as it had been before, this would evidently be all that would be implied in the language here employed. ^ Entered into them. Seemed to animate them again. ^ And they stood xqyon their feet. As if they had come to life again. ^ And great fear fell vpon them that saw them. This would be true if those who were dead should be literally restored to life; and this would be the effect if those who had given great annoyance by their doctrines, and who had been silenced, and who seemed to be dead, should again, aa if animated anew by a divine power, begin to prophesy, or to proclaim their doctrines to the world. The statement in the symbol is, that those who had put them to death had been greatly troubled by these ' witnesses;' that they had sought to silence them, and in order to this had put them to death; that they then greatly rejoiced, as if they would no more be annoyed by them. Tho fact that they seemed to come to life again would, therefore, fill them with consternation, for they would anticipate a renewal of their troubles, and they would see in this fact evidence of the divine favor towards those whom they persecuted, and reason to apprehend divine vengeance on themselves.
12. And they heard a great voice from heaven. Some manuscripts read ' I heard' — r/Kovca — but the more approved reading is that of the common text. John says that a voice was addressed to them calling them to ascend to heavea
cended 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
^ Come up hither. To heaven. ^ And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud. So the Saviour ascended, Acts i. 9, and 60 probably Elijah, 2 Kings ii. 11. ^ And their enemies beheld them. That is, it was done openly, so that their enemies, who had put them to death, saw that they were approved of God, as if they had been publicly takeu up to heaven. It is not necessary to suppose that this would literally occur. All this is, manifestly, mere symbol. The meaning is, that they would triumph as if they should ascend to heaven, and be received into the presence of God. The sense of the whole is, that these witnesses, after bearing a faithful testimony against prevailing errors and sins, would be persecuted and silenced; that for a considerable period their voice of faithful testimony would be hushed as if they were dead; that during that period they would be treated with contempt and scorn, as if their unburied bodies should be exposed to the public gaze; that there would be general exultation and joy that they were thus silenced; that they would again revive, as if the dead were restored to life, and bear a faithful testimony to the truth again, and that they would have the divine attestation in their favor, as if they were raised up visibly and publicly to heaven.
13. And the same hour. In immediate connexion with their triumph. ^ Was there a great earthquake. An earthquake is a symbol of commotion, agitation, change; of great political revolutions, &c. See Notes on ch. vi. 12. The meaning here is, that the triumph of the witnesses, represented by their ascending to heaven, would be followed by such revolutions as would be properly symbolized by an earthquake. ^ And the teii'.h jjart of the city fell. That is, the tenth part of that which is represented by the 'city' — the persecuting power A dty would be the seat and centre of the power, and the acts of persecution would seem to proceed from it; but the destruction, we may suppose, would ex
earthquake were slain ** of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave * glory to the God of heaven.
tend to all that was represented by the persecuting power. The word * tenth' ia probably used in a general sense to denote that a considerable portion of the persecuting power would be thus involved in ruin; that is, that in respect to that power, there would be such a revolution — such a convulsion or commotion — such a loss, that it would be proper to represent it by an earthquake. ^ And in the earthquake. In the convulsions consequent on what would occui to the witnesses, f Were slain of men seven thousand. Marg., as in the Greek, * names of men' — the name being used to denote the men themselves. The number here mentioned — seven thousand— seems to have been suggested because it would bear some proportion to the tenth part of the city which fell. It is not necessary to suppose, in seeking for the fulfilment of this, that just seven thousand would be killed, but the idea clearly is, that there would be such a diminution of numbers as would bo well represented by a calamity that would overwhelm a tenth part of tho city, such as the apostle had in his eye, and a proportional number of the inhabitants. The number that would bo slain, therefore, in the convulsions and changes consequent on the treatment of the witnesses, might be numerically much larger than seven thousand, and might be as great as if a tenth part of all that were represented by the ' city should be swept away. ^ And the remnant were affrighted. Fear and alarm came on them in consequence of these calamities. The 'remnant' here refers to those who still remained in the ' city;' that is, to those who belonged to the community or people designed to be represented here by the city. ^ And gave glory to the God of heaven. Comp. Luke V. 26: — "And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying. We have seen strange things to-day." All that seems to be meant by this, is, that they stood in awe at what God was doing, and acknow
14 The second * woe is past;
ledged his power in tlie changes that occurred. It does not mean, necessarily, that they would repent and become truly his friends, but that there would be a prevailing impression that these changes were produced by his power, and that his hand was in these things. This would be fulfilled if there should be a general willingness among mankind to acknowledge God, or to recognize his hand in the events referred to; if there should be a disposition extensively prevailing to regard the 'witnesses' as on the side of God, and to favor their cause oh one of truth and righteousness; and if these convulsions should so far change public sentiment as to produce an impression that theirs was the cause of God.
14. The second looe is past. That is, the second of the three that were announced as yet to come, ch. viii. 13; Comp. ch. ix. 12. ^ And, behold, the third tcoe cometh quickly. The last of the series. The meaning is, that that which was signified by the third 'woe' would be the next, and final event, in order. On the meaning of the word * quickly/ see Notes on ch. i. 1; comp. ch. ii. 5, 16, iii. 11, xxii. 7, 12, 20.
In reference now to the important question about the application of this portion of the book of Revelation, it need hardly be said that the greatest rariety of opinion has prevailed among expositors. It wonld be equally unprofitable, humiliating, and discouraging, to attempt to enumerate all the opinions which have been held, and I must refer the reader who has any desire to become acquainted with them, to Pool's Synopsis, in loc, and to the copious statement of Prof. Stuart, Com., vol. ii. pp. 219-227. Prof. Stuart himeelf supposes that the meaning is, that
*' a competent number of divinely commissioned and faithful Christian witnesses, endowed with miraculous powers, Bhould bear testimony against the corrupt Jews, during the last days of their commonwealth, respecting their sins; that they should proclaim the truths of the gospel; and that the Jews, by destroying ^hem, would bring upon themselves an aggravated and an awful doom." ii. 226. i
and. behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
Instead of attempting to examine in detail the opinions which have been held, I shall rather state what seems to me to be the fair application of the language used, in accordance with the principles pursued thus far in the exposition. The enquiry is, whether there have been any events to which this language is applicable, or in reference to which, if it be admitted that it was the design of the Spirit of inspiration to describe them, it may be supposed that such language would bo employed as we find here.
In this enquiry, it may be assumed that the preceding exposition is correct, and the application now to be made must accord with that; that is, it must be found that events occurred in such times and circumstances as would be consistent with the supposition that that exposition is correct. It is to be assumed, therefore, that ch. ix. 20, 21, refers to the state of the ecclesiastical world after the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks, and previous to the Reformation; that ch. X. refers to the Reformation itself; that ch. xi. 1, 2, refers to the necessity, at the time of the Reformation, of ascertaining what was the true church, ol reviving the Scripture doctrine respecting the atonement and justification, and of drawing correct lines as to membership in the church. All this has reference, according to this interpretation, to the state of the church while the Papacy would have the ascendency, or during the twelve hundred and sixty years in which it would trample down the church as if the holy city were in the hands of the Gentiles. Assuming this to be the correct exposition, then what is hero said (vs. 3-13), must relate to that period, for it is with i-eference to that same time — the period of *a thousand two hundred and threescore days' — or twelve hundred and sixty years, that it is said (ver. 3) the witnesses would 'prophesy* • — ' clothed in sackcloth,' If this be so, then what is here stated (vs. 3-13) must be supposed to occur during the ascendency of the Papacy, and must mean, in general, that during that long period of apostasy, darkness, corruption, and sin, there would be faithful wituess-ss for th« trutb, who, though they were few in number, would be sufficient to keep up the knowledge of the truth on the earth, and to bear testimony against the prevailing errors and abominations. The object of this portion of the book, therefore, is to describe the character of the faithful witnesses for the truth during this long period of darkness; to state their influence; to record their trials; and to show what would be the ultimate result in regard to them, when their 'testimony' should become triumphant. This general view will be seen to accord with the exposition of the previous portion of the book, and will be sustained, I trust, by the more particular enquiry into the application of the passage to which I now proceed. The essential points in the passage (vs. 3-13) respecting the * witnesses,' are six: — I. who are meant by the witnesses; II. the war made on them; III. their death; IV. their resurrection; V. their reception into heaven; and VI. the consequences of their triumph in the calamity that came upon the city.
I. Who are meant by the witnesses, vs. 3-6. There are several specifications in regard to this point, which it is necessary to notice, (a) The fact that, during this long period of error, corruption, and Bin, there were those who were faithful witnesses for the truth — men who opposed the prevailing errors; who maintained the great doctrines of the Christian faith; and who were ready to lay down their lives in defence of the truth. For a full confirmation of this, it would be necessary to trace the history of the church down from the rise of the Papal power through the long lapse of the subsequent ages; but such an examination would be far too extensive for the purpose contemplated in these Notes, and, indeed, would require a volume by itself. Happily, this has ali*eady been done; and all that is necessary now is to refer to the works where the fact here affirmed has been abundantly established. In any of the histories of the church — Mosheimj Xeander, Milner, Milman, Gieseler — most ample proof may be found that amidst the general darkness and corruption, there were those who faithfully adhered to the truth as it is in Jesus, and who, amidst many sufl'erings, bore their testimony against prevailing •iTors. The investigation has been 27* made, also, with special reference to an illustration of this passage, by Mr. Elliott, Horae Apoca. vol. ii. pp. 193- 406; and although it must be admitted that some of the details are of doubtful applicability, yet the main fact is abundantly established, that during that long period there were 'witnesses' for the pure truths of the gospel, and a faithful testimony borne against the abominations and errors of the Papacy. These 'witnesses' are divided by Mr. Elliott into (1) the earlier Western witnesses — embracing such men, and their followers, as Serenus, Bishop of Marseilles; the Anglo-Saxon church in England; * Agobard, Archbishop of Lyons from A. D. 810 to 841, on the one side of the Alps, and Claude of Turin, on the other; Gotteschalcus, A. D. 884; Berenger, Arnold of Brescia, Peter de Bruys, and his disciple Henry, and then the Waldenses. (2) The Eastern, or Paulikian line of witnesses, a sect deriving their origin, about A. I). 653, from an Armenian by the name of Constantine, who received from a deacon, by whom he was hospitably entertained, a present of two volumes, very rare, one containing the gospels, and the other the epistles of Paul, and who applied himself to the formation of a new sect or church, distinct from the Manichaens, and from the Greek church. In token of the nature of their profession, they adopted the name by which they were ever after distinguished, Paulikiani, Paulicians, or ' disciples of the disciple of Paul.' This sect continued to bear ' testimony' in the East from the time of its rise till the eleventh or twelfth centuries, when it commenced a migration to the West, where it bore the same honorable character for its attachment to the truth. See Elliott, ii. 233-246, 275-315. (3) tyitnesses during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, up to the time of Peter Waldo. Among these are to be noticed those who were arraigned for heresy before the councils of Orleans, Arras, Thoulouse, Oxford, and Lombers, in the years 1022, 1025, 1119, 1160, 1165, respectively, and who were condemned by those councils
* "An old Welsh Chronicle preserved at Cambridge, says, 'After that by means of Austin the Saxons bC" came Christians, in such sort as Austin bad taught th; m, the Britons would not either eat or drink with or sz. ute them; because they corrupted wi J» supe^ttition, im ages, and idolatry, the true religion of Christ.' " i'.itti in Hearn's Man of Sin, p. 21. Elliott, ii. 217.
for their departure from the doctrines held by the Papacy. For a full illustration of the doctrines held by those who were thus condemned, and of the fact that they were 'witnesses' for the truth, see Elliott, ii. 247-275. {d) The Waldenses and Albigenses. The nature of the testimony borne by these persecuted people is so well known that it is not necessary to dwell on the subject; and a full statement of their testimony would require the entire transcription of their history. No Protestant will doubt that they were 'witnesses' for the truth, or that from the time of their rise, through all the periods of their persecution, they bore full and honorable testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus. The general ground of this claim to be regarded as Apocalyptic witnesses, will be seen from the following summary statements of their doctrines. Those statements are found in a work called " Th« Noble Lesson," written within some twenty years of 1170. The Treatise begins in this manner: " 0 brethren, hear a Noble Lesson. We ought always to watch and pray," &c. In this Treatise the following doctrines are drawn out,
says Ml". Elliott, " with much simplicity and beauty: — the origin of sin in the fall of Adam; its transmission to all men, and the offered redemption from it through the death of Jesus Christ; the anion and co-operation of the three persons of the blessed Ti'inity in man's Balvation; the obligation and spirituality of the moral law under the gospel; the duties of prayer, watchfulness, self-denial, unworldliness, humility, lore, as *the way of Jesus Christ;' their enforcement by the prospect of death and judgment, and the world's near ending; by the narrowness too of the way of life, and the fewness of those who find it; as also by the hope of coming glory at the judgment and revelation of Jesus Christ'. Besides which we find in it a protest against the Romish system generally, as one of soul-destroying idolatry; against masses for the dead, and therein against the whole doctrine of purgatory; against the system of the confessional, and asserted power of the priesthood to absolve from sin; this last point being insisted on as the most deadly point of heresy, and its origin referred to the mercenariuess of the priesthood, and their love of money; — the iniquity further noticed of the Pvomish persecutions of good men and teachers that wished to teach the way of Jesus Christ; and the suspicion half-hinted, and apparently half-formed, that, though a personal Antichrist might be expected, yet Popery itself might be one form of Anti-
christ." In another work, the " Treatise of Antichrist," there is a strong and decided identification of the Antichristian system and the Papacy. This was written probably in the last quarter of the 14th century. "From this," says
Mr. Elliott (ii. 355), " the following will appear to have been the Waldensian views: — that the Papal or Romish sys tem was that of Antichrist; which, from infancy in apostolic times, had grown gradually by the increase of its constituent parts to the stature of a full-grown man; that its prominent characteristics were — to defraud God of the worship due to Him, rendering it to creatures, whether departed saints, relics, images, or Antichrist; to defraud Christ, by attributing justification and forgiveness to Antichrist's authority and words, to saints' intercession, to the merits of men's own performances, and to the fire of purgatory; — to defraud the Holy Spirit, by attributing regeneration and sanctiflcation to the ojms operatum of the two sacraments; that the origin of this Anti-christian religion was the covetousness of the priesthood; its tendency to lead men away from Christ; its essence a vain ceremonial; its foundation the false notions of grace and forgiveness."
This work is so important as a ' testimony' against Antichrist and for the" truth, and is so clear as showing that the Papacy was regarded as Antichrist, that I will copy, from the work itself, the portion containing these sentiments — sentiments which may be regarded as expressing the uniform testimony of the "Waldenses on the subject:
" Antichrist is the falsehood of eternal damnation, covered with the appearance of the truth and righteousness of Christ and his spouse. The iniquity of such a system is with all his ministers, great and small: — and inasmuch as they follow the law of an evil and blinded heart, such a congregation, taken togeth'jr, is called Antichrist, or Babylon, or the Fourth Beast, or the Harlot, or the Man of Sin, who is the son of perdition.
" His first work is, that the service of latria, properly due to God alone, he perverts unto Antichrist himself and to his doings; to the poor creature, rational or irrational, sensible or insensible; as, for instance, to male or female saints departed this life, and to their images, or carcasses, or relics. His doings are the sacraments, especially that of the eucharist, which he worships equally with God and Christ, prohibiting the adoration of God alone.
" His second work is, that he robs and deprives Christ of the merits of Christ, with the whole sufficiency of grace, and justification, and regeneration, and remission of sins, and sanctification, and confirmation, and Spiritual nourishment; and imputes and attributes them to his own authority, or to a form of words, or to his own performances, or to the saints and their intercession, or to the fire of purgatory. Thus he divides the people from Christ, and leads them away to the things already mentioned; that so they may seek not the things of Christ, nor through Christ, but only the work of their own hands; not through a living faith in God, and Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit; but through the will and the work of Antichrist, agreeably to the preaching that man's salvation depends on his own deeds.
*' His third work is, that he attributes the regeneration of the Holy Spirit to a dead outward faith; baptizing children in that faith, and teaching that by the more outward consecration of baptism regeneration may be procured.
" His fourth work is, that he rests the whole religion of the people upon his Mass; for leading them to hear it, he deprives them of spiritual and sacramental manducation.
" His fifth work is, that he does every thing to be seen, and to glut his insatiable avarice.
" His sixth work is, that he allows manifest sins without ecclesiastical censure,
" His seventh work is, that he defends his unity, not by the Holy Spirit, but by the secular power.
•' His eighth work is, that he hates, and persecutes, and searches after, and robs and destroys the members of Christ.
'• These things, and many others, are the cloak and vestment of Antichrist;
by which he covers his lying wickedness, lest he should be rejected as a heathen. But there is no other cause of idolatry than a false opinion of grace, and truth, and authority, and invocation, and intercession; which this Antichrist has taken away from God, and which he has ascribed to ceremonies, and authorities, and a man's own works, and to saints, and to purgatory.' Elliott, ii. 354-355.
It is impossible not to be struck with the application of this to the Papacy, and no one can doubt that the Papacy was intended to be referred to. And, if this be so, this was a bold and decided 'testimony' against the abominations of that system, and they who bore this testimony deserved to be regarded as ' witnesses' for Christ and his truth.
If to the ' testimony' thus briefly referred to, we add that of such men as Wiclif, John Huss, and Jerome of Prague; and then that of the Reformers, Luther, Calvin, Zuingle, Melancthon, and their fellow-laborers, we can see with what propriety it was predicted that even during the prevalence of the great apostasy, there would be a competent number of ' witnesses' to keep up the knowledge of the truth in the world. And supposing that this is what was designed to be represented, it is easy to perceive that the symbol which is employed is admirably appropriate. The design of what is here said is merely to show that during the whole of the period of the Papal apostasy — whenever it may be supposed to have begun, and whenever it shall cease, it is and will be true that the Saviour has had true 'witnesses' on the earth — that there have been those who have 'testified' against these abominations, and who, often at great personal peril and sacrifice, have borne a faithful testimony for the truth,
(6) The number of tho witnesses. In ver. 3, this is said to be 'two,' and this has been shown to mean that there would be a competent number, yet probably with the implied idea that tho number would not be large. The only question, then, is, whether in lool^ing through this long period, it would bo found that, according to the established laws of testimony under the divine code, there was a competent number to bear witness to the truth. And of this no one can doubt, for in respect to each and every part of the period of the great apostasy, it is possible now to show that there was a sufficient number of the true friends of the Redeemer to testify against all the great and cardinal errors of the Papacy. This simple and obvious interpretation of the language, it may be added, also, makes wholly unnecessary and inappropriate all the efforts which have been made by expositors to find precisely tioo such witnesses, or two churches or people with whom the line of the faithful testimony was preserved: — all such interpretations as that the Old and New Testaments are referred to, as Melchior, Affelman, and Croly suppose; or that preachers are referred to who are instructed by the Law and the Gospel, as Pannonius and Thomas Aquinas supposed; or that Christ and John the Baptist are referred to, as Ubertinus supposed; or that Pope Sylvester and Mena, who wrote against the Eutychians, are meant, as Lyranus and Ederus supposed; or that Francis and Dominic, the respective heads of two orders of monks, are intended, as Cornelius a Lapide supposed; or that the great wisdom and sanctity of the primitive preachers are meant, as Alcassar maintained; or that John Huss and Luther, or John Huss and Jerome of Prague, or the Waldenses and Albigenses, or the Jewish and Gentile Christians in iElia, are intended, as others have supposed. According to the obvious and fair meaning of the language, all this is mere fancy, and can illustrate nothing but the fertility of invention oi those who have written on the Apocalypse. All that is necessarily implied is, that the number of true and uncorruptcd followers of the Saviour has been at all times sufficieutly large to bear a competent testimonij to the Avorld, or to keep up the remembrance of the truth upon the earth — and of the reality of this no one acquainted with the history of the church will doubt
(o) The condition of tl/e 'witnesses' as 'clothed in sackcloth,* ver. 3. This has been shown to mean that they would be in a state of sadness and grief; and they would be exposed to trouble and persecution. It is unnecessary to prove that all this was abundantly fulfilled. The long history of those times was a history of persecutions j and if it be admitted that the pasage before us was designed to refer to those above mentioned as ' wit« nesses,' no more correct description could be given of them than to say that they were ' clothed in sackcloth.'
(rf) The power of the witnesses, vs. 5-6. Of this there are several specifications, (a) They had power over those who should injure or hurt them, ver. 5. This is represented by * fire proceeding out of their mouth, and devouring their enemies.' This has been shown to refer to the doctrines which they would proclaim, and the denunciations which they would utter, and which would resemble consuming fire. This would be accomplished or fulfilled if their solemn testimony— their proclamations of truth — and their denunciations of the wrath of God should have the efi'ect ultimately to bring down the divine vengeance on their persecutors. And no one can doubt that this has had an ample fulfilment. That is, the effect of the testimony borne; of the solemn appeals made; of the denunciations of the judgment of heaven, has been to show that that great porsecut'ng power that oppressed them is arra;.a against God, and must be finally overthrown. In order to see the complete fulfilment of this, it would be necessary to trace all the effect of the testimony of the witnesses for the truth from age to age on that power, and to see how far it has been among the causes of the ultimate and final overthrow of the Papacy. Of course, it may be said that in an important sense it is all to be traced to that, since if they had forborne to bear that testimony, and to protest against those corruptions and abominations, that colossal power Avould have stood unshaken. But the solemn appeals made from age to age by the friends of truth, amidst much persecution, have contributed to weaken that power, and to prepare the world fur ita ultimate fall — as if fire from heaven fell upon it. The causes of the decline of the Papal power were, therefore, laid far back in the solemn truths urged by those persecuted 'witnesses;' and the calamities which have ravaged Europe for these three hundred years, and the changes now occurring which make it so certain that this mighty power hastens to its fill], may all be the regular results of the 'testimony' for the trutlis of a pure gospel borne long ago by the men that dwelt amidst the Alps, and their fellow-sufierers in persecution. (6) They ' have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy,' ver. 6. This has been shown to mean that they would have power to cause blessings to be withheld from men as if the rain were withheld. The reference here is probably to the Spiritual heavens, and to that of which rain is the natural emblem — the influences of truth, and the influences of the divine Spirit on the world. So Moses says in Deut. xxxii. 2, " My doctrine shall drop as the rain, and my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upen the grass." So the Psalmist (Ps. Ixxii. 6), "He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass; as showers that water the earth." So Isa. (Iv. 10, 11), "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, so shall my word be." Comp. Micah v. 7. The meaning here, then, must be, that Spiritual influences would seem to be under their control; or that they would be imparted at their bidding, and withheld at their will. This found an ample fulfilment in the history of the church in those dark periods, in the fact that it was, in connexion with these ' witnesses,* and in answer to their prayers, that the influences of the Holy Spirit were imparted to the world, and that the true religion was kept up on the earth. " It
is an historical fact," says the author of < The Seventh Vial' (p. 130), "that during the ages of their ministry, there was neither dew nor rain of a Spiritual kind upon the earth, but at the word of the witnesses. There was no knowledge of salvation but by their preaching — no descent of the Spirit but in answer to \heir prayers; and, as the witnesses were I'hut out from Christendom generally, a universal famine ensued." (c) They had
power over the waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, ver. 6. That is, as explained above, calamities would come upon the earth as if the waters were turned into blood, and this would be so connected with them, and with the treatment which they would receive, that these calamities would seem to have been called down from heaven in answer to their prayers, and in order to avenge their wrongs. And can any one be ignorant that wars, commotions, troubles, disasters have followed the attempts to destroy those who have borne a faithful testimony for Christ, in the dark period of the world here referred to? The calamities that have befallen the Papal communion, from time to time, may have been, and seem to have been, to a great degree, the consequence of its persecuting spirit, and of its attempts to quench the light of truth. When the oppressed and persecuted nations of Europe had borne it long, and when attempts had long been made to extinguish every spark of true liberty, the spirit of freedom and revenge was roused. The yoke was broken; and in the wars that ensued rivers of blood flowed upon the earth, as if these 'witnesses* or martyrs had, by their own power and prayers, brought these cala mities upon their oppressors. A philosophic historian carefully studying human nature, and the essential spirit of Christianity, might find in these facts a sufficient explanation of all the calamities that have come upon that once colossal power — the Papacy, and a full demonstration that, under the operation of these causes, that power must ultimately fall — as if in revenge called down from heaven by the martyrs for the wrongs done to them who had borne a faithful testimony to the truth.
II. The war against the witnesses, ver. 7. There are several circumstances stated in regard to this which demand explanation in order to a full understanding of the prophecy. Those circumstances relate to the time when this would occur; to the government bj which this war would be waged; and tc the victory.
(a) The time when the war referred to would be waged. The whole narrative (comp. vs. 3, 5), supposes thai opposition would be made to them at all times, and that their condition would be such that they could properly be represented as always clothed in sackcloth; but it is evident that a particular period is here referred to, when there would be such a war waged with thea that they would be for a time overcome, and would seem to be dead. This timo is referred to by the phrase 'when they shall have finished their testimony' (ver. 7),- and it is to the period when this could be properly said of them, that we are to look for the fulfilment of what is here predicted. This must mean when they should have borne fall or a mpZe testimony: that is, when they had borne their testimony on all the great points on which they were appointed to bear witness. See Notes on ver. 7. This, then, must not be understood as referring to the time of the completion of the twelve hundred and sixty years, but to any time during that period when it could be said that they had borne a full and ample testimony for the truths of the gospel, and against the abominations and errors that prevailed. In this general expression there is not, indeed, any thing that would accurately designate the time, but no one can doubt that this had been done at the time of the Reformation. In the preceding remarks it has been shown that there was a succession of faithful witnesses for the truth in the darkest periods of the church, and that to all the great points pertaining to the S3^stem of religion revealed in the gospel, as well as against the errors that prevailed, they had borne an unambiguous testimony. There is no impropriety, therefore, in fixing this period at about the time of the Reformation, for all that is necessarily implied in the language is fulfilled on such a supposition. Faithful testimony had been borne during the long period of the Papal corruptions, until it could be said that their peculiar work had been accomplished. The earlier witnesses for the truth; the Paulicians, the Waldenses, the Vaudois, and other bodies of true Christians, had borne an open testimony, from the beginning, against the various corruptions of Home — her errors in doctrine, her idolatries in worship, and her immoralities, until in the end of the twelfth century — the same century in which, according to Mr. Gibbon, the meridian of Papal greatness was attained — they proclaimed her, as we have seen, to be the Antichrist of Scripture — the harlot of the Apocalypse. Thus did they fulfil their testimony j and then was the war waged against them, with all the power of apostate Kome, to silence and to destroy them. This war was commenced in the edicts of councils, which stigmatized the pure doctrines of the Bible, and branded those who held them as heretics. The next stop was to pronounce the most dreadful anathemas on those who were regarded as hercties, which were exe- cuted in the same remorseless and exterminating manner in which they were conceived. The confessors of the truth were denied both their natural and" their civil rights. They were forbidden all participation in dignities and offices; their goods were confiscated, their houses were to be razed and never more to be rebuilt; and their lands were given to those who were able to seize them. They were shut out from the solace of human converse; no one might give them shelter while living, or Christian burial when dead. At length a crusade was proclaimed against them. Preachers were sent abroad through Europe to sound the trumpet of vengeance, and to assemble the nations. The Pope wrote to all Christian princes, exhorting them to earn their pardon and win heaven, rather by bearing the cross against heretics than by marching against the Saracens. The war, in particular, which was waged against the Waldenses, is well known^ and the horror of its details is among the darkest pages of history. The peaceful and fertile valleys of the Vaudois were invaded, and speedily devastated with fire and sword; their towns and villages were burnt; while not one individual, in many cases, escaped to carry the tidings to the next valley. To all the cruelties of these wars, and to all the open persecutions which were waged, are to be added the horrors of the Inquisition, as an illustration of the fact that * wars' would be made against the true witnesses for Christ. Calculations, more or less accurate, have been made of the numbers that Popery has slain; and the lowest of those calculations would confirm what is said here, on the supposition that the reference is to the Papal power. From the year 1540 to the year 1570, comprehending a space of only thirty years, no fewer than nine hundred thousand Protestants were put to death by the Papists, in difi'erent countries of Europe. During the short Pontificate of Paul the Fourth, which lasted only four years (A. D. 1555-1559), the Inquisition alone, on the testimony of Vergerius, destroyed an hundred and fifty thousand. When he died, the indignant populace of Rome crowded to the prison of the Inquisition, broke open the doors, and released seventeen hundred prisoners, and then set fire to the building. Bowers' History of the Popes, lii. 319. Ed. 1845. Those who perished in Germany during the wars of Charles the Fifth, and in Flanders, under the infamous Duke of Alva, are reckoned by hundreds of thousands. In France several millions were destroyed in the innumerable massacres that took place in that kingdom. It has been computed that since the rise of the Papacy, not fewer than fifty millions of persons have been put to death on account of religion. Of this vast number the greater part have been cut off during the last six hundred years; for the Papacy persecuted very little during the first half of its existence, and it was, in this way, that it was not until the witnesses had * completed' their testimony, or had borne full and ample testimony, that it made war against them. Comp. * The seventh vial," pp. 149-157. For a full illustration of the facts here referred to. Bee Notes on Daniel, vii. 21. There can be no reasonable doubt that Daniel and John refer to the same thing.
{h) By whom this was to be done. In ver. 7, it is said that it would be by " the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit." This is undoubtedly the same as the fourth beast of Daniel (Dan. vii.), and for a full illustration I must refer to the Notes on that chapter. It is necessary only to add here, if the above representation is correct, that it is easy to see the propriety of this application of the symbol to the Papacy. Nothing would better represent that cruel persecuting power 'making war with the witnesses,' than a fierce and cruel monster that seemed to ascend from the bottomless pit.
(c) The victory of the persecutors, and the death of the witnesses: "and shall overcome them, and kill them," ver. 7. That is, they would gain a temporary victory over them, and the witnesses would seem for a time to be dead. The subsequent statement shows, however, that they would revive again, and would again resume their prophesying. Comp. Notes on ch. ix. 20. The victory over them would appear to be complete, and the great object of the persecuting power would seem to have been gained. A few facts on this subject will show the propriety of the statement that ' when they had finished,' or had fully home their testimony, a victory was obtained over them, and that they were so silenced that it might be said they were killed. The first will be in the words of Milner, in his account of the opening of the sixteenth centui-y [History of the Church, p. 660, Ed. Edin. 1835): " The sixteenth
century opened with a prospect of all others the most gloomy, in the eyes of every true Christian. Corruption both in doctrine and in practice had exceeded all bounds; and the general face of Europe, though the name of Christ was everywhere professed, presented nothing that was properly evangelical. The Waldenses were too feeble to molest the popedom; and the Hussites, divided among themselves, and worn out by a long series of contentions, were reduced to silence. Among both were found persons of undoubted godliness, but they appeared incapable of making effectual impressions on the kingdom of Antichrist. The Eoman pontifi"s were still the uncontrolled patrons of impiety; neither the scandalous crimes of Alexander VI., nor the military ferocity of Julius IL, seemed to have lessened the dominion of the court of Rome, or to have opened the eyes of men so as to induce them to make a sober investigation of the nature of true religion." The
language of Mr. Cunninghame may hert be adopted as describing the state of things at the beginning of the sixteenth
century: " At the commencement of the sixteenth century, Europe reposed in the deep sleep of spiritual death, under the iron yoke of the Papacy. That haughty power, like the Assyrian of the prophet, said in the plenitude of his insolence, 'My hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people; and as one gathereth eggs, I have gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.' " And
in a similar manner, the writer of the article on the Reformation, in the Encyclopcsdia Brittanica, — in a statement made, of course, with no reference to the fulfilment of this passage — thug speaks of that period: "Every thing