troduced on earth, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies.

And unto whom can the power spoken of in the prophecy before us with so much truth be literally applied, as it can unto the faithful and true witness Jesus Christ our Lord? for it is highly improbable, now that the fulfilment of prophecy has superseded the necessity of miraculous interposition, that God, who generally works by secondary causes, should again endue Christ's members with the power of working miracles. It is highly improbable, under the Christian dispensation, that they should be endued with a power like unto Elijah, (which Dr. W.'s comment seems to intimate is not highly improbable ;) for was not the very apostle, unto whom the revelation in question was imparted, himself reproved for requesting such a power? The disciples James and John said, "Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of." (Luke ix. 54, 55.) Besides, we live under the very period in which the prophecy in question is receiving its fulfilment.

The holy city still continues to be trampled down by Mahometans and infidels; and the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet is not as yet removed from out the holy place. Yet there is no miraculous interposition, no fire from heaven descends, though the faithful and true witness is doubtless, without such means, so ordering all events as to complete its full ac

complishment. But though miraculous interposition is not now employed, Scripture abounds with prophecies, denouncing that at the final consummation of all things, the Lord Jesus Christ will be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, to pour destruction upon them who do not obey his gospel, consuming them with the spirit of his mouth, and destroying them with the brightness of his coming. And we also know, that blasphemy against him who witnesseth of Christ, that is, the Holy Ghost, can never be forgiven, neither in this world or the world to come: therefore, if any man will hurt these blessed witnesses, he must in this manner be killed, and be consigned to eternal death. This recital then again applies to God the Son and God the Holy Ghost; and the description given in the ensuing verse still more powerfully and exclusively answers to these two glorious beings: these, that is, the witnesses, have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; and have power over waters, to turn them to blood; and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And who can possess such power except the Trinity, unless God should be pleased to endue his servants upon earth with power from on high again to work by miracle? which, from the reasons we have so very briefly stated, we conceive wholly improbable. Besides, supposing Christ's faithful members were even to be again endued with the power from on high of working miracles during their stay on earth, from whom could they derive their power excepting Deity? And is it not much

more in consonance with right reason to conclude that the blessed Head and Author of the Christian church would now himself, long as his church endured, exercise all power, rather than ever act again through the medium of his members, or any other subordinate medium; rather than ever again endue them with a power, which at the first preaching of the gospel was essential to its welfare; but which, as Dr. Douglas observes, there is all the reason in the world to believe was totally withdrawn about the beginning of the second century?*

But to return: These, that is, the witnesses, "have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy." The filial and consoling Deity have uncontrolled power over all elements, and can inflict the most especial judgments in the days of their prophecy. That these have ever power to inflict severest judgments; that these have ever prophesied from all eternity, are unquestionable truths. All these passages must therefore apply to the period during which the fulfilment of the particular prophecy to which the chapter now under comment very clearly refers, is receiving its fulfilment, namely, the treading down of the holy city by the Gentiles; and which was done by the Roman soldiers, under the command of Titus, without miraculous interference; though doubtless so directed by the sovereign Ruler and Disposer of every event. And as the destruction of the Jewish temple took place during the lifetime of the evangelist St. John, unto whom the * Douglas's Criterion, p. 405.

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treading down of the holy city and its continued degradation for a given time, was a second time prophesied the power possessed by God's anointed witnesses was most minutely particularised and enforced upon this beloved apostle's mind, evidently to support him in his old age, under the afflictive dispensation; and also all pious Christians in successive ages, till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled-till this prophecy receives its final consummation. Though the cause of Christianity should be reduced to a low and distressing ebb, by such continued persecution, (and the Spirit expressly tells us that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, and perilous times will come,) yet none need to fear its ultimate revival; for it is under the guardianship of blessed Omnipotence.

They can turn

The anointed witnesses are endued with universal power over all nature. waters into blood; can so distemper this essential fluid, as to unfit it for man's use. "And they can smite the earth with all plagues," (not only during the time of this particular prophecy,) but at all times, as often as they will. They hold ten thousand thunders in their almighty hands, and can, without employing supernatural means, (though that they can do as often as they will,) so govern all events, as to fulfil their prophecies by the common laws of nature. The electric flash, earthquakes, pestilence, war, famine, are, unperceived by us, all working out their will. And if Christ prays his Father, legions of angels are instant at his command. And when they shall have finished their testimony-when they

shall, through their omnipotence, have fulfilled all the particular prophecies to which this chapter alludes, and Christ's faithful members have been trampled upon, desecrated, and most ignominiously treated by infidels and idolators, for the space of twelve hundred and sixty years; and true religion reduced to a very low and lifeless state, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, shall make war against these two glorious witnesses; the infidel cause shall so prevail against the Christian one, that they will overcome and kill Christ's faithful members. Of the enfeebled and depressed state of that once glorious church which Christ calls his own body, the power of darkness will take malign advantage, and will so war against, persecute, and subdue its faithful members, as for a time to suspend their worship and annihilate their religion. The furious wolf will scatter, catch, and kill the feeble, harassed flock; "and their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half" for a given period, according to prophetic calculation, three years and an half"and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves." The once rejoicing members of Christ's blessed church will lie as dead (a figurative expression often used in Scripture,—those that live in pleasure are dead while they live) will lie in an useless, torpid state in sight of insulting enemies, kindreds, tongues, and nations,-who will