from all power and authority, be deprived of all offices and functions, and be politically dead, if not naturally fo. In this low and abject state they shall lie fome time (ver. 8.) in the street of the great city, in fome confpicuous place within the jurifdiction of (7) Rome, which Spiritually is called Sodom for corruption of manners, and Egypt for tyranny and oppreffion of the people of God, where alfo our Lord was crucified fpiritually,

tually, being crucified afresh in the fufferings of his faithful martyrs. Nay to how the greater indignity and cruelty to the martyrs, their dead bodies thall not only be publicly expofed, (ver. 9.) but they shall be denied even the common privilege of burial: and their enemies fhall rejoice and infult over them, (ver. 10.) and shall fend mutual prefents and congratulations one to another, for their deliverance from these tormenters, whofe

"Sodom, Ifa, I. 10. and III. 9. " yet indeed without making "(of Egypt no instance.) any great difference to the

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I. "Anfw. That Caper-litteral fenfe: But why may "naum (Matt. XI. 23, 24.) is "likewife compared to Sodom "by Chrift; and fo is any city "that shall reject the Gospel. "Matt. X. 15. Whence Ter"tullian (adv. Jud. c. 9.) ob*ferves of this very name, Nec "hoc novum Scripturis divinis, figurate uti tranflatione nominum, ex comparatione cri"minum. So Rome might be "called Sodom for lewdnefs, "and Egypt for the oppreffion "of God's people.

Object. The fecond "characteristic, where alfo our "Lord was crucified, deter"mines the place to Jerufa "lem beyond all poffibility of " doubting.

2. "Anfw. Mills fays, "The Text fhould be read, " Οπε ὁ Κύριος ἀυλῶν ἐςαυρώθη, "where their Lord was cruci"fied, or had been crucified;

not this expreffion be used figuratively as well as the preceding? why may not the "Lord of the two witneffes be "fpiritually crucified, where "they are fpiritually flain? "St. Paul to the Galatians ufes "this expreffion figuratively 3 or 4 times: The Ep. to "the Hebr. VI. 6. ufes it figuratively, and perhaps in the very fenfe it may bear here. "Tho' it is capable too of another, which is authorized by Chrift himself, for Matth. "X. and XXV. and Acts IX.

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whofe life and doctrin were a continual reproach to them. But after three day's and a half, (ver. 11.) that is in the prophetic ftile after three years and a half, for no leís time is requifite for all these transactions, they shall be raised again by the Spirit of God, and (ver. 12.) fhall afcend up to heaven; they shall not only be restored to their priftin ftate, but fhall be farther promoted to dignity and honor; and that by a great voice from heaven, by the voice of public authority. At the fame hour there fhall be a great earthquake, there fhall be great commotions in the world ; and the tenth part of the city shall fall, as an omen and earnest of a still greater fall; and seven thoufand names of men, or feven thousand men of name, fhall be flain; and the remainder in their fright and fear fhall acknowlege the great power of God.

1

1

Some interpreters are of opinion, that this prophecy of the death and refurrection of the witneffes received its completion (8) in the case of John Hufs and Jerome of Prague, who were two faithful witnesses and martyrs of the bleffed Jefus. It is It is very well known, that they were condem

condemned to death, and afterwards burnt for herefy by the council of Conftance. Which council fitting about three years and a half, from November 1414 to April 1418, their bodies may that time be faid to have lain unburied in the Street of the great city, in Conftance where was the greateft affembly not only of bishops and cardinals, but likewife of embaffadors, barons, counts, dukes, princes, and the emperor himself. But after the council was diffolved, these two preachers were reftored as it were to life in their difciples and followers, who propagated the fame doctrins, and maintained them by force of arms, and vanquished the Imperialifts in feveral battles. It was truly faid to them Come up hither, when they were invited to the council of Bafil with a promife of redrefs of grievances: but the council having dealt fraudulently with them, they broke out again into open rebellion, and the tenth part of the city fell, the kingdom of Bohemia revolted, and fell alike from its obedience to the pope and emperor.

Others refer this prophecy to (9) the proteftants of the league of Smalcald, who were

and Annals of the Empire. Vol. 2.

(9) Brightman and Vitring. P. 493, &c. See alfo Sleidan's

entirely

Hift. of the Reformation. B. 19, &c. Voltaire's Annals of the Empire. Vol. 2.

(1) Vitring.

entirely routed by the emperor Charles V. in the battle of Mulburg on the 24th of April 1547 when the two great champions of the proteftants, John Frederic, elector of Saxony, was taken prifoner, and the Landgrave of Heffe was forced to surrender himself, and to beg pardon of the emperor. Proteftantifm was then in a manner fuppreffed, and the mass restored. The witneffes were dead, but not buried; and the papists rejoiced over them, and made merry, and fent gifts one to another. But this joy and triumph of theirs were of no very long continuance; for in the fpace of about three years and a half, the proteftants were raifed again at Magdeburg, and defeated and took the duke of Mecklenburg prisoner in December 1550. From that time their affairs changed for the better almost every day; fuccefs attended their arms and counsels; and the emperor was obliged by the treaty of Paffau to allow them the free exercise of their religion, and to re-admit them into the imperial chamber, from which they had ever fince the victory of Mulburg been excluded. Here was indeed a great earthquake, a great commotion, in which many thousands were flain; and the tenth part of the city fell, a great part of the German

(1) Vitring. p. 496, &c. Thuani Hift. Lib. 52, 53, & 62. Davila's