fpiritually is called Sodom' for corruptionof manners, ‘and. Egypt' for tyranny and oppreffion of the people of God, 'where alfo our Lord was crucified' fpiritually, being crucified afreth in the fufferings of his faithful martyrs. Nay to fhow the greater indignity and cruelty to the martyrs their dead bodies' fhall not only be publicly expofed, ver. 9. but they fhall be denied even the common privilege of burial, which is the cafe of many proteftants in popifh countries and their enemies' fhall rejoice' and infult "over them,' ver. 10. and fhall fend' mutual prefents and congratulations one to another,' for their deliverance from thefe tormentors, whofe life and doctrine were a continual reproach to them. But after three days and a half,' ver. 1. that is in the prophetic file after three years and a half,' for no lefs time is requifite for all thefe tranfactions, they fhall be raised again by the spirit of God,' and, ver, 12. fhall afcend up to heaven;' they shall not only be reftored to their priftine ftate, but fhall

be "called the holy city: can it be in fo few periods intended under the "names of Sodom and Egypt?

2. "The holy city or Jerufalem ver. 2. was to be wafted and trod "under foot by the Gentiles for 42 months: the two witneffes "were to prophefy the fame fpace of time: how then fhould their "carcafes lie in the streets of Jerufalem fo wafted?

3. "Jerufalem in this book is four times called the Holy city, ne "ver the Great (unless it be here meant). The great city is twelve "times repeated only of Babylon,i. e. Rome: is it probable it should "be here used of Jerufalem?

4. "In ver. 13. at the revival of the two witnefes after lying dead "three days and a half, the tenth part of the city fell: but in ver. Jerufalem is already wafted, and not supposed to be rebuilt; and "therefore incapable of being fo damaged.

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5. “And were Jerufalem rebuilt, the enemics of Christ out of all people, tongues, and nations, ver. 9. would not affemble there, nor the beat expofe the flain witneffes but in his own capital.

1. "Object. There are two characteristics affigned, which fit Jeru "falem only, That it is fpiritually or figuratively called Sodom and Egypt; as Jerufalem is compared to Scdom, Ifa. i. 10. and iii. 9. (of Egypt no inftance.)

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I. "Aniw. That Capernaum, Matt. xi. 23, 24. is likewife compa"red to Sodom by Chrift; and fo is any city that shall reject the Gofpel. Matt. x, 15. Whence Tertullian (adv. Jud. c. 9.) obferves "of this very name, Nec hoc novum Scripturis divinis figurate uti "tranflatione nominum, ex comparatione criminum. So Rome might ❝ be called Sodom for Lewdness, and Egypt for the oppreffion of "God's people.

2." Object. The fecond characteristic, where alfo our Lord was crucified,

be farther promoted to dignity and honour; 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 fhall fall,' as an omen and earneft of a still greater fall; and feven thousand names of men,' or feven thoufand men of name, 'fhall be flain ;' and the remainder in their fright and fear fhall acknow.. ledge the great power of God.

Some interpreters are of opinion, that this prophecy of the death and refurrection of the witneffes' received its completion in the cafe of John Hufs and Jerome of Prague, who were two faithful witnesses and martyrs of the bleffed Jefus. It is very well known, that they were 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 ftreet of the great city,' in Constance where was the greatest affembly not only of bifhops and cardinals, but likewife of embaffadors, barons, counts, dukes, princes, and the emperor himself. But after the council was diffolved, thefe two preachers were restored as it were to life in their difciples and followers, who propagated the fame doctrines, maintained them by force of arms as well as by preaching, and even vanquished the Imperialists

"crucified, determines the place to Jerufalem beyond all possibility of doubting.

2. "Anfw. Mills fays, The Text fhould be read, 'Ory i Küçıos airåv « įsavgal, where their Lord was crucified, or had been crucified; yet "indeed without making any great difference to the literal fenfe. "But why may not this expreffion be used figuratively as well as the preceding? why may not the Lord of the two witneffes be fpiritu ally crucified where they are fpiritually flain? St Paul to the Ga"latians ufes this expreffion figuratively 3 or 4 times: the Ep. to the "Heb. vi 6. uses it figuratively, and perhaps in the very fenfe it may bear here. Though it is capable too of another, which is authorized by Chrift himfelf, for Matt. x. and xxv. and Acts ix. 4, 5. he declares himself to fuffer what is done to his followers. "that Great city therefore, which was drunk with the blood of the "faints and the martyrs of Jefus. Chap. xvii. 6. Jesus himself might, "be faid to be crucified."

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f Fox et Vitring. p. 487, c. Vide etiam Fred. Spanhemii Hift. Chrift Sæc, XV. Cap. 6, 7. Hiftoire du Concile de Conftance par Jaques Lenfant. Voltair's General History and state of Europe. Part 2. and Annals of the Empire. Vol. 2.

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Imperialists in feveral battles. It was truly faid to them 'Come up hither,' when they were invited to the council of Bafil with a promise of redress 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 the proteftants of the league of Smalcald, who were 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 furrender himself, and to beg pardon of the emperor. Protef tanism was then in a manner suppressed, and the mafs restored. The witnesses 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 wereof no very long continuance; for in the space of about 'three years and a half,' the proteftants were raifed again at Magdeburg, and defeated and took the duke of Mecklenburg prifoner in December 1550. From that time their affairs changed for the better almost every day; fuccefs attended their arms and counfels; and the emperor was obliged by the treaty, of Pallau 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 empire renounced the authority, and abandoned the communion of the church of Rome.

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Some again may think this prophecy very applicable to the horrid maffacre of the proteftants at Paris, and in other cities of France, begun on the memorable eve of St Bartholomew's day 1572. According to the best authors, there were flain thirty or forty thoufand hugo

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Brightman and Vitring. p. 493, &e. See alfo Sleidan's Hist of the Reformation. B. 19, &c. Voltair's Annals of the Empire. Vol. 2. h Vitring. p. 496, &c. Thuani Hist. Lib. 52, 53, et 62. Davi, la's Hift. Book 5 et 6. Mezeray, Charles IX and Henry III.

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nots in a few days; and among them without doubt many true witneffes and faithful martyrs of Jefus Chrift. Their dead bodies lay in the treet of the great city,' one of the greatest cities of Europe; for they were not fuffered to be buried being the bodies of heretics; but were dragged through the street, or thrown into the river, or hung upon gibbets, and expofed to public infaGreat rejoicings too were made in the courts of France, Rome, and Spain; they went in proceffion to the churches, they returned public thanks to God, they fung Te Deums, they celebrated jubilees, they ftruck medals; and it was enacted that St Bartholomew's day fhould ever afterwards be kept with double pomp and folemnity. But neither was this joy of long continuance ; for in little more than three years and a half,' Henry III, who fucceeded his brother Charles, entered into a treaty with the hugonots, which was concluded and publifhed on the 14th of May 1576, whereby all the former fentences against them were reverfed, and the free and open exercife of their religion was granted to them; they were to be admitted to all honours, dignities, and offices, as well as the papifts; and the judges were to be half of the one religion, and half of the other; with other articles greatly to their advantage, which were in a manner the refurrection of the witneffes, and their afcenfion into heaven.' The great earthquake,' and the ' falling of the tenth part of the city,' and the 'flaying of thoufands of men,' according to this hypothefis, must be referred to the great commotions and civil wars, which for feveral years afterwards cruelly difturbed, and almost deftroyed the kingdom of France.

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Others again have recourfe to later events, and the later indeed the better and fitter for the purpose. Peter Jurieu, a famous divine of the French church at Rotterdam, imagined that the perfecution then carried on by Lewis XIV. against the proteftants of France, after the revocation of the edict of Nantes in October 1685, would be the last perfecution of the church; that during this time the witneffes would lie dead, but fhould recover and revive within a few years, and the Reformation should

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Jurieu's Accomplishment of the Prophecies. Part. 2. Cap. 12 and 13.

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be established in that kingdom by royal authority; the whole country fhould renounce popery, and embrace the proteftant religion. Bishop Lloyd and after him Mr Whiston apply this prophecy to the poor proteftants in the vallies of Piedmont, who by a cruel edict of their fovereign the Duke of Savoy, inftigated by the French king, were imprisoned and murdered, or banished and totally diffipated at the latter end of the year 1686. They were kindly received and fuccoured by the proteftant states; and after a while fecretly entering Savoy with their fwords in their hands, they regained their ancient poffeffions with great laughter of their enemies; and the Duke himself, having then left the French intereft, granted them a full pardon; and re-established them, by another edict figned June 4, 1690, just three years and an half' after their total diffipation. Bifhop Lloyd not only understood the prophecy in this manner, but what is very remarkable, made the application even before the event took place, as Mr Whiston relates, and upon this ground encouraged a refugee minister, of the Vaudois, whofe name was Jordan, to return home, and returning he heard the joyful news of the deliverance and reftitution of his country. These were indeed most barbarous perfecutions of the protestants both in France and Savoy and at the fame time popery here in England was advanced to the throne, and threatened an utter fubverfion of our religion and liberties, but in little more than three years and an half' a happy deliverance was wrought by the glorious Revòlution.

In all these cafes there may be fome resemblance to the prophecy before us, of the death and refurrection of the witneffes;' and it may pleafe an over-ruling providence fo to difpofe and order events, that the calamities and affictions of the church may in fome measure run parallel one to another, and all the former efforts of that tyrannical and perfecuting power called the beaft,' may be the types and figures as it were of this his laft and greateft effort against the witneffes. But though these inftances fufficiently anfwer in fome respects, yet they are deficient in others, and particularly in this, that they are none of them the last perfecution; others have been fince, and in VOL. II. * Whiston's Essay on the Rev. Part 3. Vision 2.

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