tend with his enemies, and to bestow a victory on his followers only by the method of the cross. It does not follow, however, that though this be the last slaughter, and yet future, we can from these circumstances infer any thing respecting its severity. Mede conceives that it deserved a singular notice and description, not so much on account of its severity, certainly not of its duration, as because it was a sign of a speedy termination to the sorrows of the witnesses, and of the impending ruin of the Roman city, and therefore was selected out of the combats by which the beast was " to make war with the saints and to overcome them," as a prelude to this catastrophe, in the same manner as the surrounding of Jerusalem by the army of Cestius Gallus, a little before the fatal siege by Titus, was predicted as a signal of its approaching destruction. The observations of Mede on the analogical character of the death and resurrection of the witnesses, I have already forestalled. He considers their death as their overthrow and dejection from that office and station which they had obtained in the reformed Church for a time, while the false prophets of the beast, or the beast itself, should triumph over them; and by their resurrection and ascension, he understands their attainment of spiritual existence, and their subsequent ex

altation to a higher state of distinction and authority.

"And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified."

I agree with Mede that the city here called great is Rome, and that it is so called, not so much on account of its size, as its being the queen of other cities, in accordance with the words of the angel, “The woman whom thou sawest is that great city which hath dominion over the kings of the earth." Through the whole of the Apocalypse, by whatever other name Rome is called, whether of Babylon or of the Harlot, she is distinguished by the title of great, as that great Babylon, that great Harlot, &c. "which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt;" Egypt, on account of its tyranny over the people of God, Sodom, on account of its spiritual fornication, and encouragement of crimes for which Sodom was overthrown.

But here, continues Mede, is a key to the allegory (of which kind many occur in this book), by which the Holy Spirit intimates, that whatever is exhibited in these visions, of Egyptian plagues, or of the destruction of the Sodomites, is to be interpreted πvevμatikās, that is, mysti

cally; since Rome and the Roman commonwealth, the subject of those plagues, was a mystical Sodom and Egypt. There are references too to Egyptian plagues in the description of the trumpets and phials, as well as in the history of the witnesses, and of the destruction of the Sodomites in the judgment of the beast, (xix. 20. and xx. 10.) the sense of which may be opened by this key. Hence, concludes Mede, it may be demonstrated that the subject of the trumpets is the Roman empire, for some of the plagues there described are Egyptian. Now to what can Egyptian plagues be applied but to Egypt? and Egypt, by the authority of the Holy Spirit, is Rome.

As to "their dead bodies lying in the street of the great city," there is some difficulty in the interpretation. Mede does not understand it in the common meaning of the word street. The Greek word is λarɛia, and he conceives from the mode in which it is used, and the subject to which it is applied, that it has the same signification as λáros, breadth. It is said of Gog and Magog, (xx. 9.) "They came up on the breadth of the earth,” ¿ì mλáros rñs yñs, "and encompassed the beloved city." It appears, therefore, most probable, that area is used in a similar sense for the extended dominion of the great city, where the metaphorical carcasses were ex

posed, "and within which, likewise, our Lord was crucified."

"And they (i. e. some) of the people, and kindred, and tongues, and nations, shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put into graves.' There may be some doubt on the first reading of this verse, whether the opposition to the burial of the slain witnesses arises from hostility or kindness. But contrasted as this conduct is with that of the enemies of the witnesses in the next verse, we have the greatest reason to believe that this part of the people are members of the reformed Church, who view with pity and indignation the death or degradation of those who had so long borne testimony to the truth, and will not suffer them to be inhumed, in hopes of their revival. The "three days and a half,” in which their bodies lie exposed, are evidently to be understood as the other prophetic days are explained, to be three years and a half. Independently of the harmony of the interpretation, a shorter time would be insufficient for the accomplishment of the events which are comprised within it. The exultation of those who dwell on the earth over their fallen enemies, the exercise of their mirth, and the sending gifts to each other, would necessarily require a longer period than three natural days and a half.

"And they that dwell on the earth shall rejoice over them and be merry, and shall send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented them who dwell on the earth."

The contrast between some of the people and nations, and those who dwell on the earth, seems to imply, that the former might be scattered over the world, while the latter dwelt within the bounds of the antichristian domain.

"And after three days and a half, the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell on those who beheld them."

Whatever was implied in the death of the witnesses, the contrary must be intended of their resurrection; namely, their restitution to activity and honour, and that by the manifestation of God's power in their revival. This is to be understood by the spirit of life from God entering into them, their immediate resuscitation in consequence, and the terror which pervaded the hearts of those who saw them.

"And they heard a great voice from heaven, saying unto them, Come up hither: And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them."

From hence it appears, that the witnesses are not only assimilated to their Lord and Master in his resurrection, but in his ascension. The latter