word of God, by which the spiritual man can judge of, or measure spiritual things; " and the angel stood," signified the same dispensation mentioned in the chapter before; "saying, rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein." "The temple" signified a state of mind to love and enjoy the presence of God; "the altar," the state of mind in which to offer to God; "them that worship therein," the believers in spiritual things, who worship God in the spirit of their minds. These are all measured by that judgment which is given to the man by the incorruptible word of God, called "a reed like unto a rod."

Verse 2, "But the court which is without the temple, leave out, and measure it not," signified that the old dispensation of Moses, and Elias, or John the Baptist, together with all outward ceremonies and ordinances of religious service were left out of the Gospel Kingdom, as they did not belong to it, seeing it was not of this world. "For it is given unto the gentiles," that is, those who are in the gentile, or worldly spirit take possession of those outward ceremonies, and of the law service; and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months," signified that those, who contend for outward ceremonies, and the law service, for conditions of salvation, would tread under foot or despise the idea of worshipping in the spirit of the mind, and submitting wholly to Christ for salvation through faith.

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VERSE 3, " And I will give power unto my two wilnesses," meaning all the witnesses of truth; two in number, only signified that as in the law, two witnesses were sufficient to establish an assertion, so the witnesses of Christ were sufficient to establish the truth;" and they shall prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." Whatever the one thousand two hundred and sixty days may signify, those two witnesses

prophesying clothed in sackcloth, represented the christians in the space of time between Christ's ascension, and his spiritual, or second coming, when they were in distress by persecutions and other sufferings, travailing, and praying for his coming unto them, as Jesus himself had told them before, St. John Xvi, 20, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." Which shows plainly that they underwent a state which was properly signified by the figure of being "clothed in sackcloth.".

Verse, 4" These the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth." Olive trees, to bear fruit, to send forth the oil of gladness, and candlesticks on which to set the light of God in the world: See Zech. Iv, 2, 3: Rev. 1, 20; MATTH. V, 14: Philipp, Ii, 15.

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VERSES 5, 6, "And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies." Signified that the testimony of truth which, is in their mouth, and is like fire, is the very thing which judges and punishes persecutors of the Saints. These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy and to site the earth with all plagues as often as they will." Signified that when they stood in the power of the spirit of their testimony, their words were poured forth in such a manner as to fasten with such conviction on "the earth," that is, the ground of men's minds, as to cause them to feel any plagues or torments which are necessary.

Verse 7, " And when they have finished their testimony, the beast, &c. shall make war against them, and overcome them, and kill them."

Verse 8, "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." By which is signified, as the beast means false reli

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gion, that a spirit of religious deception prevailed^ so as to overcome many of the church, before the spiritual, or second coming of Christ, so that the church appeared for a time, like a dead body; and it is further signified that the spirit by which they were thus killed, was the same spirit which crucified our Lord, and therefore it is said, that "Their dead bodies laid in the street of that spiritual city where our Lord was crucified."

Verse 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 suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves." Signified, as the sight of a dead body keeps the death of that person constantly in remembrance, so those remains of the witnesses which kept their downfall constantly in remembrance was not suffered to be buried or forgotten by the enemies of truth; for they desired something to keep the victory of the beast (which they worshipped) in remembrance, as in

Verse 10, "And they that dwell upon the earth." Signifying the inhabitants of the minds of the wicked; Shall rejoice over them, and make merry, 'e. Because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt upon the earth." Signified that while the testimony of truth was silent, the wicked, abominable movings of the minds of the people became lively, and acted like people rejoicing at some great victory over some enemy who had caused them a great deal of trouble.

Verse 11, "And after three days and an half," which does not mean that length of time, but is used as a figure to signify the procession of that triumph of the beast; "The spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them which saw them." Signified that there was a spiritual resurrection of the church, and that the witnesses stood upon their strong testimony, called "their feet," and that the powers of iniquity began to tremble.

Verse 12, "And they heard a great voice from hear

ven," signified the voice of the spirit in the heaven of their hear Saying, come up hither," signified that the Spirit or Christ called them into his own heavenly nature; "And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud," signified that they rose in their testimony in a cloud of witnesses : "And their enemies beheld them." That was, by the light of their testimony.

Verse 13, "And the same hour was there a great earthquake." That was, a great shaking of the minds of the people; "And a tenth part of the city fell," signified that the testimony of truth prevailed so as to overthrow a part of that wicked building which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, "And in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand," signified that while the truth was shaking the minds of the people to bring them off from their own inventions and wickedness, many hardened their hearts against the truth by rejecting it; and, of course, that which was good in them before, died, by means of their dishonestly rejecting the truth, and thus were slain of men, in the earthquake, seven thousand; "And the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven." Signified that those who did not harden themselves dishonestly against the truth, were alarmed on account of their wickedness; and acknowledg ed the testimony to be good, which was giving glory to God.

Verse 14, "The second wo is past, behold the third wo cometh quickly.

VERSE 15, "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become The Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever." Signified that the preaching of the seventh, and highest degree of the gospel immediately preceded the spiritual coming of Christ to reign over all the kingdoms of the world. And the same power of the spirit which gave the seventh degree of the testimony, opened the minds of the witnesses to

know and receive the coming of Christ into them, and gave them at the same time a knowledge of his power and dominion, and that his everlasting reign had then commenced. Therefore the great voices of the spirits of all heavenly beings proclaimed that "The kingdoms of this world are become of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever," or, (which is the same,) to the ages of ages.

Verse 16, "And the four-and-twenty elders, &c. fell upon their faces and worshipped God," signified that all the christian believers, at the time that Christ made his spiritual appearance, knew his coming, and submitted gladly to his government which God had ordained.

Verse 17, "Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, &c. because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned." That is, that thou hast now commenced thy reign on the earth.

Verse 18, "And the nations were angry," signi fying the raging of the nations in their wickedness and wars which was then going on; And thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the Prophets, and to the Saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth." Signified that the time of wrath was come upon the nations which had so much been predicted by the ancient Prophets, when they should be "broken with a rod of iron, and dashed in pieces like a potter's vessel," Psalm Ii, 9, and which Jesus predicted, in Luke Xxi, 23, " For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people." And that the time was come when those who were dead in sins should be judged by the Spirit of Christ; and when all the Prophets and Saints, and them that feared God should be rewarded with deliverance, peace, and great consolation. While the wicked and their wickedness who were