grievously oppressed his real disciples.  Against these outrages on the prerogatives of Christ and the rights of man, these witnesses lift their solemn protest.  Their distinctive name, “witnesses,” is familiar to every one who searches the Scriptures. (Isa. xliii. 10; Acts i. 8.) But witnesses who love not their lives unto the death are distinguished by the name of martyrs. (Rev. ii. 13; Acts xxii. 20.)

God has had his witnesses in all ages since the fall of Adam, in defence of truth and holiness against error and ungodliness; but the specific work these witnesses is to oppose the corruption of his two ordinances of church and state during the specified period of 1260 years.  The existence of this complex system of civil and ecclesiastical tyranny and heresy, in the holy purpose and sovereign providence of God, calls for the public and uncompromising opposition of the two witnesses.  We shall discover the two parties in more visible conflict hereafter; and tracing the struggle to its issue, we shall find, that like the more general and lasting warfare between the seed of the woman and that of the serpent, (Gen. iii. 15,) it is a “war of extermination.”

These witnesses are distinguished as a part from the whole.  All witnesses are not martyrs, but these are such, (v. 7, ch. xx. 4.) And here we are constrained to dissent from the opinion of some expositors, for whose sentiments we entertain profound respect.  These “two witnesses” are supposed by these eminent interpreters to “differ as much from the 144,000 sealed ones, (ch. vii. 4,) as Elijah differed from the 7000 in Israel in his time;” whereas, we think the 144,000 and the two, are the same identical company. (See chapters vii. 4-8:  xiv. 1; xx. 4.) It is evident that they are the same party,—­and the whole of the party, who are honored to “reign with Christ a thousand years,” (ch. xx. 4.)

They are two in number, because one witness is not sufficient in law, to establish any matter in controversy. (Num. xxxv. 30; 2 Cor. xiii. 1.) They are a small number compared with their opponents, (ch. xiii. 3.) Again, they are few, but sufficient to confront and confute their two opponents, (ch. xiii. 1, 11.) And, finally, they are two, that they may be assimilated to their predecessors.

4.  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

5.  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies:  and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

6.  These 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.