to join mirth with our
trembling.

11. 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 upon them
which saw them.

12. 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.

Vs. 11, 12.--In these two verses, as in the preceding, the thoughtful
reader will discern a beautiful allusion in the history of these
witnesses, to the death and life of our blessed Master. "For if they
have been planted together in the likeness of his death, they shall be
also in the likeness of his resurrection." Yes, they have communion with
him in death and life,--in grace and glory. "Nothing can separate them
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus their Lord."

"The Spirit of life from God entered into them." That is, God will
speedily raise up successors, who, maintaining the very same principles,
will be gloriously successful in putting down all rule and authority and
power," that had been in hostility to their Lord. (1 Cor. xv. 24, 25.
See Ezek. xxxvii. 11-14.) "This is the first resurrection," to be
explained by the inspired penman more fully hereafter, (ch. xx. 5.)--As
Saul feared David, and Herod John Baptist, because they were "just men
and holy;" so were the wicked afraid when these witnesses arose; and,
like Shimei, they justly dread the "due reward of their deeds." At the
time referred to, "the haters of the Lord will feign submission."--The
"great voice from heaven" inviting the witnesses to ascend, and their
actual ascent, is another allusion to Christ's exaltation. As when "he
was taken up, a cloud received him;" so here, "they ascended up to
heaven in a cloud."

It has often been the cry of the antichristian multitude,--"The voice of
the people is the voice of God." This cry has been iterated and
reiterated, in centuries past, like that of the Ephesian worshippers of
Diana; that thereby the testimony of the witnesses might be counteracted
and silenced. It has been only too often successful. But where did
flattering demagogues and haughty despots find the sentiment? They found
it engraved on the moral constitution of man by our beneficent Creator.
They found it also transcribed on the pages of objective
revelation,--the Bible. But, like other moral and scriptural principles,
it has been perverted and misapplied by the perverse ingenuity of