Page:Darby - Notes on the Book of Revelations, 1839.djvu/67



This witness was guarded not by external worldly preservatives, far from it; during this period “woe” was on what might have been so. What was external, was the subject of merely secret angelic interference of God; but judgment corresponded to their testimony. If any would hurt them, out of their mouth went out fire. It was not the coming down of judgment by external manifest authority; the pretence at least of that was on the side of the false prophet: but they were answered in judgment, to preserve them according to the testimony of their mouth against those that would destroy them. This secret hand of God, according to the word of the faithful witness, when all was gone wrong and desecrated, has, I doubt not, been always in such eases afforded. It was not the time for open appearance in judgment, but always to interfere in watchful vindication of their testimony when needed. If they took the sword in such cases, it