ON THE APOCALYPSE; OR, AN ATTEMPT TO ELUCIDATE THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN. 66 "Behold, I COME QUICKLY: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book."-Rev. xx11. 7. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the LONDON: HATCHARD & SON, PICCADILLY. MDCCCXXXVIII. PREFACE. IN bringing this Treatise before the public, the writer can only plead fidelity to the convictions of truth, together with a hope that, however unworthy the instrument, something may be gleaned from the result of a prayerful and diligent study of this deeply interesting portion of God's word. Apprized of the diversity of opinion which at present divides the religious world upon the points treated of in this volume, the writer commends the work to the great Head of the church, humbly desiring that what is agreeable to his Holy Word and Spirit, may be carried with the force of truth to the heart of the reader. It is intreated that the many imperfections which will present themselves in the following pages, may be viewed with candour, and not be suffered to hinder an impartial consideration of the opinions offered, H. S. L. Jan. 1st, 1838, INTRODUCTION. THROUGH the symbols of divine inspiration, we discern in the Apocalypse a settled and definite, although hidden and mysterious history of the world, that can be perfectly solved only by the lapse of ages, and a believing, patient, investigation on the part of feeble, short-sighted man. The soul is filled with wonder and admiration, on perceiving the way in which the Lord is pleased to speak, by this extraordinary book, to our dark and fallen minds; to teach us, could we learn, his own great and exalted attributes, and the creatures' blindness and nothingness abstracted from himself. Instead of thinking, as too many do, that no profitable instruction is to be gained from the volume of Revelation, given by JEHOVAH to the LORD JESUS CHRIST to show unto his church, we are disposed to believe that, as it is the last, so it is the highest lesson in the Bible, and instructs in a way as powerful and practical as any portion of the sacred volume. Indeed, when we consider what we have just glanced at-God's peculiar method of giving this book to man -if we understand no other part of the Apocalypse, we can understand this, that it is the REVELATION of JESUS CHRIST, that GOD GAVE UNTO HIM TO SHOW unto his servants ;· -the extraordinary and marked manner of giving the book, through the immediate personal interposition of the |