The grand design of this book, as declared by its divine Author, is, “to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass,” ... “to testify these things in the churches:”—­to make known beforehand, to those styled his “witnesses,” the certainty of a great apostacy,—­the rise, reign and overthrow of the Antichrist, that “when it came to pass, they might believe,” and exemplify before the world “the patience and the faith of the saints.”  During that protracted period, the witnesses could neither know their duty nor sustain their allotted trials without these necessary instructions.

From the position of the witnessing church—­“in the wilderness” during the whole time of Antichrist’s reign, which is also the position of the apostle John when viewing in vision the “woman upon the beast;” (ch. xvii. 3,) that appears to be the only advantageous position from which to view the actors in this wonderful scene.  And since few have voluntarily “gone forth to Christ without the camp, bearing his reproach,” or submitted to wear the mourning garments of “sackcloth,” it is not at all surprising that the Apocalypse—­emphatically a Revelation—­should continue to be, to many, a “sealed book.”  But on the other hand, “blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.”

As this work is intended for the instruction and edification of the unlearned, rather than for the entertainment of the learned, words of foreign extract are used as seldom as possible.  Practical remarks and reflections are rarely introduced; the principal aim being simply to ascertain and present to the reader the mind of the Holy Spirit.  How far this object has been accomplished, is of course left to the judgment of the honest inquirer.  The reader, however, in forming his judgment of the value of these Notes, may be reminded of that inspired rule in searching the Scriptures,—­“Comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”  To assist him in the application of this divine rule, many chapters and verses are quoted from other parts of the Bible, but especially within the Apocalypse itself; that by concentrating the various rays upon particular texts or symbols, their intrinsic light may be rendered more luminous.  Thus the interpretation given, if correct, may be confirmed and illustrated.

NOTES ON THE APOCALYPSE.

The heavens and the earth did not make themselves.  The material universe furnishes to the intelligent creature a visible demonstration of the “eternal power and godhead of its Author.”  Besides, a sense of Deity is essential to humanity; and a supernatural revelation is not necessary to convince rational beings that there is a God.  Man is a dependent being in common with all other creatures, and all creatures depend upon a first cause.  That cause is God.  Dependent as a creature, man may know something of the natural perfections of his Maker; and possessing a conscience, which implies accountability to a superior, he may know,—­he must know, something of the moral attributes of God.