to take the strangest liberties; making it say almost anything but what it seemed to say.

"The last days" are plainly those in which the prophecies of this Book are destined to receive their fulfilment. The design of these prophecies is-to forewarn the Church and the world of the three final struggles of Satan with Messiah for the empire of the earth. They foretell

1. The “war in heaven"-2400 days anterior to our Lord's next Advent issuing in the casting down of Satan and his angels to the earth. Rev. xii, 7-12, compared with Dan. viii, 10. -in lxx.

2. The war on earth-renewed by Antichrist, as Satan's minister and vicegerent: continued through the " forty and two months"-terminated by "the battle of the great day of God Almighty"-(Rev. xvi, 14. xix, 19-21) and immediately followed by the millennial reign of Christ and His saints. Rev. xx, 4-6.

3. The final conflict-at the end of the Millennium: ushering in the Last Judgment. (xx, 7-11.)

To these three great events all else, which the prophecies of this Book, (in ch. iv-xx.) contain, will be found subordinate and subservient. The assigned period of action-2400 days-will surely be deemed quite long enough, when it is ascertained that "there shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And, except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but, for the elect's sakes, those days shall be shortened." Matt. xxiv, 21, 22, Rev. xii, 12. Such was our Lord's declaration with respect to the time treated of in these prophecies. Can it be made to harmonise with the extension of that time over the long period of 1260 years?

The writer of these pages having thus stated his views with respect to Apocalyptic Exposition, now sends his " Analysis" of these prophecies forth--preparatory to a Course of Lectures in explanation of them. On both the one and the other he humbly implores the blessing of Him, "without whom nothing is wise

or strong, or holy." And persuaded that his conclusions rest on a basis of Scriptural Truth, which is not to be shaken, he fearlessly commits them to the care of God's good providence. Opposing received opinions, they will probably make their way into the minds of men with difficulty. Still, he feels assured, that they will make their way: and that time will sanction, and future generations adopt them, however they may fare in the present age, and with the religious public of our own days.

Blakeney, Norfolk, June 11, 1847.

POSTSCRIPT.

It will be observed that many years have passed since the foregoing Preface and Introduction were written. The writer has not met with anything in the intervening period at all tending to disturb his conviction of the substantial correctness of his scheme of Interpretation. There may be errors of detail; butthe more he reads and hears on the subject of Apocalyptic Prophecy, the more persuaded he becomes of the unsoundness of the principles of interpretation to which recourse has been had hitherto; and that no system of exposition, with respect to this mysterious book, will stand, which has not, at its basis, the division of it, from chap. iv. to chap. xx. (both inclusive) into Seven Lines of Prophecy-all terminating in, or about, the great Day of Wrath.

St. Germain's, August 18, 1862.

ARRANGEMENT

AND REASONS FOR IT.

i, 1-2.

iv, 1-2.