The Preface To The Annotations Upon The Revelation Although some particular heretics, such as Cerdon and Marcyon, have doubted the Divine authority of this mysterious piece of holy writ, and some better men in the primitive times doubted of it, the manuscript copy of it having been at first…

The Revelation of Jesus Christ; the Apocalypse, (as this book is sometimes called), that is, the discovering or unveiling of some hidden things; so the word revelation signifieth. The Greek word is often used in the New Testament, and is ordinarily translated so.

Who bare record of the word of God: this phrase determines the controversy about the penman of this part of holy writ, and puts it out of doubt that it was John the apostle and evangelist; the phrase so agrees to John 1:19, John 1:32, John 1:34, John 19:35.

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy: from hence is well concluded, that this is a portion of holy writ to be read publicly and privately, otherwise no blessing would have been pronounced to the readers or the hearers of it.

John to the seven churches which are in Asia: John, the apostle and evangelist, writes either to all the churches of Asia under the notion of seven, (which is the number of perfection), or to those seven churches mentioned Rev.

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness: here is an express mention of Jesus Christ, because he was the procurer of our redemption, and our Mediator, to whom the Father committed all power as to the church. He is called the faithful and true witness; 1 Tim.

And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father: kings, to rule over our own appetite, and govern ourselves by the law of his word, to fight and conquer the world, the flesh, and the devil.

St. John being to speak of the various afflictions of the church of God, which should immediately begin, and hold on during the whole time that Rome should continue heathen, and one thousand two hundred and sixty years after, during the whole reign of the beasts, prepareth Christians for it, by…

Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet, as Aleph and Tau are in the Hebrew alphabet: the meaning of these is expounded, the beginning and the ending; he who was before all, and shall continue to exist when all creatures shall cease to be; the first and the last, as the…

I John, who also am your brother; the same mentioned Rev. 1:4, the apostle of Jesus Christ, yet he disdaineth not to call those his brethren whom his Lord so called. And companion in tribulation: the pagan persecutions were now begun.

I was in the Spirit; not only in spiritual employment, suppose meditation and prayer, but in an ecstasy; my soul was (as it were) separated from my body, and under the more than ordinary influence and communications of the Spirit, as Acts 10:10, Acts 11:5, Acts 16:9, Acts 18:9.

I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; I, who speak unto thee, am the eternal, immutable God. What thou seest, write in a book; what thou shalt presently see, write in a book, not in loose papers.

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me; that is, to see the person whose voice I heard speaking to me: or else, by seeing is meant understanding; but that he might have done without turning; he therefore turned, hoping to see the person that spake.

And in the midst of the seven candlesticks; that is, of the churches, resembled by the golden candlesticks. One like unto the Son of man: we say, no like is the same; but Christ, who was the Son of man, and who ordinarily calls himself so throughout the gospel, is undoubtedly here meant, as…

His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow: whiteness signifies purity; whiteness of hair signifies old age ordinarily, which commonly is attended with more prudence, as having most experience: hence this appearance of Christ may denote both his purity and wisdom, and that he is…

And his feet like unto fine brass: there are nice disquisitions what this chalcolibanum (which we translate, fine brass) was: vid. Poli Synopsin. I understand not of what profit the determination will be to us.

And he had in his right hand seven stars: the right hand is the hand of power, Ps. 21:8; and of favour, Ps. 44:3; and of honour and dignity, Ps. 110:1. The seven stars are expounded, Rev.

I fell at his feet as dead; astonished at the majesty and glory of the appearance: see Josh. 5:14, Dan. 8:17–18, Matt. 17:6, Acts 9:4. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; to comfort me, and let me know, that I had no reason to be afraid, he would do me no harm.

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore; the living God, who had life in myself, and gave life to the world, but assumed the human nature, and was made man, and in that nature died; but I rose again from the dead, and shall die no more, but ever live to make…

Write the things which thou hast seen; either the things which thou hast seen from the beginning of the gospel; for John, Matt. 4:21, was a companion of Christ from the time presently following his baptism and temptations: or, the vision of me which thou hast now had; which I judge most probably…

The mystery of the seven stars, and the seven golden candlesticks: see Rev. 1:12, Rev. 1:16. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches; that is, they signify the angels of the seven churches.