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to the holy prophets, and not found in their writings. Every truth ought to be dear to us, whether revealed by degrees, or all at once in meredian splendour; to more of the inspired writers, or only to one.

The Revelation rests on the authority of the Son of God; no testimony can be stronger. If we even had not a sufficiency of historical evidence, in favour of its divine origin; yet the children of God would know this book by its language. No ancient or modern poet ever possessed such a power of invention. In reading this volume, every single and discerning eye must see, and every open and willing heart feel, the presence of a Divine power pervading the whole. He sent it by his angel to his servant John, who makes himself known to be no other than the apostle. Chapter i. 1, 2, 4, 9. chap. xx. 8.

Things which must shortly come to pass. The original Ev Tax ought to be rendered here, in quick succession, as the post positive & in the plural, refers to the whole seä ries of prophecies. They must come to pass, in order to fulfil many of the prophecies in the Old Testament, to finish the mystery of God, and to establish the kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth. They must come in quick succession-in a pressed series of events, where the accomplishment of one prophecy immediately follows and releaves the other, in one connected chain to its final comple

tion.

He has signified its contents. The original suάiva which is here rendered, signified, denotes to express by emblematical or figurative language. See John xii. 33. Our blessed Lord therefore is also the author of this style, words and manner of expression in this book; which may, account for its difference from the style of the apostle in his Gospel and Epistles. This style, though dark and mysterious in many instances, is yet sufficiently intelligible to those, who are acquainted with the spirit of prophecy.

Unto his servants. Who are the servants of Jesus? The Lord tells us himself chap. xi. 18. They are the prophets, the saints, they that fear his name and praise him, small and great. Chap. xix. 5. His servants with respect to a christian life, are all true believers, who are justified by faith, and in a state of sanctifying grace, obedient to the Gospel of Christ by virtue of a thorough change of heart, through the efficacy of the Holy Spirit. But with respect to office, the rulers of this world, and more particularly the ministers of the Gospel are called his servants. I take this word here, to denote all true members of the Church of Christ, and especially all pious pastors of flocks, who preach the Word with the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Rom. xii. 2. Unto them the Lord sent this Revelation, as a memorial of his love, and an instrument of instruction and comfort, during the whole time of its accomplishment. Thus it is made their solemn duty to attend to this word of prophecy; and the third verse informs them, that their spiritual happiness is connected with their compliance.

Verse 3. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear. Oh! That guilty backwardness of many in our days, to read and study this invaluable treasure of the christian, for fear of incurring the ridicule of infidels, or the piteous smile of the wise men of this world. Some in our days neglect this kind of study even from hypocricy. They assume a superior air of sanctity, as if their minds were employed in matters of far greater moment than this, and therefore pray to be excused. Should a mortal presume to know better what he ought to read, than God? However the study of the prophecies should not be our first care; for what will all this knowledge avail, if we die in our sins at last. Our first duty is, to seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. We must be experimentally acquainted with the ways of God in Christ Jesus, to derive real benefit from know

ledge of this kind. He, whose eternal interest is truly settled, will study the prophecies to the advantage of his soul's concerns, where the unconverted speculator only satisfies vain curiosity. A child of God is, as it were, at home in the heavenly economy of his father's house, has a right to employ himself on these subjects, and knows, how to do it in a manner becoming his kingdom.

4. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace

be unto you, and peace, from him which is, which was, and which is to come; and from the seven spirits which are before his throne ;

5. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever-Amen.

Thus runs the saluting benediction of this book, which according to the oriental manner of writing, always made the beginning of an address or letter, to a child, friend or superior. It was customary with the apostles, to salute the churches with grace and peace; these gifts being the principal of all spiritual possessions. To enjoy the grace of God, and that peace which passeth all understanding, is already true happiness in this world-and the earnest to our inheritance of the purchased possession in glory. Ephes. i. 14. But this salutation here surpasses all the former apostolic benedictions. They salute from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ; but here: Grace and peace from Him, which is-was-and is to come-from Him, who only hath absolute immortality, and is the sole cause of all existence in heaven and earth; who was the Judge of the Antideluvian world, of Sodom, the Egyptians, and all the enemies of Israel during all former ages; and the pre

server of Noah, Lot, Abraham, and all his people under the old covenant; and who is to come now, to subdue all his enemies, and finish the mystery of God on earth.

And from the seven spirits which are before his throne. It is the Lord Jesus that has the seven spirits of God, chap. iii. 1. By which we are to understand the Holy Ghost in his sevenfold influence and attraction on the Church of Christ. They are not instruments of spectators here; they give grace and peace, and the expression, spirits of God, denotes their excellency. Zech. iii. 1. iv. 10. Isaiah xi. The number seven is the number of perfection in the kingdom of God. Rev. v. 6. and the summit of misery in the regions of darkness. Lukeviii. 2. xi. 26. Prov. ix. 1.

Verse 5. And from Jesus Christ the faithful witness. The heavenly Hero of the new covenant is here described, as to the excellency and loveliness of his character. He is the faithful witness, for he attested the truth, which he was sent from heaven to promulgate to an erring and ungrateful world, and sealed his doctrine with his death. He is the first begotten of the dead, because he became the first fruits of them that slept, and rose previously to them all from the grave to a glorified state, and to eternal life; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence to his spiritual body, the church. Coloss. i. 18. He is the Prince of the kings of the earth. The word exwv here should not be translated Prince, but Supreme Potentate-for wherever it occurs, it always implies the highest authority, power, or excellence in that connexion; and with the orientals it denotes the first fountain, author and origin of life, light, power, &c. The meaning is, that he is a superior personage, possessed of absolute rights, supreme power and authority over all the generations of men. Ps. Lxxxix. 27. He loved us, for the Word was made flesh, and laid down his life a ransome for all. By his atonement to the Father, we are washed in his blood; and all those, who

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thus receive him by faith, possess a pre-eminence in comparison to the children of this world, like kings, compared to their subjects, and priests according to the Mosaic institution, with unconsecrated men. Yea, they not only enjoy such prerogatives in the Church of Christ now, but also have reason to expect an inheritance in his kingdom about to be established on earth, Matt. v. 5. xix. 29. Mark x. 29. in which they shall be a holy priesthood after the order of Melchisedeck.

7. Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye

shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Thus ends the introduction, and the body of the Revelation commences with the following portion. In these two verses the Lord expresses the principal object of the whole prophecy; which is to prove: that He is, was, and cometh as the Alpha and Omega, the true and eternal Word of God, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Coloss. ii. 3. The phrase To Axaíτo

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is a Hebrewism, for and. The Hebrew alphabet has only twenty-two letters, according to which the ancient Jewish doctors divided their Scriptures into twenty-two books, and expressed the whole canon, by mentioning the first and last letter of their alphabet, which are above in Hebrew and Greek. When therefore the Lord here saith, I am Alpha and Omega, the sense is, that He is the heart of the Old Testament, and the chief object of its promulgation. The word Almighty in the original is avtongαtwę which signifies, the source and fountain head of all power and authority.

All shall see and bewail him! All the posterity of Abraham, and of those which pierced and crucified him, Zech.