Revelation 1

He is not only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of the same nature and essence with the Father. So Athanasius, Basil, Chrysostom: 1. Is God the Father called Almighty, so is Christ (Revelation 1:8), 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Almighty. 2. Is God the…

All power is given to him. Christ has three keys in his hand, the key of the grave, to open the graves of men at the resurrection; the key of heaven, to open the kingdom of heaven to whom he will; the key of hell (Revelation 1:18), to lock up the damned in that fiery prison. To…

And he is, the text says, 〈in non-Latin alphabet〉, King of Kings. He has a preeminence of all other Kings, he is called the Prince of the Kings of the Earth (Revelation 1:5), 〈in non-Latin alphabet〉 — He must needs be so, for by him Kings reign (Proverbs 8:15). They hold their c…

Christ is fit to be Judge, as he partakes both of the manhood and Godhead. 1. Of the manhood: being clothed with the human nature, he may be visibly seen of all: it is requisite the Judge should be seen (Revelation 1:7). Behold he comes with clouds, and every eye shall see him.

2. Jehovah, a word that properly sets out God's eternity; a word so dreadful, that the Jews trembled to name or read it, therefore used another word Adonai, Lord. Jehovah contains in it time past, present, and to come (Revelation 1:4): which is, and which was, and which is to co…

All that are of God, as they have Christ for their captain (Hebrews 2:10), so holiness is the white color they wear. 5. Holiness is our honor, holiness and honor put together (1 Thessalonians 4:4), dignity goes along with sanctity (Revelation 1:6). He has washed us from our sins…

7. God is the best Father because he never dies, (1 Timothy 6:16) Who only has immortality. Earthly fathers die, and their children are exposed to many injuries, but God lives forever; (Revelation 1:8) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the last. God's crown has no successo…

He made this day (Psalm 118:24): "This is the day which the Lord has made." Arnobius and the current of expositors understand it of our Christian Sabbath, and it is called the Lord's Day (Revelation 1:10). As it is called the Lord's Supper, because of the Lord's instituting the…

Here is a meditation fit for our first entrance into a Sabbath, God's holiness: the contemplation of this would work in us such a frame of heart as is suitable to a holy God: it would make us then reverence his name, hallow his day: while we are musing of the holiness of God's n…

6. Shut up the Sabbath evening with repetition, singing of psalms and prayer: beg that God would bless the Word you have heard; but I hope your practice herein will prevent my further speaking. Could we but thus spend a Sabbath, we might be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day (Revel…

1. Is God the Father omnipotent, so is Jesus Christ. He is [illegible], the Almighty (Revelation 1:8). He creates (Colossians 1:16).

(1.) The Kingdom of Heaven is a place of honor; there are the glorious triumphs and sparkling crowns. In other kingdoms there is but one king, but in Heaven all are kings (Revelation 1:6). Every saint glorified is a partaker of the same glory as Christ does (John 17:22): The glo…

If the fetters of sin be broken off, and we walk at liberty in the ways of God (Psalm 119:45): I will walk at liberty — this is a blessed sign we are pardoned. Such as are washed in Christ's blood from that guilt, are made kings to God (Revelation 1:6); as kings they rule over t…

By this 'power of death' is meant not so much bodily death as that eternal death to which, as the proper punishment of sin, its guilt binds us over. This power of his is not that of the Judge in sentencing to death or casting men to hell, which is Christ's own royal prerogative…

2. This error thwarts the glory of the grace of God; for it is an error that strikes at the richest and most radiant diamond of the crown of the glory of Christ, it hangs election and the effectualness of God's decree as to effectual calling, faith, justification, and perseveran…

Now we shortly add this third, of kin to the former, that believers, and such as are fled to Christ for refuge, would look on his sufferings as come under for them; and these same Scriptures which we cited to confirm these, will confirm this. The reason why we would have you con…

And (1 Timothy 1:15) this is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Jesus Christ came to the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief. And John heartily, (Revelation 1:7) to him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, etc. But they that e…

And yet this were a most natural, proper, and kindly exercise for believers; even like the work of those, who say, Salvation to our God, that sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb (Revelation 7:10). To Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, etc. (Revelat…

But when He is executor of His own testament, and by His Spirit makes the application, what is, or can be wanting? We shall say no more, but that here it is clear, that we have a living Mediator as Himself says (Revelation 1:18): I was dead, and am alive, and live for evermore.…

It is Christ that died, indeed, rather that is risen again, etc. This way of justification makes Christ's death wondrous lovely, and it is on this that the song of the redeemed is founded (Revelation 1:5). To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and ha…

There is nothing among men readily less cared for, than a ministry; some would have none at all; others would have them of such a stamp, as would please and humor them; But our Lord has received gifts to give to men; And he that poured out such gifts on the apostles and others,…

I leave it to the experience of the godly, if Jeremiah his singing of praise in one verse, (Jeremiah 20:13) and his cursing of the day that he was born on, in the next verse, verse 14, the order of Scripture being of divine inspiration, does not speak God's dispensation in this…

Verse 15. His countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. Revelation 1:16. His countenance as when the Sun shines in his strength. All the beauty of God is put forth in Christ.

4. The Scripture nowhere speaks of any love of God in Christ to man, but such as is efficacious in saving; any other love is lip-love, not real; and so to allege this one place, without authority of the Word, is petitio principii, a begging of the question; for the love (Ezekiel…

He is at God's right hand, and we are in his hands (John 10:28), and all his enemies are under his feet, who then can pull us out? (Revelation 1:18) says Christ, I have the keys of hell and death. The key is still in the Scripture phrase the ensign of power and authority.

Now not only Christ's soul (as theirs) lives to cry, but his whole person; for he is risen again, and lives to intercede for ever. In (Revelation 1:18), Christ appearing to John, when he would speak but one speech that should move all in him, he says but this, I am he that lives…

Therefore verse 33 of that Acts 2, Peter giving an account how it came to pass that they were so filled with the Holy Ghost, says, that Christ having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, had shed him forth on them; which receiving is not to be only understood…

[Son, remember you in your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus evil, etc.] says Abraham to the soul of Dives in hell (Luke 16:25). [Remember me when you come into your Kingdom] said the good thief to Christ; And (Revelation 1) I am he (says Christ) that was dead,…

If you have the life of grace, there is some spiritual warmth in your soul, some heat in your soul; do but consider then the knowledge that is within you: Is your knowledge such as lets you alone, and only puffs you up, and makes you to think well of yourself, if that be all the…

2. Now as there is a likeness and conformity, and unity in nature, between Christ and a child of God, so there is also in us, a conformity to Christ in his offices, the meaning is, whoever has the Son, he has the offices which the Son has. As he was both King, Priest and Prophet…

It was an act of love (Galatians 2:20): Who loved me and gave himself for me. (Revelation 1:5) To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood. He thought no price too dear for our salvation; let us love him again who loved us first (1 John 4:19): We love him beca…

For he is Head and Lord of the renewed state; a Priest, to offer a sacrifice for sin, which having once offered, he for ever represents in heaven; he was also to be Teacher of mankind to acquaint us with the way of salvation. These offices are often alluded to in Scripture (Reve…

Upon any visions and apparitions of the divine Majesty, God's servants fell to the earth — (Ezekiel 1:28) when I saw the appearance of the likeness of the glory of God, I fell on my face; Paul when Christ appeared to him from heaven, he fell to the earth (Acts 9:4). (Revelation…

Again it was the decree or constitution of Paul, that the collection for the poor should be the first day of the week at Corinth: now this collection in the Primitive Church, followed preaching, prayer, sacraments, and it was the conclusion of all other exercises in the assembly…

If in honors & riches; by him we are made Kings and Priests. Apoc 1:6. If in libertie; by him we are delivered from the hands of our enemies, Sinne, Satan, &c.

But now all are indifferently received. Some expound this place generally, that the Gentiles shall be priests: that is to say, shall offer themselves to God; for so the scriptures in many places calls all by the name of a royal priesthood: (Exodus 19:6), (1 Peter 2:9), (Revelati…

And there remained no Strength in me, for my Comeliness was turned into Corruption, and I retained no Strength. And the Apostle John giving an Account of a like Manifestation made to him, says, Revelation 1:17. And when I saw him, I fell at his Feet as dead.

For the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all our sins, 1 Joh. 1. 7. For he loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood, Rev. 1. 5. The Blood of Jesus Christ purges our Consciences from dead works to serve the living God, Heb. 9. 14.

As to the priestly office, the mediate effects of Christ's sacerdotal acting that respect us are: (1) moral, as our justification and pardon of sin; and (2) real, in our sanctification and holiness — though the immediate actings of that office respect God alone, the virtue and e…

It is plain, that every Church has its Angel mentioned; and there being seven Churches how many Angels, I beseech you, are there? Now because he does not say expressly in terms, seven Angels of the seven Churches, we are foiled in our proof; judge Reader, what to expect of so de…

No soul is pardoned but with respect unto the blood of Christ as the procuring cause of that pardon. Hence he is said to have washed us in his blood, Revelation 1:5. In himself, to have purged our sins, Hebrews 1:3. by one offering to have taken away sin, and for ever to have pe…

1. to Daniel, chap. 7:9, 10. to Johnn, Revelation 1. Read the places attentively, and learn to tremble before him.

2. Although that manner of speaking be used in some other languages, yet it is never so used in the Hebrew tongue (as, by these who understand it, is asserted; and by some of the most Learned Jews is acknowledged) and therefore we understand the Trinity of Persons in one Godhead…

And it is clear that the Spirit is here intended, because it is the Spirit's blowing that only can make the spices or graces of a believer to flow, as the wind does the seeds and flowers in a garden. Next, by north and south wind are understood the same Spirit, being conceived a…

Now, seeing Jesus Christ is so excellent himself, and these being instanced as the choice excellencies that are in him, they must needs be exceeding and passing excellent, as the aggravating and heightening of every commendation does show: there will be need therefore of much so…

Now if we will for instance, consider some such places as these, My beloved is mine, etc. I called, but he gave me no answer, they yield plain doctrines, as other plain Scriptures do: and therefore, seeing it's one continued Song, and each of these dark and plain places answer o…

God speaks by his ministers, who are his watchmen, in his name to warn the people of his judgments temporal and eternal, which in the Scriptures he has threatened (Ezekiel 3:17-18, etc.; Isaiah 63:6), who are the Lord's ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), from whom they have a com…

Truth is the seal that leaves the print of its own holiness upon us; it is both speculum and lavacrum, a glass to show us our blemishes, and a laver to wash them away. Truth makes us free (John 8:32); it beats off the fetters of sin, and puts us into a state of sonship (Romans 8…

"Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him." Revelation 1:18. "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen."

2. The next thing in order of time seems to be the appointment of the Christian Sabbath. For though this was gradually established in the Christian church, yet those things by which the revelation of God's mind and will was made, began on the day of Christ's resurrection, by his…