_After these things_ After the former discoveries made to me, which
represented the providence of God toward his church and the world,
till the downfall of the heathen Roman empire, the state of the church
and the world immediately to succeed was also represented to me in the
manner following: _I sa... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I saw another angel ascending from the east_ To intimate the
progress which the gospel should make from the east to the west;
_having_ in his hand _the seal of the living God_ In order to impress
a mark upon those who should believe and obey the gospel, and dedicate
themselves to his service. _... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I heard the number of them, a hundred and forty and four
thousand_ This single passage, says the bishop of Meaux, may show the
mistake of those who always expect the numbers in the Revelation to be
precise and exact; for is it to be supposed, that there should be in
each tribe twelve thousand b... [ Continue Reading ]
_After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude_ This first refers to
the happy and prosperous state of the church at the end of so many
grievous persecutions and sufferings: for an innumerable multitude of
all nations and tongues embraced the gospel, and are here represented
as clothed with white r... [ Continue Reading ]
_And cried with a loud voice_ In token of the intenseness of their
devotion; _saying, Salvation to our God_ That is, Let the salvation
which we have attained be ascribed to him; _which sitteth upon the
throne_ And from thence has graciously regarded us, and exalted us to
such dignity and happiness,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And one of the elders_, &c. What is here related, to Revelation 7:17,
might have immediately followed the tenth verse; but that the praise
of the angels, which was given at the same time with that of the great
multitude, came in between: _answered_ That is, he answered St. John's
desire to know, no... [ Continue Reading ]