Excerpts from the 'Introductory Epistle':

"The occasion of my first meddling with this matter was as followeth: Upon a certain First Day, I being together with my brethren in our prison chamber, they expected that, according to our custom, something should be spoken out of the Word for our mutual edification; but at that time I felt myself, it being my turn to speak, so empty, spiritless, and barren, that I thought I should not have been able to speak among them so much as five words of truth, with life and evidence; but at last it so fell out that providentially I cast mine eye upon the eleventh verse of the one-and-twentieth chapter of this prophecy; upon which, when I had considered awhile, methought I perceived something of that jasper in whose light you there find this Holy City is said to come or descend; wherefore having got in my eye some dim glimmerings thereof, and finding also in my heart a desire to see farther into, I with a few groans did carry my meditations to the Lord Jesus for a blessing, which He did forthwith grant according to His grace; and, helping me to set before my brethren, we did all eat, and were well refreshed; and behold also, that while I was in the distributing of it, it so increased in my hand that of the fragments that we left, after we had well dined, I gathered up this basketful."

"...wherefore setting myself to a more narrow search, through frequent prayer to God, what first with doing, and then with undoing, and after that with doing again, I thus did finish it."

• FIRST, The vision of this city in general.
• SECOND, A discovery of its defence, entrances, and fashion, in particular.
• THIRD, A relation of the glory of each.
• FOURTH, A discovery of its inhabitants, their quality and numerousness.
• FIFTH, A relation of its maintenance, by which it continueth in life, ease, peace, tranquility, and sweetness for ever.