A37035:1153
A commentary upon the book of the Revelation Wherein the text is explained, the…A commentarie upon the book of the Revelation Wherein the text is explained, the…
A commentary upon the book of the Revelation Wherein the text is explained, the series of the several prophecies contained in that book, deduced according to their order and dependence on each other; the periods and succession of times, at, or about which, these prophecies, that are already fulfilled, began to be, and were more fully accomplished, fixed and applied according to history; and those that are yet to be fulfilled, modestly, and so far as is warrantable, enquired into. Together with some practical observations, and several digressions, necessary for vindicating, clearing, and confirming many weighty and important truths. Delivered in several lectures, by that learned, laborious, and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, James Durham, late Minister of the Gospel in Glasgow. To which is affixed a brief summary of the whole book, with a twofold index, one of the several digressions, another of the chief and principal purposes and words contained in this treatise.A commentarie upon the book of the Revelation Wherein the text is explained, the series of the several prophecies contained in that book, deduced according to their order and dependance on each other; the periods and succession of times, at, or about which, these prophecies, that are already fulfilled, began to be, and were more fully accomplished, fixed and applied according to history; and those that are yet to be fulfilled, modestly, and so far as is warrantable, enquired into. Together with some practical observations, and several digressions, necessary for vindicating, clearing, and confirming many weighty and important truths. Delivered in several lectures, by that learned, laborious, and faithfull servant of Jesus Christ, James Durham, late Minister of the Gospel in Glasgow. To which is affixed a brief summary of the whole book, with a twofold index, one of the several digressions, another of the chief and principall purposes and words contained in this treatise.
Edinburgh: printed by Christopher Higgins, 1658
AN EXPOSITION Of the BOOK of the REVELATION. › Lecture 1 › Chapter 4
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
First, It is to be remembered, that on Chapter 1. vers. 19. we did divide this Book in three sorts of things, to wit, 1. the things that then were. 2. The things which John had seen in his time. 3. The things which were to come thereafter. The first sort of things, have been already spoken unto in the second and third Chapters. That part ⟨p. 267⟩of the prophecy which followeth, must then contain the other two, to wit, the things which John saw in his time, and which were to follow after that: both these are comprehended under this expression, things which must be hereafter, vers. 1. for, that phrase, is not to be taken strictly, as if all that followeth were prophesies of things and events following the time of Johns having this Revelation manifested to him; because we will see in the sixth and twelfth Chapters the prophecy beginneth at the rise of the Gospel, and the white horse his beginning to conquer, and the woman's travelling under persecution; both which, came some length before this Revelation was written. Therefore they are said to be the things which were to be thereafter: not because there was nothing of these events already come to pass, or begun to be fulfilled, as the former reason cleareth; but because the great part of them were of that nature, and also because the events which John had seen to be fulfilled in their beginnings, were but in perfecting, and so, in some respect, might be said to be to come thereafter also: upon which grounds, the whole Book was called a prophecy, Chapter 1. vers. 3. And so when this Book is divided in two parts, the things which John saw, that is, the things which were in his time, are comprehended under one expression with things that were to come. Again, when it is divided in three sorts of things, as in Chapter 1. vers. 19. things to come, are taken more properly and strictly, as comprehending only such things as were for the time to be fulfilled. And this is the reason why sometimes it is divided in two, sometimes in three parts; yet both to one purpose.
First, It is to be remembred, that on Chapter 1. vers. 19. we did divide this Book in three sorts of things, to wit, 1. the things that then were. 2. The things which Iohn had seen in his time. 3. The things which were to come thereafter. The first sort of things, have been already spoken unto in the second and third Chapters. That part ⟨p. 267⟩of the prophesie which followeth, must then contain the other two, to wit, the things which Iohn saw in his time, and which were to follow after that: both these are comprehended under this expression, things which must be hereafter, vers. 1. for, that phrase, is not to be taken strictly, as if all that followeth were prophesies of things and events following the time of Iohns having this Revelation manifested to him; because we will see in the sixth and twelfth Chapters the prophesie beginneth at the rise of the Gospel, and the white horse his beginning to conquer, and the womans travelling under persecution; both which, came some length before this Revelation was written. Therefore they are said to be the things which were to be thereafter: not because there was nothing of these events already come to passe, or begun to be fulfilled, as the former reason cleareth; but because the great part of them were of that nature, and also because the events which Iohn had seen to be fulfilled in their beginnings, were but in perfecting, and so, in some respect, might be said to be to come thereafter also: upon which grounds, the whole Book was called a prophesie, Chapter 1. vers. 3. And so when this Book is divided in two parts, the things which Iohn saw, that is, the things which were in his time, are comprehended under one expression with things that were to come. Again, when it is divided in three sorts of things, as in Chapter 1. vers. 19. things to come, are taken more properly and strictly, as comprehending only such things as were for the time to be fulfilled. And this is the reason why sometimes it is divided in two, sometimes in three parts; yet both to one purpose.