A37035:1421
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
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.
The first four have one common type, to wit, a Horse, because they relate to one common subject or object, to wit, the Church; and they have a voice, calling, Come, and see: The fifth and sixth have no such voice, because they speak so distinctly of themselves with difference from the former four in respect of their scope.
For conceiving the meaning of these seals, take notice, 1. that they are not to be looked upon as continuing a Story of the Church from the beginning to the end of the World, as ⟨p. 339⟩was said; yea, it appeareth by the Answer given to the Saints in the fifth seal, that there were Martyrs to be crowned by suffering after that time before the end; and it being clear that these Martyrs are not crowned by the sixth seal, which bringeth judgement upon persecutors, It must remain therefore to be fulfilled under the trumpets, and consequently that they must intervene between the sixth seal and the end.
For conceiving the meaning of these seals, take notice, 1. that they are not to be looked upon as continuing a Story of the Church from the beginning to the end of the World, as ⟨p. 339⟩was said; yea, it appeareth by the Answer given to the Saints in the fifth seal, that there were Martyrs to be crowned by suffering after that time before the end; and it being clear that these Martyrs are not crowned by the sixth seal, which bringeth judgement upon persecuters, It must remain therefore to be fulfilled under the trumpets, and consequently that they must interveen between the sixth seal and the end.
2. Take notice, that by them is set forth the state of the Church, and that under persecution uninterrupted, until the sixth seal be opened. For, 1. there is one common sign or type in the first four seals, to wit, an horse, which in the first seal representeth the Church as honourable and victorious by the spreading of the Gospel. And therefore, 2. by an horse, under the second, third, and fourth, must be understood the same thing represented, to wit, the Church, although different in her condition from the former, according as the same type is variously set forth. 3. It appeareth by the fifth seal, that the Churches suffering is here to be understood, Where we have these four, 1. That the party suffering was the Church, as appeareth by their Prayer, Dost thou not avenge our blood; &c. 2. It appeareth, that their suffering was for no private quarrel, by their description, vers. 9. The souls of them that were slain, for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held. 3. It appeareth that this suffering was from men, and that without the Church, by their description who were instruments, Dost thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? as looking to the multitude of the world, contradistinguished from the Church. 4. It appeareth, that this suffering was for a long time uninterrupted, and so must be the first suffering of the Church before God overthrew Heathen persecutors: their Prayer, How long, Lord, wilt thou not judge and avenge our blood, &c. which importeth, that unto this time God had not visibly reckoned with Heathen persecutors as He did when Authority began to own Christianity: and so these first five seals, at least, hold forth the suffering condition of the Church during the time of Heathenish Emperors: and this period runneth to the first great change of Gods outward dispensations to His Church, to wit, when civil Authority and force began to befriend the Church against her enemies, which will be found to be in Constantine's time, about the year 310 or thereby. Yet would we not peremptorily assert, that none of these judgements affected the wicked world during that time. For, 1. God sendeth the Gospel into the world. 2. Many profane men reject it: for which, 3. God plagueth the ungrate world more than before the Gospel came: